Using data-driven content audits to understand if your content meets user needs
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@lily_dart lilydart.com Lily Dart Freelance user experience & research Data driven content audits
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Transcript of Using data-driven content audits to understand if your content meets user needs
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Lily Dart
Freelance user experience & research
Data driven content audits
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Good content, like a good user interface, is invisible to most users
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
User needs driven content can have a transformative impact
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
You can’t understand impact, without first-hand experience
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
It’s difficult to overcome subjective experience
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
To counter to subjective experience, we need objective data
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Data-driven content audits allow us to stop talking and start proving
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Identifying problems with information architecture
Method
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Card sorting can help us to understand how our users approach content
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
During a card sort we ask users to group and label topic cards
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
The ‘mental model’ users engage when thinking about topics
Where users might naturally expect to find content in an information architecture
Which topics might cause confusion, or sit outside of a standard information architecture
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
The ‘mental model’ users engage when thinking about topics
Where users might naturally expect to find content in an information architecture
Which topics might cause confusion, or sit outside of a standard information architecture
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
The ‘mental model’ users engage when thinking about topics
Where users might naturally expect to find content in an information architecture
Which topics might cause confusion, or sit outside of a standard information architecture
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Card sorts can be open or closed, moderated or unmoderated
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Select a maximum of 30 topics so that participants aren’t overwhelmed
Use website analytics and search logs to inform what the popular important content is
Speak to experts or stakeholders to discuss any additional important topics
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Select a maximum of 30 topics so that participants aren’t overwhelmed
Use website analytics and search logs to inform what the popular important content is
Speak to experts or stakeholders to discuss any additional important topics
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Select a maximum of 30 topics so that participants aren’t overwhelmed
Use website analytics and search logs to inform what the popular important content is
Speak to experts or stakeholders to discuss any additional important topics
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Test with your target audience, not with staff or stakeholders
Online tools (such as OptimalSort) often have built-in recruitment tools
Avoid targeting current users of the site, as they may have learnt your current IA
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Test with your target audience, not with staff or stakeholders
Online tools (such as OptimalSort) often have built-in recruitment tools
Avoid targeting current users of the site, as they may have learnt your current IA
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Test with your target audience, not with staff or stakeholders
Online tools (such as OptimalSort) often have built-in recruitment tools
Avoid targeting current users of the site, as they may have learnt your current IA
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Recruit in person, using online tools, or through related organisations
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Card sorting can help you to:
Understand how users naturally group content
Identify topics that cause confusion
Identify issues in current information architecture
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Card sorting can help you to:
Understand how users naturally group content
Identify topics that cause confusion
Identify issues in current information architecture
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Card sorting can help you to:
Understand how users naturally group content
Identify topics that cause confusion
Identify issues in current information architecture
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Identifying problems with content comprehension
Method
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Readability scoring tools help us to assess language complexity
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
They are formulas which assess sentence length, syllables per word and passive sentences
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Establish a baseline standard for content readability
Establish how consistently this standard is applied across content
Judge whether our target audience will be able to easily absorb the subject matter
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Establish a baseline standard for content readability
Establish how consistently this standard is applied across content
Judge whether our target audience will be able to easily absorb the subject matter
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Establish a baseline standard for content readability
Establish how consistently this standard is applied across content
Judge whether our target audience will be able to easily absorb the subject matter
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Half of the UK working population have a reading age of 11-years-old or younger.”
“Office of National Statistics
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Half of the UK working population have a reading age of 11-years-old or younger.”
“Office of National Statistics
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
readability-score.com
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
readability-score.com
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Using these formulas will help you quickly estimate how difficult your text is [to read]. It’s a clear metric that can help you advocate for plain language.”
“Christine Cawthorne and Emileigh Barnes
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Like every formula, [readability scoring tools] miss the magic and unpredictable nature of human interaction.”
“Christine Cawthorne and Emileigh Barnes
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Scoring tools are not a replacement for testing content with real users
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Many variables can affect content legibility including design and typesetting
Scoring tools do not account for incorrect usage; e.g. ‘waived’ versus ‘waved’
Scoring tools require some human interpretation with specialist subject matter
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Many variables can affect content legibility including design and typesetting
Scoring tools do not account for incorrect usage; e.g. ‘waived’ versus ‘waved’
Scoring tools require some human interpretation with specialist subject matter
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Many variables can affect content legibility including design and typesetting
Scoring tools do not account for incorrect usage; e.g. ‘waived’ versus ‘waved’
Scoring tools require some human interpretation with specialist subject matter
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Many variables can affect content legibility including design and typesetting
Scoring tools do not account for incorrect usage; e.g. ‘waived’ versus ‘waved’
Scoring tools require some human interpretation with specialist subject matter
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Research into use of specialist legal language in legal documents found: 80% of people preferred sentences written in clear English […] People understand complex specialist language, but don’t want to read it if there’s an alternative.”
