What are user needs and why should a website owner/designer care?
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Why you should listen to user needs Christine Cawthorne Crocstar.com @crocstar
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These slides are from a talk about how ‘user needs’ affect both your website and your business. What are user needs? How do you capture them and what do you do with this information? Taking a look at how the UK government has transformed its website by putting the user first, Christine will look at how you can apply the same principles to your website.
Transcript of What are user needs and why should a website owner/designer care?
Why you should listen to user needs
Christine Cawthorne
Crocstar.com
@crocstar
Christine Cawthorne
Online copywriter
Former BBC journalist
Homepage editor: Yahoo!, AOL, BT
Social media manager: Pizza Hut Delivery
Content and style guide trainer GOV.UK
What I’m going to talk about
User needs – what are they?
Why they’re important
How to capture them
What to do with these needs
What is a user need?
What is a user need?
It looks at the task a user is trying to complete on your website
What is a user need?
Who is the user?
What are they trying to find on your site?
Why?
User needs
I’m a… homeowner
I want to find out… how much a freestanding
floor lamp costs
Because… I have a limited budget after
redecorating my lounge
User – not organisation – needs
Don’t focus on your needs!
Often the organisation’s needs are met when we
look after the users first
Have a practice
Follow the format:
I’m a…
I want to find out…
Because…
Why user needs are important
Why user needs are important
You want to attract the right customers
Why user needs are important
You want to help your users achieve their tasks
Why user needs are important
User (or customer) satisfaction increases because they can do the task quickly
Why user needs are important
Trust levels increase
Why user needs are important
You will spend your time creating content that users need and find useful
Why user needs are important
Extra content clutters up search results
Why user needs are important
Customer service is more important than ever so focusing on your users helps you stand out from the crowd
Why user needs are important
Happy customers means more sales
How to capture user needs
How to capture user needs
You need proof. Don't make it up!
How to capture user needs
Do a ‘top task’ analysis – this will show you what your users think are important
How to capture user needs
Analytics will show you what content is accessed
How to capture user needs
Analytics will show you what content is accessed
• where existing users are coming from (country / search engine / social)
• how long they stay on the site
• the visitor flow through the pages
• how many return
• if they buy online
How to capture user needs
Do you have other data?
• call centre records
• emails
• on-page feedback
How to capture user needs
You could talk to some existing customers
How to capture user needs
You could talk to some existing customers
What do you do with these needs?
What do you do with these needs?
List what the content should include to meet the
user’s need
What do you do with these needs?
What will answer the query?
What should you leave out?
What do you do with these needs?
It might be a range of formats:
• text
• a form
• infographic
• video
What do you do with these needs?
What do you do with these needs?
Use the data you have to write out all the needs you think your users have on your site
What do you do with these needs?
Group similar ones and review
What do you do with these needs?
Change your content
What do you do with these needs?
Monitor, assess, then improve your content
What do you do with these needs?
Work on the site’s UX
What do you do with these needs?
Set some website goals
Sell, sell, sell
What do you do with these needs?
Review the user needs when you add services etc so your site accurately reflects what you offer
Questions?
Connect with me on:
Twitter @crocstar
Facebook.com/CrocstarLtd
Crocstar.com
