Stats on Time to answer a question

Question

As we are looking at stats, can someone find the below; essentially related to how fast are we responding to questions;

• Average Time to answer question, with buckets say x% in first 30 mins of posting, y% in next one hr and z% in 12 hrs etc, whatever the right buckets based on initial data output.

• Peak where the average time is less ... I think we are fast at responding at certain times of the day, it would help us understand this time and then someone can try to be available at different time.

• How many users did not turn after posting a question and waiting for answer. This is something I observed with few questions, we answered late, I think in few hours, but the user waited only an hour and then never came back. Indicates he found answer somewhere and went away. I just want to find out are there too many of such cases.

Answer 1

All in all, pretty good. First, the data, then an explanation of some caveats to the query. This is the median time to answer, by week:

Week          Count / 1000 MedianMinutesToAnswer 
------------- ------------ --------------------- 
2009-10-05 00:00:000.011        9999999               
2009-10-12 00:00:000.015        9999999               
2009-10-19 00:00:000.013        33756.133333          
2009-10-26 00:00:000.009        9999999               
2009-11-02 00:00:000.005        1611.35               
2009-11-09 00:00:000.008        9999999               
2009-11-16 00:00:000.02         382.35                
2009-11-23 00:00:000.017        406.833333            
2009-11-30 00:00:000.011        2599.35               
2009-12-07 00:00:000.013        170.583333            
2009-12-14 00:00:000.017        854.516666            
2009-12-21 00:00:000.006        992.233333            
2009-12-28 00:00:000.013        104.15                
2010-01-04 00:00:000.015        2109.066666           
2010-01-11 00:00:000.021        340.116666            
2010-01-18 00:00:000.014        850.683333            
2010-01-25 00:00:000.016        1153.233333           
2010-02-01 00:00:000.015        576.5                 
2010-02-08 00:00:000.015        1138.116666           
2010-02-15 00:00:000.019        884.983333            
2010-02-22 00:00:000.019        3198.033333           
2010-03-01 00:00:000.01         283.416666            
2010-03-08 00:00:000.012        659.083333            
2010-03-15 00:00:000.009        599.45                
2010-03-22 00:00:000.015        263.233333            
2010-03-29 00:00:000.021        156.416666            
2010-04-05 00:00:000.016        257.95                
2010-04-12 00:00:000.02         498.516666            
2010-04-19 00:00:000.011        651.183333            
2010-04-26 00:00:000.014        215.95                
2010-05-03 00:00:000.01         613.683333            
2010-05-10 00:00:000.01         560.533333            
2010-05-17 00:00:000.011        39244.733333          
2010-05-24 00:00:000.012        9999999               
2010-05-31 00:00:000.016        9999999               
2010-06-07 00:00:000.022        9999999               
2010-06-14 00:00:000.013        9999999               
2010-06-21 00:00:000.01         9999999               
2010-06-28 00:00:000.008        2310.483333           
2010-07-05 00:00:000.003        9999999               
2010-07-12 00:00:000.004        6401.15               
2010-07-19 00:00:000.005        37740.666666          
2010-07-26 00:00:000.001        4349.383333           
2010-08-02 00:00:000.064        33.616666             
2010-08-09 00:00:000.056        33.6                  
2010-08-16 00:00:000.052        42.066666             
2010-08-23 00:00:000.046        31.816666             
2010-08-30 00:00:000.026        79.216666             
2010-09-06 00:00:000.037        94.1                  
2010-09-13 00:00:000.026        159.266666            
2010-09-20 00:00:000.026        153.333333            
2010-09-27 00:00:000.026        40.816666             
2010-10-04 00:00:000.019        51.483333             
2010-10-11 00:00:000.025        71.883333             
2010-10-18 00:00:000.019        46.833333             
2010-10-25 00:00:000.017        169.916666            
2010-11-01 00:00:000.019        109.95                
2010-11-08 00:00:000.021        277.583333            
2010-11-15 00:00:000.024        214.933333            
2010-11-22 00:00:000.021        47.283333             
2010-11-29 00:00:000.034        157.983333            
2010-12-06 00:00:000.047        70.716666             
2010-12-13 00:00:000.039        117.15                
2010-12-20 00:00:000.023        153.333333            
2010-12-27 00:00:000.018        162.933333            
2011-01-03 00:00:000.036        131.7                 
2011-01-10 00:00:000.029        126.25                
2011-01-17 00:00:000.041        83.6                  
