Log File Analyses: Possibilities And Limits Of Their Use In Human-Machine Interaction Studies

Abstract

The recording of computer use in automatically generated electronic logs - so-called log files - is becoming an increasingly used recording method in studies of human-computer interaction. This paper provides an introductory overview of logfile recording procedures and the analysis of the data. In addition to an explanation of the terminology, both advantages and disadvantages of log file evaluations as well as basic methods, mathematical descriptions of user behaviour and approaches to typifying user activities are presented.