With this rush of analytically minded visitors we're seeing today based on the link from Avinash, I thought I'd take the opportunity to solicit some information. So you may have thought you were here to read a blog, but I'd like to you to participate in a little survey / project.

Like everyone else who spends time with Analytics software, I'm often asked for advice on selecting an analytics tool, and the virtues of one program vs another. (Usually the 'another' is Google Analytics.) While I have my preferences and reasons why I've made that decision, it still isn't easy to summarize these reasons or convey them to someone else, and of course every unique situation impacts the 'right' decision.

To develop a better and more comprehensive answer to this question, I've recently taken to carrying around a little notebook and writing down the questions that I have for my analytics software. My theory is that over time I'll be able to take this list and then try to answer these questions in a variety of packages and by documenting that exercise I'll have a real world solution to the problem of both recommending (and justifying) certain solutions.

My goal is not to build a 'checkbox' style capabilities list, but rather to provide a few sentences of context as to the possibility, simplicity, caveats, and context of how each package is able to provide 'answers'. In a perfect world, the answers would clump in ways that would make it easy for someone to decide which tool is right for them.

My lists are grouped by subject. Questions about traffic acquisition, questions about visitors, questions about the site structure and content, questions about the economics of the business. Many in some ways correspond to standard KPIs, but I'm purposely trying to put these into the form of business issues/questions not simple titles of information types.

So if you'd please, comment here with one or three of the questions you want your analytics program to answer. Common ones or vexing problems, everything is welcome.

I'll compile the list, organize it as best I can, and publish it back out. Perhaps even set up a wiki where experts in the various packages can contribute answers and examples. Thanks in advance.