Segmentation in flow visualizations feedback

[Gigazelle]

Hi everyone!

Recently, an issue was reported to Adobe regarding how segments are applied to flow reports. I wanted to get your feedback around if you find value around its current functionality, or around how we intend to change it.

How it currently works

When you apply a segment to a flow report, it first does all the pathing calculations, then applies the segment after. This image provides an excellent example:

Using the above image, first it calculates all paths from /search to /ware, then it applies the segment (hits where pages = /ware). What you end up with is a report that doesn't make a lot of sense.

What Adobe plans to change

Instead of applying the segment after paths are calculated, Adobe plans to apply the segment to each part of the path.

For example, instead of:

(/search then /ware) applied segment

It would be:

(/search with applied segment) then (/ware with applied segment)

If the above data was used, this specific example would show 0 for the entire report. Since /search had zero hits match the segment, naturally there would be no subsequent path instances.

We want your feedback!

This is where we want to hear from you.

• How do you expect segments applied to flow visualizations to work?
• Are there any scenarios where applying a segment after pathing data is calculated would be valuable?

We want to make sure that the planned changes are a direct upgrade to getting value out of flow reports. Please let us know!

[H_L]

Or when drag & drop a prop onto the "segment" area, deafult set it in "visit" level?

Or when user select a page from Prop dimension drag & drop to the segment area of a Flow, ask user it's a Before or After sequential, or "logic group", during a visit.

It seems to me "hit" level will not make sense at "segment" area on top of the "FLOW", unless it can be applied inside of a flow stage.

[Gigazelle]

Using a visit level segment would definitely make more sense, and what I would consider a best practice. However, I don't think we want to limit the segment container used in this context, because you could still get some value out of using a hit level segment.

The ability to control segments on each stage of the flow (similar to fallout) was discussed, and might warrant additional discussion in the future. Thank you for your feedback!

[H_L]

Ok, may be my understanding to segment and flow is not that professional.

As far as I can remember, all "then" should be applied to visit level or visitor level.

I don't really understand how a "from page A then to page B" can be identified by a "hit" since it need to identify at least 2 image request.

Sorry to confuse you and provided helpless idea.

But it seems to me it looks very similar to want to get the flow of "sequential segment": Between, but not Before nor After. Like in this post asked:

[Gigazelle]

No worries, this is a good conversation to have! This is a very complex subject, so any clarifications we can make to help understand will help many others.

Sequential segmentation does require two or more hits, however, there is a very distinct difference between a sequential segment and a segment container.

• A sequential segment is a piece of criteria that belongs within a segment container.
• A segment container determines what hits to include if the segment criteria is met.

Since a sequential segment refers to segment criteria, you can have a sequential segment in either a hit container, a visit container, or visitor container.

• If you have the sequential segment "Page A > Page B" in a hit container, it will only pull in the individual hits that matched your segment.
• If you have the sequential segment "Page A > Page B" in a visit container, it will not only bring in the hits that were part of the sequence, but also the rest of the visit as well.
• If you have the sequential segment "Page A > Page B" in a visitor container, it brings in the hits, the visit, and any other visits of that individual.

[H_L]

Hi Gigazelle,

I'm here again,may I take the opportunity to ask you:

How I can create a sequential segment for the Immediate Next Hit after a sequential segment?

for example, following Sequential Segment is created:

The Result:

What the expected result is:

Only Hit Depth 6 is displayed.

Do you think it's possible to make?

In fact I asked a similar question by using Fall-out.

I hope to have adobe analytics experts help.

Thank you in advance.

H

[Gigazelle]

I'd recommend creating a new thread for this, as this thread's purpose is for individuals to post feedback on upcoming changes Adobe plans to make to segmenting flow reports.

However, to briefly answer your question, click the clock icon so it says 'Then within 1 hits'. I believe that should give you the sequential segment you're looking for.

[luekl]

Flows and Segments right now are not recommended to be used together. But Flows in general also have issues even without segments in that the Entries often do not show if the number of Entries is low.

Moreover Flows do not match what I get for the exact same dimension and time range in R & A and Ad hoc. Ad hoc and R & A look like they are working, Analysis Workspace seems to be buggy (yes, I am using the Visit Container to be comparable to R&A and Ad hoc).

I would want to apply segments like "only Hits of Type "Search" or "Pageview" or only Hits where "x is set"), so it is more or less what Gigazelle proposed in the beginning: The segment needs to be applied first to filter out only the Hits that fit the criteria, and then the Pathing Report has to be generated from what is left.

[H_L]

Gigazelle,

thanks for your reply.

When I set the within 1 hit, or 2 hits, nothing will listed in the report table.

I did started a new post, unfortunately, I cannot get one reply.

Fallout / Fallthrough: How to get the real report for the NEXT HIT  - in this post, I do post screen capture that in AA fall-out report, the "Help" tells me it should be the "immediate" hit AFTER touch point, which means to me the "touchpoint" itself should not be included in the report.

What does "Breakthrough Fallout/Fallthrough" exactly mean?

WHY THIS IS CRUCIAL?

We rely on the Adobe Fallout report to see user behaviour after a SEARCH behaviour.

So, if "Search Page" itself is included, we cannot identify whehter user do another search immediately after last search but not click anything or not.

In a word, if it's the "immediate" click "AFTER" search, we can say our search performance is not good, otherwise, we are mislead by the data because it lists not the immediate click AFTER search, but included the search itself.

Thank you.

H

[H_L]

Gigazelle ,

Thanks for your inputs and further explanations.

I carefully checked the definition of "Sequential Segment" and tried creating "Hits" level Sequential Segment, now I fully understand the sequential segment can also work in Hit level.

Best,

H

[H_L]

Also, it seems the FLOW does not work when Sequential Segment applied.

Could you please help to clarify as well?

Million thanks!

[David_Jerome]

Hi Gigazelle​,

I have always found the flows and segments very confusing.

I would expect what Adobe are proposing to be the logical way that a flow should work.

Hopefully we will see it soon.

Thanks

Dave

[AlexisCascales]

Thanks for the explanation Gigazelle,

We have a similar problem when we create a Flow Chart.

When we put different variables at the same Flow Chart we have an elevate % of “entries” path names.

When ONLY use one variable in all fields, I don’t have this % of  strange “entries”

I investigated more deeply and I thing that the problem is when you combine distinct PROPS. For example:

If not combine any PROP, We don’t have missing entries

• P31 Page Name

When we combine some PROPS

• P44 Contenido 2
• P31 Page Name

We have this % of missing Page Names

I verificated that all of the Page Name at First example have associate a P44 Contenido, for that is strange for us this “missing entries”

Why it could be happen?

Thanks for all,