2011-01-24 00:00:000.036        88.2                  
2011-01-31 00:00:000.026        164.333333            
2011-02-07 00:00:000.031        163.133333            
2011-02-14 00:00:000.035        240.966666            
2011-02-21 00:00:000.031        290.05                
2011-02-28 00:00:000.022        108.933333            
2011-03-07 00:00:000.032        89.683333             
2011-03-14 00:00:000.043        104.666666            
2011-03-21 00:00:000.035        83.383333             
2011-03-28 00:00:000.042        186                   
2011-04-04 00:00:000.046        87.966666             
2011-04-11 00:00:000.044        108.733333            
2011-04-18 00:00:000.034        99.866666             
2011-04-25 00:00:000.028        85.133333             
2011-05-02 00:00:000.041        88.266666             
2011-05-09 00:00:000.032        80.183333             
2011-05-16 00:00:000.038        83.133333             
2011-05-23 00:00:000.034        136.283333            
2011-05-30 00:00:000.028        61.483333             
2011-06-06 00:00:000.035        73.8                  
2011-06-13 00:00:000.04         42.683333             
2011-06-20 00:00:000.031        127.966666            
2011-06-27 00:00:000.038        68.266666             
2011-07-04 00:00:000.032        189.733333            
2011-07-11 00:00:000.036        119.45                
2011-07-18 00:00:000.031        124.283333            
2011-07-25 00:00:000.023        115.2                 
2011-08-01 00:00:000.042        62.816666             
2011-08-08 00:00:000.046        98.3                  
2011-08-15 00:00:000.038        124.516666            
2011-08-22 00:00:000.026        111.7                 
2011-08-29 00:00:000.034        388.416666            
2011-09-05 00:00:000.03         68.333333             
2011-09-12 00:00:000.046        68.8                  
2011-09-19 00:00:000.04         106.85                
2011-09-26 00:00:000.037        60.6                  
2011-10-03 00:00:000.03         122.233333            
2011-10-10 00:00:000.028        91.233333             
2011-10-17 00:00:000.028        86                    
2011-10-24 00:00:000.03         74.466666             
2011-10-31 00:00:000.036        136.433333            
2011-11-07 00:00:000.026        285.8                 
2011-11-14 00:00:000.024        141                   
2011-11-21 00:00:000.018        98.933333             
2011-11-28 00:00:000.027        181.683333            
2011-12-05 00:00:000.027        237.716666            
2011-12-12 00:00:000.027        131.366666            
2011-12-19 00:00:000.025        115.666666            
2011-12-26 00:00:000.036        436.466666            
2012-01-02 00:00:000.036        48.566666             
2012-01-09 00:00:000.038        66.2                  
2012-01-16 00:00:000.038        157.816666            
2012-01-23 00:00:000.03         41.266666             
2012-01-30 00:00:000.039        93.316666             
2012-02-06 00:00:000.032        87.483333             
2012-02-13 00:00:000.034        214.4                 
2012-02-20 00:00:000.026        150.933333            
2012-02-27 00:00:000.023        92.833333             
2012-03-05 00:00:000.035        205.5                 
2012-03-12 00:00:000.038        140.716666            
2012-03-19 00:00:000.031        95.95                 
2012-03-26 00:00:000.029        225.35                
2012-04-02 00:00:000.027        108.4                 
2012-04-09 00:00:000.032        267.216666            
2012-04-16 00:00:000.037        142.966666            
2012-04-23 00:00:000.025        259.233333            
2012-04-30 00:00:000.023        180.933333            
2012-05-07 00:00:000.022        62.416666             
2012-05-14 00:00:000.024        41.716666             
2012-05-21 00:00:000.025        103.533333            
2012-05-28 00:00:000.022        345.066666            
2012-06-04 00:00:000.035        77.35                 
2012-06-11 00:00:000.02         88.45                 
2012-06-18 00:00:000.039        41.3                  
2012-06-25 00:00:000.022        56.133333             
2012-07-02 00:00:000.02         106.116666            
2012-07-09 00:00:000.036        73.283333             
2012-07-16 00:00:000.026        77.883333             
2012-07-23 00:00:000.023        58.9                  
2012-07-30 00:00:000.024        127.816666            
2012-08-06 00:00:000.023        220.25                
2012-08-13 00:00:000.024        185.75                
2012-08-20 00:00:000.025        79.9                  
2012-08-27 00:00:000.016        97.1                  
2012-09-03 00:00:000.026        99.25                 
2012-09-10 00:00:000.026        123.933333            
2012-09-17 00:00:000.018        102.683333            
2012-09-24 00:00:000.021        208.133333            
