1634564 - Record Search Engine Result Page loads as a result of a reload or a back-button press

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: Search, task, P3)

Description

[Ben Miroglio [:bmiroglio]]

We need to flesh out the specifics in more detail, but I'd like to start tracking back button presses and reload events that load a Search Engine Result Page (SERP).

We track tagged_sap searches by parsing the URL. This means the field increments everytime the page is reloaded, or if a back button press leads the user back to the SERP. tagged_sap is always higher than sap, and suspect this is why. We'd like to know for sure.

My thought was this could be a keyedScalar of the form:

serp_page_reloads
Description: Measures the number of times a SERP page is reloaded by either a page reload or (probably more commonly) a back button press.
Keys:
‘reload_shortcut’ (CMD+R)
‘reload_click’
‘back_button_shortcut’ (backspace)
‘back_button_click’

This will help explain why sap and tagged_sap do not match, since tagged_sap searches increment with reloads of a page while sap searches do not. Also gives more visibility into how a user is navigating search results if they don’t find what they want on the first click.

Comment 1

[Mark Banner (:standard8)]

For this bug, we have decided to do the following:

• Rework the SERP counts currently logged in SEARCH_COUNTS to break them down by the source of the SERP. Currently, this would be urlbar, search bar etc. These will be via keyed scalars, similar to the browser.search.withads.* scalars.
• Add two new categories, reload and tabhistory. The first is for tracking page reloads. The second is for tracking if a page was loaded from the tab's history, e.g. back or forward.

Comment 2

[Mark Banner (:standard8)]

Attachment: Bug 1634564 - Add recording of SAP sources for SERP counts. r?daleharvey!

This creates new scalars that add options for recording SAP sources, and will replace the existing similar reporting within SEARCH_COUNTS.

Comment 3

[Mark Banner (:standard8)]

Attachment: Bug 1634564 - Extend SERP counts telemetry sources to include page reloads and navigation through tab history. r?daleharvey!

Depends on D109142

Comment 4

[Mark Banner (:standard8)]

Attachment: Data Collection Review

Comment 5

[Megan McCorquodale]

Comment on attachment 9210419 [details]
Data Collection Review

1. Is there or will there be documentation that describes the schema for the ultimate data set in a public, complete, and accurate way?
   Yes this will be documented in the Probe Dictionary.

2. Is there a control mechanism that allows the user to turn the data collection on and off?
   Yes, Users can opt out of telemetry collection.

3. If the request is for permanent data collection, is there someone who will monitor the data over time?
   Permanent data collection, will be monitored by Natalie Raketic.

4. Using the category system of data types on the Mozilla wiki, what collection type of data do the requested measurements fall under?
   Category 2, Interaction Data.

5. Is the data collection request for default-on or default-off?
   Default on.

6. Does the instrumentation include the addition of any new identifiers?
   No new identifiers.

7. Is the data collection covered by the existing Firefox privacy notice?
   Yes.

8. Does there need to be a check-in in the future to determine whether to renew the data?
   No.

9. Does the data collection use a third-party collection tool?
   No.

---

data-review +

Comment 6

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/d8598c0888c6
Add recording of SAP sources for SERP counts. r=daleharvey
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/a7229e35c8e7
Extend SERP counts telemetry sources to include page reloads and navigation through tab history. r=daleharvey

Comment 7

[Sandor Molnar[:smolnar]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/d8598c0888c6
https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/a7229e35c8e7

Comment 8

[Mark Banner (:standard8)]

qe-verify:

• New scalars added to record SERPs (browser.search.content.*), existing SEARCH_COUNTS histogram entries retained for now.
• New scalars added for reload & tabhistory to browser.search.content., browser.search.withads. and browser.search.adclicks.*

Comment 9

[Cristian Comorasu, QA [:ccomorasu], Releae Desktop QA - Please contact [e-mail]]

This bug was verified and a test case was added in the regression test suite.