Assignment 7: Understanding KPIs Please Note

Assignment 7: Understanding KPIs Please Note Po

Explain KPIs what are they, as they apply to web analytics.

Explain your position if you agree or disagree with their relevance in web analytics.

Explain your position. Class: You may find newer and older resources listed each week in the Lessons and Assignments; however, the older resources are still relevant in content and concept. The relevancy is noted in that they build on the structural foundation of web analytics. We must be aware that Web Analytics is always in motion, and organizations are seeking to create actionable insights driving the decision making process. Class, please feel free to explore your own research for eBooks, journals and articles that best answer the topics and assignments. Do your best to locate resources that are no more than three (3) years old. PLEASE DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA AS A RESOURCE AND OR REFERENCE. Please be sure to review Lesson 7 for a complete listing of many resources you may find useful and relevant. Helpful Assignment Articles Web Links and Readings : KPI Example PDF Report 2014: Top 5 Google Analytics KPIs: A Beginner’s Guide to Web Analytics 2012: 2011: 2010: 2009: Please submit a Word Doc with your answers in 500 words or more, and use APA references in support of your answers. Be sure to place your Name and Class on your submission, for example: Smith, John WEDB122 I001 Fall 12 Assignment 7 Readings: Please review the Week 7 Lesson for the reading materials. Assignment Objectives: · Describe Key Performance Indicators (KPI) · Describe KPIs and their best practices · Demonstrate your ability to communicate your position Grading Rubrics WEBD122 Intro to Web Analytics Assignment Rubrics Week 7 Assignment Grading Rubric All written assignments will be assessed according to this rubric. Requirements Points Explain KPIs what are they, as they apply to web analytics. Describe Key Performance Indicators (KPI) 27 Explain your position if you agree or disagree with their relevance in web analytics. Describe KPIs and their best practices. 27 Explain your position. Demonstrate your ability to communicate your position. 27 Student submitted a Word Doc for the assignment. 9 Student used APA formatting and citations within the submitted document and references used. 10 Spelling and grammar errors -1 @ Assignment Late Penalty (per day late) -10 Max -20 Points Total Points 100 C6-1 CASE STUDY 6 CHEVRON’S INFRASTRUCTURE EVOLUTION Chevron Corporation ( is one of the world’s leading energy companies. Chevron’s headquarters are in San Ramon, California. The company has more than 62,000 employees and produces more than 700,000 barrels of oil per day. It has 19,500 retail sites in 84 countries. In 2012, Chevron was number three on the Fortune 500 list and had more than $244 billion in revenue in 2011 [STAT12]. IT infrastructure is very important to Chevron and to better support all facets of its global operations, the company is always focused on improving its infrastructure [GALL12]. Chevron faces new challenges from increased global demand for its traditional hydrocarbon products and the need to develop IT support for new value chains for liquid natural gas (LNG) and the extraction of gas and oil from shale. Huge investments are being made around the world, particularly in Australia and Angola on massive projects of unprecedented scale. Modeling and analytics are more important than ever to help Chevron exploit deep water drilling and hydrocarbon extraction in areas with challenging geographies. For example, advanced seismic imaging tools are used by Chevron to reveal possible oil or natural gas reservoirs beneath the earth’s surface. Chevron’s proprietary seismic imaging C6-2 technology contributed to it achieving a 69% discovery rate in 2011[CHEV12]. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Systems Chevron refineries are continually collecting data from sensors spread throughout the facilities to maintain safe operations and to alert operators to potential safety issues before they ever become safety issues. Data from the sensors is also used to optimize the way the refineries work and to identify opportunities of greater efficiency. IT controls 60,000 valves at Chevron’s Pascagoula, Mississippi refinery; the efficiency and safety of its end-to-end operations are dependent on advanced sensors, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and other digital industrial control systems [GALL12]. SCADA systems are typically centralized systems that monitor and control entire sites and/or complexes of systems that are spread out over large areas such as an entire manufacturing, fabrication, power generation, or refining facility. The key components of SCADA systems include: ï‚· Programmable logic units (PLCs) that and remote terminal units (RTUs) connected to sensors that convert sensor signals to digital data and send it to the supervisory system ï‚· A supervisory computer system that acquires data about the process and sends control commands to the process ï‚· A human-machine interface (HMI) that presents process to the human operators that monitor and control the process. ï‚· Process meters and process analysis instruments ï‚· Communication infrastructure connecting the supervisory system and RTUs and PLCs. These are illustrated in Figure C6.1. C6-3 Data acquisition occurs at the PLC or RTU level. This includes meter readings and equipment status reports that are sent to the supervisory system. The collected data is compiled and formatted by the HMI to enable the operator to make determine whether adjustments to normal PLC or RTU settings are needed. Current data may also be compared to historical data in a SCADA database to assess trends or perform analytical auditing. C6-4 In addition to Chevron refineries, SCADA are extremely important in national infrastructures such as water supplies, pipelines, and electric grids. Because attacks or damage to SCADA systems can affect large numbers of people, ensuring adequate security is important. Business Infrastructure Transformation Because of the complexity of its operational processes and the IT that is needed to support them, Chevron has traditionally been more infrastructure than business focused. SCADA systems and digital industrial control systems are critical IT infrastructure at Chevron’s refineries and will always play an important role in monitoring and managing facility-based processes. These also are among the first IT systems needed to support Chevron’s new value chains for LNG and shale oil extraction. However, like any large corporation, Chevron relies on a wide variety of business applications to run its businesses. As it is for most global businesses, SAP ERP is a key transaction processing system at Chevron. Chevron has been using SAP for more than two decades and it has played an important role in the development of SAP’s vertical solutions for the hydrocarbon industry. There are more than 50 instances of SAP used by Chevron [SCRI11]. Most of these run on Oracle databases. Some other key enterprise applications at Chevron include Ariba Buyer, EMC Documentum, Informatica, MicroStrategy, multiple Oracle applications [SCRI11]. Going forward, IT executives at Chevron would like to flip the company’s traditional IT priorities so that the majority of the IT staff’s time and attention is focused on improving business capabilities [GALL12]. To do this, Chevron’s IT leaders have increasingly turned their attention to Web services, software as a service (SaaS), and cloud computing to help it run its business. Chevron considers mobility to be a game changer in how it C6-5 delivers information and provides solutions and it is convinced that it can do both without sacrificing security or reliability. IT infrastructure at Chevron pervades every facet of its operations. However, Chevron’s executives have not lost sight of the fact that IT is not the company’s core competency. By moving business solutions to the cloud, Chevron executives hope to help the company maintain its focus on its core competencies. C6-6 Chevron has used business-oriented Web services for several years. Ariba Buyer, Salesforce.com, and Ketera’s price negotiation system are just a few of the SaaS solutions that Chevron has woven into its IT architecture. Chevron is interested in developing an integrated information network that includes all of its major supply chain partners, both upstream and downstream. Identify management has emerged as a priority at Chevron to ensure secure data transfer among its business partners. A generic example of an identify management system is illustrated in Figure C6.2. When users at Chevron partners need to access Chevron’s intranet and/or SaaS data or solutions, they are first cleared by an identity broker. The identity broker authenticates the user and transparently provides a single sign on (SSO) token that enables the partner to access Chevron’s intranet (2) or the company’s SaaS solution providers (3). Chevron hopes to better align its operations with those of its business partners via its migration of business applications to the cloud. It hopes that the business infrastructure transformation that is currently underway will also lead to better IT and business alignment. As a global company, the cloud may be an ideal platform for running the business. In the years ahead, Chevron’s IT leaders expect mobility, analytics and visualization, and social media to become critical aspects of its business infrastructure. At the facilities level, advanced sensors and deeper embedding of RTUs and PLCs within operations are foreseen [GALL12]. Technical appreciation of convergence network infrastructure will continue to be important, but business literacy/savvy will be most important to the long- term success of Chevron’s IT leaders. Discussion Points 1. Do some Internet research on Chevron’s use of seismic imaging technology. Briefly explain how it works and how it has helped Chevron discover new oil and gas reservoirs. C. Do some Internet research on security vulnerabilities associated with SCADA and digital industrial control systems. Summarize the major security concerns associated with these systems and steps than can be taken to enhance their security. 3. Discuss the pros and cons of moving enterprise-wide applications that have traditionally been supported on premises to the cloud. 4. Do some Internet research on identify management and single sign on systems. Briefly explain how these work and why they are important in business intranets and extranets. 5. Why is it increasing most important for a CIO or IT executive who oversees geographically distributed enterprise networks to be business literate?

