diagnosing and solving content problems - information architecture and content strategy

Diagnosing and Solving Content Problems

Intelligent Content Conference 2014

Kathy Wagner and Theresa Putkey

Before we get started

• Ask questions to clarify as we go

• Hold comments and discussion points until the end

• Presentation is on Slideshare

• Twitter: #SolveContent

Theresa Putkey

@tputkey

slideshare.net/tputkey

Kathy Wagner

@Kathy_CS_IncSlideshare.net/content_strategy_inc

Imagine…

You’re an independent consultant who’s been asked to advise on

how to improve the content on a bank’s business website.

The bank is a national financial institution with a strong global

presence.

@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

The project team


Where you fit in


Your process


Diagnosing Content Problems

High level diagnostic process


Content Performance

Web analytics

Business goals

Strategic direction

Customer Experience

Data & demographics

User testing reports

Personas & scenarios

User journeys

Organization and Structure

Wireframes

Templates

Taxonomy

Content models

Content requirements

Site map

Content Branding

Messaging guidelines

Tone & voice guidelines

Content playbook

Content Quality

Writing style guide

Content processes

Content governance

Review Documents & Research


Document & Research Problem Areas


Content Performance

Web analytics

Business goals

Strategic direction

Customer Experience

Data & demographics

User testing reports

Personas & scenarios

User journeys

Organization and Structure

Wireframes

Templates

Taxonomy

Content models

Content requirements

Site map

Content Branding

Messaging guidelines

Tone & voice guidelines

Content playbook

Content Quality

Writing style guide

Content processes

Content governance

Stakeholder Interviews


Interview a breadth of stakeholders:• Director-level, management, employees, key contractors• Different departments and lines of business

Ask questions about:• Project and business goals• What works well• What isn’t working• Content processes and decision-making

“We need to attract business customers.” ~ Marketing

“Content is confusing and difficult to find.” ~Digital Strategy

“Large corporations don’t want website content.” ~ Line of Business

Web content isn’t targeted to attract new customers?

Content is poorly organized and designed?

Doesn’t understand users needs and motivations?

Stakeholder Interviews


Summarize findings from document review and stakeholder interviews

Focus on:

• Inconsistencies

• New considerations

• Patterns and associations


User Research Report

• Small businesses have unique reasons for borrowing.

• Large enterprises want financial news and updates.

“Our small businesses are the same as our personal banking. Our big businesses don’t need website content.” ~ Line of Business stakeholder

Inconsistencies


New considerations

Strategic Direction

?“We need to attract new customers.” ~ Marketing stakeholder


Patterns and associations

“Content is confusing and difficult to find.”~ Digital strategy stakeholder

Personas and User Scenarios

?Site Map

is unnecessarily corporate focused


Preliminary Findings

Key concerns

• Distinct customer needs are not being addressed.

• There is a lack of strategic direction.

• Users cannot easily find high-priority information.


Content Diagnostic Process


Audit & Assessment

Users can easily understand, use, and act on content once they find it.

Users can quickly access and identify content that is relevant.

Structure matches user expectations. Users can find info through browse or site search.

The brand message and corporate attitude that’s communicated through content.


Audit & Assessment: Choose the right method

Page-level content audit

and assessment


Audit & Assessment: Choose the right method

Structure and site search

audit and assessment


Page-level content audit and assessment

1. Define relevant criteria

2. Establish ratings scale

3. Conduct audit

4. Analyze and communicate results


1. Define relevant criteria

Objective criteria“What, where, when”

Subjective criteria“Why, who, and how”



2. Establish ratings scale

Legend1 A Excellent High quality, best practice, and delivers considerable benefits.

2 B Good Supports ease‐of‐use and a positive customer experience.

3 C Average Some aspects may cause problems for users.

4 D Below average Poor quality and likely to cause problems for users.

5 E Poor Very likely to cause significant problems for users.

n/a n/a Not applicable Not applicable or unable to evaluate.



3. Conduct Audit



4. Analyse and communicate results

57% of content pages are focused on products.

9% of pages are FAQs. 34%

9%14%

9%

12%

22%

Content types

Product detail

Product comparison

Product overview

FAQs

Landing page

Other

Indicates lack of strategic goals beyond product promotion. FAQs indicate lack of user-centered content design & organization.



