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_Inc
Slideshare.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


High level diagnostic process


Review Documents & Research
Content Performance

Organization and
Structure

Customer Experience

Content Branding

Content Quality

Web analytics

Data & demographics

Wireframes

Messaging guidelines

Writing style guide

Business goals

User testing reports

Templates

Tone & voice guidelines

Content processes

Strategic direction

Personas & scenarios

Taxonomy

Content playbook

Content governance

User journeys

Content models
Content requirements
Site map


Document & Research Problem Areas
Content Performance

Customer Experience

Organization and Structure

Content Branding

Content Quality

Web analytics

Data & demographics

Wireframes

Messaging guidelines

Writing style guide

Business goals

User testing reports

Templates

Tone & voice guidelines

Content processes

Strategic direction

Personas & scenarios

Taxonomy

Content playbook

Content governance

User journeys

Content models
Content requirements
Site map


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

Stakeholder Interviews
“We need to attract
business customers.”

“Content is confusing
and difficult to find.”

~ Marketing

~Digital Strategy

Web content isn’t
targeted to attract
new customers?

Content is poorly
organized and
designed?

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

Doesn’t understand
users needs and
motivations?

Summarize findings from document
review and stakeholder interviews
Focus on:
• Inconsistencies
• New considerations
• Patterns and associations


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

User Research Report
• Small businesses have
unique reasons for
borrowing.
• Large enterprises want
financial news and
updates.


New considerations
Strategic Direction
“We need to attract new
customers.”
~ Marketing stakeholder

?

Patterns and associations
Personas and
User Scenarios
“Content is confusing and
difficult to find.”
~ Digital strategy stakeholder

?
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.

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

Users can quickly
access and identify
content that is
relevant.

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.
2.
3.
4.

Define relevant criteria
Establish ratings scale
Conduct audit
Analyze and communicate results


1. Define relevant criteria

Objective criteria
“What, where, when”
Subjective criteria
“Why, who, and how”

2. Establish ratings scale
Legend
1

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
Content types
Product detail
Product comparison

22%

34%

12%
9%

Product overview
FAQs

14%

9%

57% of content pages are focused
on products.
9% of pages are FAQs.

Landing page
Other

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

4. Analyse and communicate results
User Focus

Writing Mechanics
2%

Excellent

3%

Good
10%

16%

Average
71%

Below average

1% 10%

Good
26%

47%

Poor

Excellent

Average
Below average
Poor

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

Structure and Site Search Audit and
Assessment
1.
2.
3.
4.

Define relevant criteria
Evaluate site structure
Evaluate site search and search results
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
Is structure too deep, too
shallow?
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!).

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
4) Analyze and communicate results
Applied Metadata

20%

Accurate metadata
Pages with inaccurate
metadata

47%
33%

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

Pages without metadata


Site Structure and Search Audit and
Assessment
4) analyze and communicate results
Indicates the site lacks
focus on any particular
business sector.

Personas and Pages

10%
20%

Commercial
Small
Government

65%

5%

None


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 and audience problems
Content Usability Problems

Audience Targeting Problems

Difficult to scan and predict

Content for generic audiences

Difficult to read
Difficult to understand

Content can’t be reused or
customized

Difficult to act on

Corporate-focused writing


Difficult to act on.
Designed for a
generic audience

Audience
targeting and
usability
toolkit

• Personas
• User journeys
• User scenarios
• Content flows
• User testing
• Style guide

Tone and messaging problems
Tone & Messaging Problems
No distinctive tone or messaging
Tone and messaging not aligned with desired brand
attributes
Inconsistent or contradictory tone or messaging


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


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


Messaging hierarchy framework
Company Brand Statement
Principles of <Brand Attribute>
Principle 1 + Global message
Principle 2 + Global message

Audience‐Targeted Messages
Key
Message 1
Audience 1

Key
Message 2

Key
Message 3
Audience 3

Key
Message 4
Audience 2

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


Navigation isn’t
designed for
the user

Navigation can be audience based


Navigation can be topic/task based


Based on user needs and clearly defined


Findability
toolkit

• 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
Content Findability 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


Seachability
toolkit

• Wireframes
• Personas
• Scenarios
• Site Search Analytics
• Taxonomy and Metadata


Questions?
Theresa Putkey
www.keypointe.ca
tputkey@keypointe.ca


Kathy Wagner
www.contentstrategyinc.com
Kathy@contentstrategyinc.com

Diagnosing and Solving Content Problems - Information Architecture and Content Strategy

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