[Feature Request] - adding user (optional) to data collection

[Nejcc]

Feature Request: Adding User (Optional) to Data Collection

Summary

As a passionate user of Pan, I love its flexibility and capabilities. However, one key feature I find missing is the ability to handle user-specific data collection. Adding an optional user parameter to the data collection process would significantly enhance Pan's utility, especially in scenarios like A/B testing, heatmap analysis, and user tracking within admin applications.

Problem Statement

In many admin applications I’ve built, I’ve had to implement custom solutions to track and associate data with specific users. This is crucial for:

• A/B Testing: Segmenting data by user groups for testing purposes.
• Heatmaps: Analyzing user behavior and interactions more effectively.
• User Tracking: Associating events or data with individual users for better insights and personalization.

These custom solutions often require additional time, effort, and complexity, which could be streamlined if Pan supported user data collection out of the box.

Proposed Solution

Introduce an optional user parameter in the data collection process, allowing developers to associate specific data points with users. This parameter could:

• Be flexible and generic, accepting user IDs or other identifiers.
• Remain optional to ensure backward compatibility for those not needing user tracking.
• Support filtering and segmentation in the UI or API for easier analysis.

Use Cases

A/B Testing

Track different user groups (e.g., userGroup: A vs. userGroup: B) and compare results.

Heatmaps and Behavior Analysis

Identify how individual users or user groups interact with various elements of an application.

Data Filtering

Allow admins to filter collected data by user, enhancing the analysis of specific user behaviors or patterns.

Benefits

• Simplifies development by reducing the need for custom user-tracking implementations.
• Enhances Pan’s versatility for admin and data-heavy applications.
• Supports advanced analytics like A/B testing and heatmaps out of the box.

Potential Challenges

• Ensuring the feature remains optional to avoid impacting users who don’t need user tracking.
• Addressing privacy concerns by providing clear guidelines on implementation and compliance.

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Thank you for considering this feature request. I believe this addition would make Pan even more powerful and appealing for developers and businesses looking for robust data collection solutions.

Best regards,
Nejc