Explore OpenReplay integration for user session tracking and debugging #69
Description
Overview
Investigate integrating OpenReplay for comprehensive user session tracking, debugging, and user experience optimization in Registry. OpenReplay provides session replay capabilities that could help identify UX issues, debug user-reported problems, and optimize conversion funnels.
Why OpenReplay?
- Open Source: Self-hostable with privacy controls
- Session Replay: Complete user interaction recordings
- Performance Monitoring: Real-time performance metrics
- Privacy Focused: GDPR/CCPA compliant with data masking
- Developer Tools: Console logs, network requests, and errors
- Heatmaps & Analytics: User behavior insights
Implementation Goals
Phase 1: Evaluation & Setup
- Research OpenReplay hosting options (cloud vs self-hosted)
- Evaluate privacy implications and compliance requirements
- Set up development/staging environment integration
- Test basic session recording functionality
Phase 2: Production Integration
- Integrate OpenReplay SDK into Registry templates
- Configure data masking for sensitive information (PII, payment data)
- Set up proper consent management for GDPR compliance
- Configure performance monitoring and alerts
Phase 3: Analytics & Optimization
- Set up funnel tracking for key user journeys (signup, enrollment, payment)
- Create dashboards for UX metrics and conversion tracking
- Implement error tracking and automated alerts
- Set up A/B testing capabilities for UX improvements
Key Use Cases
Bug Investigation
- Reproduce user-reported issues with exact session replays
- Debug complex HTMX interactions and workflow failures
- Identify browser-specific compatibility issues
UX Optimization
- Track user behavior on landing pages and conversion funnels
- Identify pain points in tenant signup and program enrollment
- Optimize form completion rates and reduce abandonment
Performance Monitoring
- Monitor real-user performance metrics
- Identify slow page loads and interaction delays
- Track Core Web Vitals and user experience metrics
Support Enhancement
- Provide visual context for user support tickets
- Reduce debugging time with complete session context
- Improve support team efficiency with replay evidence
Technical Considerations
Privacy & Security
- Data Masking: Automatically mask sensitive form fields (passwords, payment info, PII)
- Consent Management: Implement proper consent flows for session recording
- Data Retention: Configure appropriate retention policies for recordings
- GDPR Compliance: Ensure right to deletion and data portability
Performance Impact
- Lightweight SDK: Minimal performance overhead
- Async Loading: Load OpenReplay SDK asynchronously to avoid blocking
- Conditional Recording: Option to enable/disable recording based on user consent
- Network Optimization: Compress and batch data uploads
Integration Points
- Template Integration: Add to layouts/default.html.ep and layouts/workflow.html.ep
- Event Tracking: Custom events for workflow completions and business metrics
- Error Boundary: Capture JavaScript errors and exceptions
- API Integration: Track backend errors and performance metrics
Implementation Strategy
Development Environment
- Set up OpenReplay instance (cloud trial or local Docker)
- Integrate SDK into development templates
- Test session recording with sample user journeys
- Verify data masking and privacy controls
Staging Testing
- Deploy to staging environment with full functionality
- Test complex user workflows (tenant signup, program creation)
- Validate performance impact and data collection
- Test consent management and GDPR compliance features
Production Rollout
- Implement feature flag for gradual rollout
- Start with limited user cohort (beta tenants)
- Monitor performance metrics and user feedback
- Gradually expand to full user base
Success Metrics
Technical Metrics
- Session recording coverage: >80% of user sessions
- Performance impact: <100ms additional page load time
- Data masking accuracy: 100% sensitive data protection
- Error capture rate: >95% of JavaScript errors tracked
Business Metrics
- Bug resolution time: 50% reduction in debug time
- Support efficiency: 30% reduction in support ticket resolution time
- Conversion optimization: 10% improvement in signup completion rates
- User experience: Measurable improvements in Core Web Vitals
Alternative Solutions
Comparison Matrix
- FullStory: Powerful but expensive, privacy concerns
- LogRocket: Good features but proprietary and costly
- Smartlook: Mid-tier option with decent privacy controls
- Hotjar: Basic heatmaps but limited session replay
- OpenReplay: Open source, self-hostable, privacy-focused
Timeline & Resources
Estimated Timeline
- Week 1-2: Research and environment setup
- Week 3-4: Development integration and testing
- Week 5-6: Staging deployment and validation
- Week 7-8: Production rollout and monitoring
Required Resources
- Development: Frontend integration and privacy configuration
- DevOps: Hosting setup (if self-hosted) and deployment
- Legal/Compliance: Privacy policy updates and GDPR compliance review
- Product: Define tracking events and success metrics
Next Steps
- Immediate: Research OpenReplay hosting options and pricing
- Short-term: Set up development environment and basic integration
- Medium-term: Implement full privacy controls and staging testing
- Long-term: Production deployment with comprehensive analytics
Priority
Medium-High - Significant value for debugging, UX optimization, and support efficiency
Labels
- enhancement
- analytics
- user-experience
- debugging
- performance
- privacy