Paper For Above instruction

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurable values that demonstrate how effectively an individual, team, or organization is achieving key objectives. In the context of web analytics, KPIs provide a quantitative basis for evaluating the success of digital marketing efforts, website performance, user engagement, and overall online presence. They serve as critical tools that enable organizations to monitor, assess, and optimize their web-based strategies to drive better business outcomes (Chaffey, 2019). KPIs in web analytics often include metrics such as website traffic, bounce rate, average session duration, conversion rate, and customer acquisition cost. These indicators help businesses understand how well their website is performing in attracting and retaining visitors, facilitating conversions, and generating revenue (Kaushik, 2020). As organizations become increasingly data-driven, the relevance of KPIs in web analytics continues to grow, guiding strategic decisions and resource allocation. I agree with the importance of KPIs, as they translate abstract goals into tangible metrics, making performance measurable and actionable. Without KPIs, organizations lack clear benchmarks to evaluate success or identify areas needing improvement (Lemon & Verhoef, 2016). Conversely, some may argue that over-reliance on KPIs can lead to a narrow focus on short-term metrics at the expense of broader strategic goals, potentially encouraging gaming of data or neglecting qualitative factors (Farris et al., 2019). Nonetheless, when implemented thoughtfully, KPIs play a vital role in web analytics by providing the necessary insights to refine tactics, improve user experience, and enhance overall online effectiveness. Best practices in selecting KPIs involve aligning them with business objectives, ensuring data quality, and establishing realistic targets (Farris et al., 2019). Regular review and adjustment of KPIs are also essential to respond to changing market conditions and technological advancements. In conclusion, KPIs are indispensable tools in web analytics for measuring and guiding digital performance. Their relevance persists as organizations seek to leverage insights for competitive advantage, making them an integral component of effective web strategies (Chaffey, 2019; Kaushik, 2020). As web analytics evolves, so too will the ways in which KPIs inform organizational decision-making, emphasizing the importance of continuous monitoring and adaptation (Lemon & Verhoef, 2016).

References

• Chaffey, D. (2019). Digital marketing excellence: Planning, optimizing and integrating online marketing (6th ed.). Routledge.
• Farris, P. W., Bendle, N. T., Pfeifer, P. E., & Reibstein, D. J. (2019). Marketing metrics: The definitive guide to measuring marketing performance. Pearson.
• Kaushik, A. (2020). Web analytics 2.0: The art of online accountability & science of online success. SAGE Publications.
• Lemon, K. N., & Verhoef, P. C. (2016). Understanding customer experience throughout the customer journey. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 69-96.