2012-10-01 00:00:000.023        83.85                 
2012-10-08 00:00:000.015        149.683333            
2012-10-15 00:00:000.029        165.5                 
2012-10-22 00:00:000.019        94.816666             
2012-10-29 00:00:000.013        35.716666             
2012-11-05 00:00:000.018        389.1                 
2012-11-12 00:00:000.017        184.3                 
2012-11-19 00:00:000.013        50.033333             
2012-11-26 00:00:000.021        65                    
2012-12-03 00:00:000.024        235.283333            
2012-12-10 00:00:000.016        1341.25               
2012-12-17 00:00:000.018        56.7                  
2012-12-24 00:00:000.03         244.3                 
2012-12-31 00:00:000.028        194.733333            
2013-01-07 00:00:000.023        582.833333            
2013-01-14 00:00:000.029        111.583333            
2013-01-21 00:00:000.027        52.966666             
2013-01-28 00:00:000.033        107.15                
2013-02-04 00:00:000.024        111.25                
2013-02-11 00:00:000.031        153.383333            
2013-02-18 00:00:000.028        112.733333            
2013-02-25 00:00:000.031        116.95                
2013-03-04 00:00:000.035        120.483333            
2013-03-11 00:00:000.037        177.483333            
2013-03-18 00:00:000.032        106.45                
2013-03-25 00:00:000.024        51.183333             
2013-04-01 00:00:000.043        170.716666            
2013-04-08 00:00:000.043        122.933333            
2013-04-15 00:00:000.028        63.466666             
2013-04-22 00:00:000.031        186.05                
2013-04-29 00:00:000.017        100.166666            
2013-05-06 00:00:000.025        64.666666             
2013-05-13 00:00:000.029        112.266666            
2013-05-20 00:00:000.037        57.2                  
2013-05-27 00:00:000.025        43.683333             
2013-06-03 00:00:000.039        131.433333            
2013-06-10 00:00:000.029        167.966666            
2013-06-17 00:00:000.03         104.4                 
2013-06-24 00:00:000.021        432.916666            
2013-07-01 00:00:000.029        56.933333             
2013-07-08 00:00:000.029        62.966666             
2013-07-15 00:00:000.031        53.6                  
2013-07-22 00:00:000.022        68.283333             
2013-07-29 00:00:000.027        35.133333             
2013-08-05 00:00:000.023        46.383333             
2013-08-12 00:00:000.037        30.533333             
2013-08-19 00:00:000.034        95.033333             
2013-08-26 00:00:000.034        97.35                 
2013-09-02 00:00:000.024        431.516666            
2013-09-09 00:00:000.033        117.233333            
2013-09-16 00:00:000.039        128.3                 
2013-09-23 00:00:000.03         171.783333            
2013-09-30 00:00:000.031        295.483333            
2013-10-07 00:00:000.025        169.366666            
2013-10-14 00:00:000.031        76.733333             
2013-10-21 00:00:000.026        80.75                 
2013-10-28 00:00:000.027        147.816666            
2013-11-04 00:00:000.042        172.05                
2013-11-11 00:00:000.039        282.066666            
2013-11-18 00:00:000.035        201.15                
2013-11-25 00:00:000.021        202.816666            
2013-12-02 00:00:000.044        157.466666            
2013-12-09 00:00:000.029        179.183333            
2013-12-16 00:00:000.012        81.15   

Now, the caveats:

• 9999999 is a screwball, it just means a question that was posted about a year ago got an answer that week (due to a quirk in the query), or wasn't answered at all.

• Likewise, some of your higher weeks also include a question that was getting kind of dusty finally getting an answer.

If you drop the highest 5 or 10% as flukes, the numbers start looking pretty decent. On average, a lot of questions see an answer in the first 60 - 120 minutes, which is pretty good.

Re-tooling of the internal stats gadget which moderators can access will provide this data more conveniently to them, which they can in turn share pieces of as needed, for instance if things are going really well, or really slipping.

But, all in all, you do a pretty good job of fulfilling the promise that our UI infers:

• Questions get answered relatively soon
• Answers to those questions are also peer reviewed by at least a few, again, relatively soon.

Answer 2

I hope when we graduate that is something to be found in data.se. We don't have anything like those kinds of stats.

Here is an example of the kinds of queries that can be made.

http://data.stackexchange.com/stackoverflow/queries

Our little mod tools really don't have much. The information we do have is probably important to the people who sell ads, but not to us to better the site. Best not to focus on them =)