Although rarely a user requirement usage logs are a valuable tool.

Usage logs will help you understand whether there is a buy in by the stated audience and stimulate questions about the solution delivered (can it be improved? does it meet requirements).

For example, I was tasked (along with a colleague) by our CEO to develop a sophisticated Excel report which was to be used by the entire management team. We got sign off on the requirements and the end solution which had taken considerable development time.

While most of the data was extracted automatically with SQL queries etc there was quite a bit of regular maintenance (several hours per week) to extract additional comparative data from less automated systems so we were determined to monitor use of the report to ensure our efforts were justified. We did this by logging use of the Excel report – who opened the report and when.

After a period of initial active use, logs revealed that the report wasn’t continuing to get the buy in so we ceased our maintenance efforts. Several months later I was asked by the CEO why the report wasn’t up to date. The logs helped us show that with the exception of one person opening the report (the person who advised the CEO it wasn’t up to date) none of the management team (including the CEO) had opened it for months.

The facts showed that we were right to cease maintenance and channel our efforts elsewhere.