“
Government Digital Service
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Research into use of specialist legal language in legal documents found: 80% of people preferred sentences written in clear English […] People understand complex specialist language, but don’t want to read it if there’s an alternative.”
“
Government Digital Service
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Research into use of specialist legal language in legal documents found: 80% of people preferred sentences written in clear English […] People understand complex specialist language, but don’t want to read it if there’s an alternative.”
“
Government Digital Service
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Research into use of specialist legal language in legal documents found: 80% of people preferred sentences written in clear English […] People understand complex specialist language, but don’t want to read it if there’s an alternative.”
“
Government Digital Service
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Reading age can be estimated through audience demographics
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Readability scoring tools can help you to:
Establish a baseline content standard to measure
Establish the consistency of content structure
Estimate users content comprehension
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Establish a baseline content standard to measure
Establish the consistency of content structure
Estimate users content comprehension
Readability scoring tools can help you to:
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Establish a baseline content standard to measure
Establish the consistency of content structure
Estimate users content comprehension
Readability scoring tools can help you to:
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Identifying missing content and language issues
Method
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Internal search logs are a rich, often untapped, source of insights about user behaviour and needs
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search log analysis reveals the value of “search returned no results”
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search logs can help us to identify content missing from our site that users want or expect
They can reveal when we’re using different language than our users
They can give us an indication of how easy our popular content is to find
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search logs can help us to identify content missing from our site that users want or expect
They can reveal when we’re using different language than our users
They can give us an indication of how easy our popular content is to find
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search logs can help us to identify content missing from our site that users want or expect
They can reveal when we’re using different language than our users
They can give us an indication of how easy our popular content is to find
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Top search queries Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Top search queries which don’t return results
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
Top search queries which don’t return results
1. User language doesn’t align with site content
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Top search queries which don’t return results
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Top search queries which don’t return results
2. Content that users are searching for does not exist on the site
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Top search queries which don’t return the correct result
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
3. Misspelling means some users can’t find pages they are looking for
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
Top search queries which don’t return the correct result
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Top search queries which don’t return the correct result
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
4. Popular content is not appropriately prioritised in search results
Rummy Go fish You’re it Chess
Blackjack Solitaire Poker Patience Uno
Monopoly
Trivial pursuit Drafts Your it Cluedo
Twister Pontoon It Cricket Cludo
Dodgeball
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
Top search queries which don’t return the correct result
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search query analysis results
User language doesn’t align with site content
Content that users are searching for does not exist on the site
Misspelling means some users can’t find pages they are looking for
Popular content is not appropriately prioritised in search results
1
2
3
4
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Consider the timeframe for analysis; do external factors affect your traffic and search terms?
Consider the size of your user base when deciding on depth of analysis
Consider the amount of people searching for a particular term to prioritise issues
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Consider the timeframe for analysis; do external factors affect your traffic and search terms?
Consider the size of your user base when deciding on depth of analysis
Consider the amount of people searching for a particular term to prioritise issues
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Consider the timeframe for analysis; do external factors affect your traffic and search terms?
Consider the size of your user base when deciding on depth of analysis
Consider the amount of people searching for a particular term to prioritise issues
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search log analysis can help you to:
Identify missing or difficult to find content
Identify non-user friendly language
Reveal common misspellings
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search log analysis can help you to:
Identify missing or difficult to find content
Identify non-user friendly language
Reveal common misspellings
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Search log analysis can help you to:
Identify missing or difficult to find content
Identify non-user friendly language
Reveal common misspellings
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Original information architecture
Rummy Blackjack Go fish Poker
Patience Uno
1 2 3 4 5
6
Card games
Monopoly Trivial pursuit Snakes & ladders Chess
Drafts Cluedo
7 8 9 10 11
12
Board games
Twister Football You’re it Tennis Dodgeball
Red rover
13
14 15 16 17 18
Physical games
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Information architecture
Content discoverability and user-friendly language
Missing content
Consistency of style
Potential content comprehension
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Information architecture
Content discoverability and user-friendly language
Missing content
Consistency of style
Potential content comprehension
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Information architecture
Content discoverability and user-friendly language
Missing content
Consistency of style
Potential content comprehension
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Information architecture
Content discoverability and user-friendly language
Missing content
Consistency of style
Potential content comprehension
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Information architecture
Content discoverability and user-friendly language
Missing content
Consistency of style
Potential content comprehension
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Information architecture
Content discoverability and user-friendly language
Missing content
Consistency of style
Potential content comprehension
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Audit findings should present what’s working as well as what’s broken
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Using data driven audit methods turns opinion into objective analysis
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Using data driven audit methods turns opinion into objective analysis
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Data driven content audits
Use data to stop talking and start proving
@lily_dart lilydart.com
Lily Dart
Freelance user experience & research
Any questions?
