User Experience
Behavioural Data
Also known as: Behavioral Data
Plain English
glossaryDataData is raw, uninterpreted information collected and stored so it can be analysed, processed, or used to inform decisions. On its own it carries no meaning; context and interpretation are what make it useful.Open glossary term about what users actually do.
Definition
Behavioural glossaryDataData is raw, uninterpreted information collected and stored so it can be analysed, processed, or used to inform decisions. On its own it carries no meaning; context and interpretation are what make it useful.Open glossary term records what users actually did within a product, captured through analytics, glossaryEvent TrackingEvent tracking is the process of capturing specific user actions within a system for analysis.Open glossary term, and usage glossaryPatternA pattern is a reusable solution to a design problem that recurs across products and contexts. It captures an approach already shown to work, so a team solves the problem once rather than every time it appears.Open glossary term. It is unaffected by memory or self-presentation, and it never explains motive.
In practice
Includes analytics, guideClick TrackingMeasuring clicks on specific elements to understand engagement, performance, and missed opportunities.Open guide, and usage glossaryPatternA pattern is a reusable solution to a design problem that recurs across products and contexts. It captures an approach already shown to work, so a team solves the problem once rather than every time it appears.Open glossary term.
In context
It answers what and never why. Knowing eighty per cent abandon at the same field tells you where to watch someone, not what to change.
The reality
It shows what users do, but not always why.
Compared with
Behavioural Data vs Attitudinal Data
Behavioural glossaryDataData is raw, uninterpreted information collected and stored so it can be analysed, processed, or used to inform decisions. On its own it carries no meaning; context and interpretation are what make it useful.Open glossary term records what people did. glossaryAttitudinal DataAttitudinal data captures what users say, think, or feel about a product or experience.Open glossary term captures what they say and feel. They regularly contradict each other, and the contradiction is usually the most interesting finding in the study.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is behavioural data?
It is glossaryDataData is raw, uninterpreted information collected and stored so it can be analysed, processed, or used to inform decisions. On its own it carries no meaning; context and interpretation are what make it useful.Open glossary term showing user actions and glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term.
Why is behavioural data useful?
It reveals real glossaryUser BehaviourUser behaviour refers to how users interact with a product, including actions, patterns, and decision-making processes.Open glossary term.
What is its limitation?
It does not explain glossaryUser IntentUser intent is the underlying goal or reason behind a user’s action, search, or interaction.Open glossary term or motivation.
How is it collected?
Through analytics and tracking tools.
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