speed-trap.com Introduces Prophet Web Site UsabilityTool To Monitor, Analyze & Enhance...

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2000

speed-trap.com, a new e-commerce performance management company, Monday introduced its Prophet software application, which is a Java-based, active client-side toolkit for use by Internet Web site operators

Prophet provides a complete insight into the actual user experience of individuals coming to a Web site because it collects real-time data on user interaction with Web pages and permits a wide variety of data analysis -- from simple clickstream to page audit trails to real-time replay of actual user sessions on a Web site.

It does this with unique, patent-pending technology that downloads a Java applet onto the user's PC as part of Web pages which are to be monitored and analyzed. This applet then converses with the Prophet server application, co-located with the Web server, to collect all events that occur while the user interacts with the Web site. In this way, each Web page monitors its own use.

"Prophet leapfrogs existing Internet application performance monitoring techniques because it records the end user's experience and online intra-site and intra-page behavior, time stamps and encrypts that data, and returns it in real time to the Web site operator or hosting service," explained Malcolm Duckett, vice president of marketing. "Other Prophet components then search the incoming data stream for significant sequences of events or trends. Analysis and visualization tools allow the site owner to monitor both user behavior and system performance, to spot anomalous behavior. Data may also be exported for analysis with external tools.

"A critical design element of Prophet's architecture is that it protects the Web site user's privacy at all times," Duckett continued. "Prophet is designed to not record or know user details such as IP address, log-in name, password, etc. Information can only be passed back to the site owner or hosting service.

"Personal data entered by the user on a voluntary basis, such as that provided to complete a purchase, can be excluded from the collection process by the site designer. Individual users remain completely anonymous. Since Prophet is 100% a Java application, and operates within the Java 'sandbox,' it is intrinsically safe to use and is non-invasive to the Web surfer.