Find PDF downloads of the core model sheets here: http://bit.ly/core-model The Norwegian Cancer Society’s (NCS) new website has achieved amazing results: 198% increase in one-time donations 288% increase in monthly donors registered 107% increase in members registered 348% increase in incoming links 80% increase in unique visitors per year How did we do it? We developed the website around NCS’s core content—information about different types of cancer—and developed a core message and content guidelines that allow NCS to address cancer in an informative, authoritative, and sensitive way, while still focusing on NCS’s main objectives. In this session you'll learn: How to use the core model to prioritize content and succeed at content governance How the core model can be combined with a mobile first and content first approach to achieve a truly collaborative and interdisciplinary team How content governance is improved by a clear and defined core message

1. Content Against Cancer
Using the Core Model to Reach Your Objectives
Ida Aalen / @idaAa
Confab Central
May 9th, 2014

2. Ida Aalen
Senior interaction designer,
Netlife Research
@idaAa

3. Confab
Central
Oslo,
Norway

6. CS

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12. Good content is...
• Appropriate: publish content that is right for the user and for
the business
• Useful: define a clear, specific purpose for each piece of
content; evaluate content against this purpose
• User-centered: adopt the cognitive frameworks of your users
• Clear: Seek clarity in all things
• Consistent: mandate consistency, within reason
• Concise: omit needless content
• Supported: Publish no content without a support plan
Erin Kissane, “The Elements of Content Strategy”

13. Good content is...
• Appropriate: publish content that is right for the user and for
the business
• Useful: define a clear, specific purpose for each piece of
content; evaluate content against this purpose
• User-centered: adopt the cognitive frameworks of your users
• Clear: Seek clarity in all things
• Consistent: mandate consistency, within reason
• Concise: omit needless content
• Supported: Publish no content without a support plan
Erin Kissane, “The Elements of Content Strategy”
Concept
phase

14. Good content is...
• Appropriate: publish content that is right for the user and for
the business
• Useful: define a clear, specific purpose for each piece of
content; evaluate content against this purpose
• User-centered: adopt the cognitive frameworks of your users
• Clear: Seek clarity in all things
• Consistent: mandate consistency, within reason
• Concise: omit needless content
• Supported: Publish no content without a support plan
Erin Kissane, “The Elements of Content Strategy”
The Core
Model

15. This is a hands on
case study.
• Tools & tricks
• Sketches & examples
• Results! Numbers!

17. What NCS does:
• Funds cancer research
• Cancer care
• Cancer prevention
• Advocacy
• Information
• Fights cancer on a global scale

18. Online however...
• 5000 pages of overlapping content with very few links
• Content was accurate, but didn’t address key user needs
• Difficult to navigate and not prioritized

19. How did it happen?
• 40-45 people had access
• Departments were in charge of their own sections
• Limited centralized supervision
• 6 year old website with a rigid information architecture

20. The NCS
redesign
project
1. Objectives & target
audiences
2. User research
3. Concept & tone of voice
4. Core workshops
5. Design, content &
development
6. Governance & iterations

21. Objectives & user needs

22. Goals
Business goals
• Reducing the number of
people who develop cancer
• Increasing cancer survival
rates
• Ensuring quality of life for
cancer patients and their
family and close friends

23. Goals
Business goals
• Reducing the number of
people who develop cancer
• Increasing cancer survival
rates
• Ensuring quality of life for
cancer patients and their
family and close friends
Online objectives
1. Helping patients and their
friends and family
2. Increasing knowledge
about cancer and
prevention
3. Increasing online self-
service
4. Improving our reputation
and position

25. The only answer I’ve got
is do your research,
and show it.

26. User
research at
the NCS
• Focus groups with patients
and next of kin
• Surveys of The Cancer
Society’s reputation
• Web Analytics
• Interviews with 10
stakeholders and 10
potential users
• Top task survey

27. Top task survey
“If you’re visiting The Cancer Society’s website, which
five tasks are the most important to you?”
1385 participants chose between 79 different tasks.

28. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%

29. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks got
25% of the
votes

30. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Donate
Volunteer
Memory gift
Will gift
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%

31. The challenge
User looked for content that supported goals 1 & 2:
• Helping patients, their friends and family
• Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention
But none of the user tasks supporting goals 3 & 4 came
up on top:
• Increased self-service
• Increasing donations and members

32. So you’ve
got the what
and the why.
But you
don’t know
how.

33. Should content
strategists really be the
ones deciding how
something is best
communicated?

34. Going
through user
research and
objectives
@WilhelmJA
Front end developer
@ThordFoss
Graphic designer
@EirikHafver
Content strategist

35. Sketching
ideas for the
website

36. Feedback
from the
group

37. Which
ideas are
connected?
What
should we
take with us
as we move
forward?

38. The NCS had to choose
between three
concepts.

39. #1
You are not
aloneIn 2009, about 27 500
Norwegians were
diagnosed with cancer.
2 out 3 will survive.

40. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
#2
The
Encyclopedia
Men Women
More and more people survive leukemia

41. #3
A human
face
I am one of the many
who survived
leukemia in 2009.
This is how I felt

42. Take “The Encyclopedia”
and add a dash of “A human face”
and you get
The
Information
Office

43. Hypothesis:
The users ask Google and not all of the answers
they get are trustworthy. What does the diagnosis
entail? What are my chances? What did the doctor
really say? How do I avoid getting the same
disease as my mother?
The answers exist. Behind all the statistics, doctor’s
coats and bureaucracy there are human beings
wanting to help.

44. Answer:
Knowledge kills fear. The Cancer Society’s website
is a natural authority on the field. You get verified
answers that are easy to understand. You can see
who says what. It’s not a faceless institution, but
competent professionals with names and faces.

45. Why do you need a
concept phase?
• Ensure consistency and alignment
• Identify design and content needs early on
• Early reality check

46. We know now
why, what
and how. It’s
about time
we get more
specific.

47. Home page

48. Home page

49. Home page

50. Home page

51. Home page

52. Home page

53. Home page

54. Home page

56. Many users
will never see
any other page

57. Many users
will never see
any other page
Googled «lung cancer»

58. Many users
will never see
any other page
Googled «lung cancer»
Saw a link on Facebook about
cancer research

59. Business
goals
User
tasks

60. Business
goals
User
tasks

61. Business
goals
User
tasks

62. Business
goals
User
tasks

63. Business
goals
User
tasks

64. Business
goals
User
tasks
“Lung cancer”

65. Business
goals
User
tasks
Core pages
“Lung cancer”

66. Business
goals
User
tasks
Core pages
“Lung cancer”“Donate”

67. Business
goals
User
tasks
Core pages
“Lung cancer”“Donate”

68. The Core Model
• Core pages is where your users solve
their task and you reach your
objectives
• Paths, not hierarchy
• No blind alleys
Are Halland
@areHalland

69. Using
the core
model with
your team
and your
clients

70. Lawyer
Prevention
Web editor
Design
Socionom
Research
Cancer nurse
Fundraiser
Cancer care

72. “We need your help to
make sure we build the
website you and your
users need”

73. What you need
• Handouts with the core model (A3)
• Handouts with objectives and user needs
• Markers and post-its
• Room with a projector
• 3-4 hours per workshop
• 1-3 participants from your team
• 6-14 participants from the client
• Snacks and lots of coffee!

74. Participants
People...
• from your team: design, UX, content, etc
• who’ll work with the content
• with strong opinions about the website
• who should be collaborating, but aren’t
• from relevant fields or departments
No web, design or content skills
necessary!

75. Core workshop
• Match business goals and user needs
• Inward paths
• Core content
• Outward paths
• Prioritizing core elements
The paired participants
present their ideas to the
group between each step

76. Identify your your core
pages
This is done by matching business goals and user
needs.

77. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%

78. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
1) Helping patients and their friends & family

79. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
2) Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention
2) Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention
2) Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention
2) Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
1) Helping patients and their friends & family
2) Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention

80. Cancer form
• lung cancer
Rights & advice
• sick leave during treatment
• right to second opinion
Research project
• genetic testing for accurate
prognosis of prostate cancer
Prevention effort
• sun and solarium
• diet
Some of the
core pages
we worked
with

81. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

82. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

83. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

84. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

85. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

86. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

87. Inward paths
How will the user get here? How will they find this
content?

88. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
its way to this
core page?

89. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
its way to this
core page?

90. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
its way to this
core page?

91. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
its way to this
core page?

92. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
its way to this
core page?

93. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
its way to this
core page?

94. Core content
What content elements do we need to make sure the
user solves their task (while respecting our objectives)

95. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
What’s
the optimal
solution, for
the user and
for us?

96. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
What’s
the optimal
solution, for
the user and
for us?

97. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

98. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

99. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

100. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

101. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

102. Outward paths
After the user has solved their task, where do we want
to send them next?

103. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?

104. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?

105. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?

106. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?

107. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?

108. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?

109. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?

111. The challenge

112. The challenge
Users were looking for content that supported goal 1 & 2:
• Helping patients, their friends and family
• Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention

113. The challenge
Users were looking for content that supported goal 1 & 2:
• Helping patients, their friends and family
• Increasing knowledge about cancer and prevention
But none of the user tasks supporting goal 3 & 4 came
up on top:
• Increased self service
• Increasing donations and members

115. Research
project
Core page

116. Make a
donation
Research
project
Core page Outward path

117. Make a
donation
Increasing
donations
and
members
Research
project
Core page Outward path Business objective

119. Prioritizing within the
core
How would you place these elements if you only had a
mobile screen available?

120. Inward paths Core contents & forward paths
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasksIf you
had a small
screen, how
would you
prioritize these
elements?

122. The core is
the same on
all devices

123. Where does
the core
model fit in
your
process?

124. The core model can be
put to good use by any
web discipline.

128. There is no discipline
who doesn’t care about
what needs to be on the
page and why.

129. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks

130. Core workshops =
collaboration
• Between client and consultant
• Across departments
• Across disciplines
The best alignment tool I’ve
found.

131. Core pages =
starting points
• Content templates
• Design
• Information architecture
The homepage is often the
last thing we design.

132. Let’s see
what
happens
with all
those core
sheets.

133. A human
face?
Early paper sketch
Byline

134. A human
face?
That’s
more like
it!
Early paper sketch Early photoshop sketch
Byline

135. Early paper sketch Early photoshop sketch HTML & CSS prototype
No “Lorem
Ipsum”. We only
used actual
content when
designing.

136. The
core
Related Menu

137. Example
Breast cancer

148. Example
Donations

150. Remember
that we’re
only 5 million

153. But...
Does it
work?

154. Unique visitors
2010 2011 20142013
Launch
2012

156. – More people contact the
cancer line now than before,
but now they’re more
informed when they contact
us
Anine Wiig Dagestad

157. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Cancer line
conversations +40%
Launch

158. TITTEL
1
2
3

159. Player 1: Wilhelm
Lines: 4
Points: 2367

160. Keeping
priorities
from small
screens
pays off

161. Monthly
donors
+288%
One time
donations
+198%
Monthly
donors sum
+382%

162. Members
+107%

163. Annual value of monthly
donors online
2011 2012 2013 2014 (so far)
Launch

164. Christmas campaign

165. Christmas campaign
15%

166. Christmas campaign
15% 17%

167. Christmas campaign
15% 17%
10%

168. Membership campaign
2,5%

169. Membership campaign
2,5%
6,5%

170. Membership campaign
2,5%
6,5%
7,3%

171. Governance

172. Web editor
Thanks to a lot of lobbying by @EirikHafver

173. Web editor
Cancer Research Prevention RightsFundraising
Thanks to a lot of lobbying by @EirikHafver

174. Web editor
Cancer Research Prevention RightsFundraising
Thanks to a lot of lobbying by @EirikHafver

175. The editors • Signed mandate from
management
• In charge of all content
and development
• Editors know their field
and how to write and user
tasks and goals
• Working collaboratively
and interdisciplinarily
• Departments are sources,
not content owners

176. Web master
Web editor
Cancer research
Rights
Prevention
Weekly 2
hour
meetings

177. Web master
Web editor
Cancer research
Analytics
on the
agenda
every week

178. Web master Web editor
Cancer research
Discussions
& decisions,
not writing
All
content is
revised at
least every 3
months

179. • Who’s the target
audience?
• Which target audience
need or task does this
content cover?
• Which NCS objective does
the content cover?
• How will this content be
found and used by the
user?
• Why is the website the right
channel for this content?
5 questions
the NCS
asks about
content

180. Content
audits

181. Web editorCancer care
Rights
@audunru
Fundraising
Cancer research

182. Web master
Cancer care
Editorial

184. – Before, people had
responsibility for their area
and worked solely with that.
We’re working differently...
Marte Gråberg / @MarteGraberg
Webeditor of kreftforeningen.no

185. ...with our content now than
how we used to. We’re doing
more work together.
Marte Gråberg / @MarteGraberg
Webeditor of kreftforeningen.no

186. Thank you!
kreftforeningen.no
@idaAa or ida@netliferesearch.com
@ThordFoss Graphic Designer
@EirikHafver Content Strategist
@WilhelmJA Frontend Developer
@MarteGraberg Web Editor
@SolheimSlind Web Master
@BeateSorum Fundraiser