Gathering Content Insights from User Surveys

1. Gathering Content Insights from User Surveys Confab Central 2014 t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

2. Kathy Wagner: Mom (and grandma!) Tai chi master (yeah, right) Not quite a crazy cat lady (yet…)

3. Kathy Wagner: Technical Communicator User Experience Researcher Content Strategist

4. “We cannot solve our problems with the same kind of thinking we used to create them.” ~ Albert Einstein t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

5. Why use surveys for content projects? Conduct research quickly, easily, and affordably Gives your audience a voice Aligns stakeholders and streamlines decision-making t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

6. Why use surveys for content projects? It’s your responsibility too Content Strategy Customer Experience t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

7. Why use surveys for content projects? Surveys are GOOD for gathering insights to make better content decisions based on user need and interest. t: @ Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

8. 6 Steps to Effective User Surveys • Focus your research questions • Choose your sample population • Choose your incentive • Design the survey • Distribute the survey • Analyse & communicate the results t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

9. “Focusing is about saying ‘No’.” ~ Steve Jobs t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

10. Focus your research questions Don’t begin your survey until you know: • Exactly what you want to find out. • From who. • How you’re going to use the information. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

11. Focus your research questions Don’t begin your survey until you know: • Exactly what you want to find out. • From who. • How you’re going to use the information. Do you want to find out: What terminology to use? What topics to cover? What formats to publish? Or…? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

12. Focus your research questions Don’t begin your survey until you know: • Exactly what you want to find out. • From who. • How you’re going to use the information. Do you want information about: All your audiences? Specific audiences? Sub-set of an audience? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

13. Focus your research questions How are you going to use the information? Don’t gather any information that you don’t have a clear and immediate use for! Don’t begin your survey until you know: • Exactly what you want to find out. • From who. • How you’re going to use the information. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

14. Focus your research questions  What kind of content do our web users want? Example: Which news article topics and formats do our alumni audience want to see on our homepage? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

15. “‘Stalking’ is such a strong word. I prefer ‘intense research of an individual.’” ~ Sandrine, in Girl From Paris t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

16. Choose your survey sample t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

17. Choose your survey sample Tips for choosing your survey sample: Random sampling is better. Don’t survey people more than 4 times per year. Target 400 responses, or as many as possible. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

18. “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” ~ Edmund Burke t: @ Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

19. Choose your incentive Ideas for budget-conscious incentives: $5 or $10 Starbucks gift cards. Enter names into a draw for an iPad or ? Free or discounted product or service. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

20. “If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper questions to ask.” ~ Albert Einstein t: @ Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

21. Design your survey: Structure Tips for structuring surveys: Include opening and exit text. Divide the survey questions into categories. Organize the questions strategically. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

22. Design your survey: Structure Tips for structuring surveys: Include opening and exit text. Divide the survey questions into categories. Organize the questions strategically. Opening text should include: Name of your organization Confidentiality of data Estimated time to complete Information about incentive Why their feedback is important t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

23. Design your survey: Structure Tips for structuring surveys: Include opening and exit text. Divide the survey questions into categories. Organize the questions strategically. Exit text: Thank people for their time Reiterate importance of feedback Remind them about incentive t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

24. Design your survey: Structure Tips for structuring surveys: Include opening and exit text. Divide the survey questions into categories. Organize the questions strategically. Example categories: Audience tasks and goals Topics of interest Formats of interest t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

25. Design your survey: Structure Broad & Easy Tips for structuring surveys: Include opening and exit text. Divide the survey questions into categories. Organize the questions strategically. Screening questions Easy questions Difficult questions Sensitive questions Specific & Sensitive t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

26. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

27. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale Open-ended questions allow participants to answer freely. Example: What are two ways that we could improve our videos? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

28. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale Multiple choice questions force participants to choose one or more answers from a predefined list. Example: Are you a US Citizen? (Y/N) t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

29. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale Ranking order questions ask participants to rank answers in priority against each other. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

30. Design your survey: Question types Example: Please rank the following kinds of articles, from least important to most important: Personal profiles Brief news articles Detailed research articles Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

31. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale Rating scale questions ask participants to rate the importance of various options. To consider: Numbered scales Word scales Using neutral scores t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

32. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale Example numbered scale: On a scale of 1 – 7, with 1 being awful and 7 being amazing, how would you rate your overall experience with our knowledge base articles? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

33. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale • Example word scale: • How satisfied are you with our knowledge base articles? • Very satisfied • Satisfied • Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied • Dissatisfied • Very dissatisfied t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

34. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale • Understanding neutral scores: • #1) I would rather watch a real-life video than an animated video. • Strongly agree (5) • Agree (4) • Neither agree nor disagree (3) • Disagree (2) • Strongly disagree (1) t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

35. Design your survey: Question types Question types to consider: Open-ended questions Multiple choice Ranking order Rating scale • Understanding neutral scores: • #2) I would rather watch a real-life video than an animated video. • Strongly agree (4) • Agree (3) • Disagree (2) • Strongly disagree (1) • No opinion (void) t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

36. Design your survey: Question types t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

37. Design your survey: Phrasing questions  Do: Be brief Be grammatically simple Use simple, familiar terms Do not: Lead respondents to an answer Use emotional language Use double-barrelled questions Use extreme absolutes Provide vague or subjective options t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

38. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Lead respondents to an answer Bad Staying involved in your professional society is important. How often would you like to receive news updates? Better How often would you like to receive news updates? Hey, You:What’s a better question? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

39. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Lead respondents to an answer Bad Staying involved in your professional society is important. How often would you like to receive news updates? Better How often would you like to receive news updates? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

40. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Use emotional language Bad How likely are you to share life-saving safety information with your loved ones? Better How likely are you to share safety information with your family members? What’s a better question? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

41. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Use emotional language Bad How likely are you to share life-saving safety information with your loved ones? Better How likely are you to share safety information with your family members? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

42. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Use double-barreled questions Bad Would you like to be notified about new articles through Facebook and Twitter? Better Would you like to be notified about new articles? (Y/N) Choose how you’d like to receive notifications: What’s a better question? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

43. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Use double-barreled questions Bad Would you like to be notified about new articles through Facebook and Twitter? Better Would you like to be notified about new articles? (Y/N) Choose how you’d like to receive notifications: t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

44. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Use extreme absolutes Bad Do you always read articles from beginning to end? Better Do you read articles from beginning to end? What’s a better question? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

45. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Use extreme absolutes Bad Do you always read articles from beginning to end? Better Do you read articles from beginning to end? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

46. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Provide vague or subjective options Bad rating scale • Frequently • Sometimes • Rarely Better rating scale • Daily • A few times per week • Once a week or less What’s a better rating scale? t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

47. Design your survey: Phrasing questions   Do: Do not: Provide vague or subjective options Bad rating scale • Frequently • Sometimes • Rarely Better rating scale • Daily • A few times per week • Once a week or less t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

48. Design your survey: Phrasing questions Tips for phrasing questions using a 5-point scale t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

49. Design your survey: Minimize bias Tips for minimizing survey bias: Provide list options in random order. Keep questions and answer options short and simple. Allow respondents to answer anonymously. Allow respondents to skip questions. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN

50. Design your survey: Maximize response Tips for maximizing response rate: Pre-notify survey sample of an upcoming survey. Pilot test your survey for clarity and functionality. Keep the survey short. Aim for 5 – 10 minutes. Offer incentives. Schedule reminder messages. t: @Kathy_CS_Inc #ContentSurvey #ConfabMN