2%

71%

10%

3%

Writing Mechanics

Excellent

Good

Average

Below average

Poor

1% 10%

26%

47%

16%

User Focus

Excellent

Good

Average

Below average

Poor

Indicates good general writing skills but poor understanding of user-focused web writing standards.

4. Analyse and communicate results



Structure and Site Search Audit and Assessment1. Define relevant criteria

2. Evaluate site structure

3. Evaluate site search and search results

4. Analyze and communicate results

@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey @SolvingContent

Structure Audit and Assessment

1) Define Relevant Criteria


Structure Audit and Assessment

2) Evaluate Site Structure


Metadata contributes to findability and searchability

Analytics shows if people are able to find pages on the site.

The Personas helps you see who the site is targeted for – this can give you a good idea of which personas are currently catered to (or if the site isn’t targeted at all!).

Is structure too deep, too shallow?

Site Search Audit and Assessment

3) Evaluate Site Search Results• Use personas and their scenarios

• Use analytics to get most popular search terms

• Use your expert skills to evaluate the results.


Site Structure and Search Audit and Assessment

20%

33%

47%

Applied Metadata

Accurate metadata

Pages with inaccuratemetadata

Pages without metadata


4) Analyze and communicate results

Indicates metadata and taxonomy are not applied or are inaccurately applied to the majority of pages, reducing findability and searchability.

Site Structure and Search Audit and Assessment


4) analyze and communicate results

Indicates the site lacks focus on any particular business sector.

10%

20%

5%65%

Personas and Pages

Commercial

Small

Government

None

Solving Content Problems

Content Diagnostic Process


Your Priority Findings

Key problems to solve

1. Content findability and searchability problems

2. Poor content usability and audience focus

3. Tone and messaging problems


Content Usability Problems

Difficult to scan and predict

Difficult to read

Difficult to understand

Difficult to act on

Content usability and audience problems

Audience Targeting Problems

Content for generic audiences

Content can’t be reused or customized

Corporate-focused writing


Difficult to act on. Designed for a generic audience

Targeted and easy to act on

Audience targeting and usability toolkit

• Personas

• User journeys

• User scenarios

• Content flows

• User testing

• Style guide


Tone & Messaging Problems

No distinctive tone or messaging

Tone and messaging not aligned with desired brand attributes

Inconsistent or contradictory tone or messaging

Tone and messaging problems


What’s your brand voice?Informal, modern, fun


What’s your brand voice?Formal, traditional, successful


What are your key messages?

Audience‐Targeted Messages

Principles of <Brand Attribute> Principle 1 + Global messagePrinciple 2 + Global message

Messaging hierarchy frameworkCompany Brand Statement

KeyMessage 1

KeyMessage 2

KeyMessage 3

KeyMessage 4

Audience 1 Audience 2Audience 3

Tone and messaging toolkit

• Style guides

• Messaging hierarchy/guidelines

• Content playbook

• Writing tips

• Personas

• Training


Content findability problems


Content Findability Problems

Content can’t be found in current navigation structure

Metadata and taxonomy are missing or ineffective

Content takes too long to find

Navigation isn’t designed for the user

Content findability problems


Content can’t be found in current navigation structure

Metadata and taxonomy are missing or ineffective

Content takes too long to find



Navigation can be audience based


Navigation can be topic/task based


Based on user needs and clearly defined


Findabilitytoolkit

• Personas

• Scenarios

• Card Sorting

• Task Testing

• Site Search Analytics


Content searchability problems

Content Searchability Problems

Don’t know what people search for

Search yields no results or inappropriate results

Search results page design isn’t optimized

Content isn’t optimized for search


Content searchability problems


Don’t know what people search for

Search yields no results or inappropriate results

Search results page design isn’t optimized

Content isn’t optimized for search


Search Results Not Designed


Search Results Designed


Seachabilitytoolkit

• Wireframes

• Personas

• Scenarios

• Site Search Analytics

• Taxonomy and Metadata


Your process


Kathy Wagnerwww.contentstrategyinc.com

[email protected]

Theresa Putkeywww.keypointe.ca

[email protected]

Questions?
