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Part of User-centered content

Tools to understand the user

Research methods and tools to learn who visits Alberta.ca and how they interact with the site.

Overview

Taking the time to know your users is key to user-centered content.

A variety of tools can be used to understand a user better. These tools include:

  • user stories
  • user profile
  • user journeys
  • interviews
  • sitemaps
  • card sorts
  • prototypes

Contact an Alberta.ca Content Strategist to begin developing and using these tools.

User profile

A user profile (sometimes called a persona) is an overview of a typical user. User profiles should be based as much as possible on actual user research. We find this information by:

  • speaking with government service areas and call staff
  • speaking with users
  • reviewing online forums related to the topic
  • reviewing analytics

Elements included in a user profile include:

  • point of entry
  • actions
  • emotions
  • needs

User stories

User stories describe a need your user is trying to fulfil and provide a good way of getting in the mindset of your user. It helps focus on a user who interacts with a government service.

A user story template looks like this:

‘As a [person in a particular role],

I want to [perform an action or find something out],

So that [I can achieve my goal of…].’

  • Example 1

    ‘As a householder living near a proposed fracking site,

    I want to know what effect fracking has on nearby households,

    So that I can decide about moving.’

  • Example 2

    ‘As a mother with a child who has disabilities,

    I want to find the application form for AISH,

    So that I can apply for benefits for my child.’

User journeys

User journeys provide a roadmap of how users interact with content and services. From basic fact finding to a complicated application process, every person who uses Alberta.ca has a specific goal in mind that needs to be fulfilled. By understanding the goal and the path it takes to get to the goal, you can create better content and services.

User journeys can be divided into 4 main phases:

  • Before

    • These are the actions users take before getting to the website, such as the browser they use to begin searching the topic and keywords they use in a browser search.
    • ‘Before’ stage also includes thoughts and emotional state as they enter your site, and any factors they may bring with them (for example, accessibility and mobile versus desktop users).

  • Begin

    • This is where users begin an initial step in a task, usually navigating the website.
    • It includes searching for the page that includes the main task they want to complete.
    • We look at the ideal path a user could take and the potential roadblocks, negative experiences that can occur.
    • We also look for potential negative paths, which is when users may get lost and how they back to the ideal path.

  • During

    • This is where the user reaches the main point of their task and begin completing their goal.
    • This could include reading information on emergency preparedness, searching a jobs board, or filling out a form.
    • Imagine the user is on the page and are in the middle of completing their task.
    • Consider all points of the task’s process: starting the task, working on the task and finishing the task.

  • After

    • This is after the user has completed the task.
    • Consider if there are any steps that occur after a task is completed (for example, interviews, reporting requirements, follow-up emails).
    • Keep in mind the user’s perspective on the whole process, from start to finish, and how they would feel at the end of the process.

Interviews

Interviews give us information-rich feedback on experiences from both users and service staff. People we conduct interviews with include:

  • program area staff
  • call centres
  • users, if possible

Some examples of questions include:

  • What is your main role?
  • Who are your typical users?
  • What are common themes or feedback from users?
  • What is the emotional/mental state of the typical user?
  • What do you receive the most calls, letters and emails about?
  • What do you think users need most from the web pages?
  • How do users get to your page?
  • How often do your users use the website?
  • What improvements would you like to see?

We take notes during each interview and use a virtual whiteboard to organize feedback into common themes.

Sitemaps

Sitemaps show the overall structure of a section on Alberta.ca. This part of the process helps you step back and get a high-level view of the section.

The goal is to set up the ‘skeleton’ of the new sitemap before getting into specific content decisions.

Card sort

In this process, all the main headings in a section are gathered, usually H2s and some H3s, and sorted to find common themes and fit them into the sitemap.

This process is helpful because it helps to identify information gaps. Sometimes we will notice a few headings that do not fit anywhere, and perhaps require their own page, or some headings that work better on different pages.

Prototype

Prototypes give a very close depiction of how the final pages will look in the Alberta.ca environment, and we can easily make changes to the layout and structure. Prototypes incorporate the pages, main headers, basic navigation and content, but not the final content, which is added later.

Was this page helpful

Every page on Alberta.ca has the ‘Was this page helpful’ widget at the bottom of the page. This widget generates a user feedback report showing ‘Yes’ responses without a comment and ‘No’ responses with the option to explain why the page was not helpful.

This information is valuable when examining the main issue and determining which direction to take for a possible solution.

Percentage between ‘Yes’ and ‘No’

The percentage formula can be used to show the difference between users who find the page helpful and those who do not.

  • (Value/Total value) × 100 = Percentage formula

Example:

  • 83 Yes/150 = 0.55 x 100 = 55% Yes
  • 67 No/150 = .45 x 100 = 45% No