{"id":2248,"date":"2018-08-01T14:39:31","date_gmt":"2018-08-01T14:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/?p=2248"},"modified":"2018-08-01T14:39:31","modified_gmt":"2018-08-01T14:39:31","slug":"why-collaboration-is-so-important-in-content-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/2018\/08\/01\/why-collaboration-is-so-important-in-content-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Why collaboration is so important in content design"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post is by Anne Walker, Senior Content Designer at Disclosure Scotland.<\/em><\/p>\n

I work in Disclosure Scotland (DS)<\/a>, a Scottish Government\u00a0agency that protects children and adults who can\u2019t safeguard themselves.<\/p>\n

DS is transforming how it delivers its services. Undertaking digital transformation means understanding how things work across a business. Content designers can only do this if we build and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues in other professions.<\/p>\n

Content design is as much about collaborating with our colleagues as it is about delivering content. In fact, I spend much more time working with colleagues than I do in writing or managing content.<\/p>\n

\"Group<\/a>

Jane Reid (Lead User Researcher), Frances Maxwell (Service Designer), Anne Walker (Senior Content Designer), Heather Fawbert (User Researcher) and Phil Murray (Subject Matter Expert).<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u2019ve found that working together is essential to:<\/p>\n

Make services more effective<\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve created a new online application for basic disclosure. We\u2019ve gone from having everything on one screen (for our existing online application) to a more usable Government Digital Service (GDS)\u00a0form structure<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Content design has worked extremely closely with user experience (UX) \u2013 also known as interaction design \u2013 and user research to create prototypes and test them with users.<\/p>\n

Working with business analysis, service design, developers and testers within an Agile environment has meant we\u2019ve been able to iterate the design until it works.<\/p>\n

Because the application launches from mygov.scot<\/a>,<\/u> we\u2019re using mygov.scot design<\/a>, collaborating with the product and content teams at mygov.scot. We\u2019ve also had to create some new designs which we can share with Scottish Government and other agencies.<\/p>\n

Improve services<\/h2>\n

To make sure we continually improve our services, we also interrogate the analytics for the online service so we can find out where users might be getting stuck on their journey. That\u2019s where our performance analysts come in.<\/p>\n

With user research monitoring feedback for our online service, and performance analysis also\u00a0providing quantitative data, content design gets a great insight into any misunderstandings users may have.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve also had great support from policy colleagues who help guide and refine the content, and our service team who can feedback any problems users have with the content or functionality.<\/p>\n

As\u00a0a government agency, in order to be able to offer a digital service\u00a0we had to go\u00a0through the Digital First Service Standard.<\/a>\u00a0Content design was a key\u00a0part of\u00a0understanding and delivering a service that met this standard. The core team for our assessment also included a user researcher, product owner, technical architect and business change colleagues.<\/p>\n

The standard\u2019s 22 criteria not only ensure a robust initial service to users, but also allows for continuous improvement and sustainability throughout the service\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

As well as our online application continuously improving, we ensure that the DS content on mygov.scot\u00a0 does the same. Content design works in a proactive and reactive way with fact checkers (subject matter experts) to make sure content is kept up-to-date, relevant and accurate, and it continues to meet users\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n

Ensure consistency<\/h2>\n

Working in Transformation on an online service, looking at the end-to-end process, has given me an insight into how DS communicates with its users\/customers, and how different teams have historically had different approaches.<\/p>\n

Working with service design and support officers, we\u2019re designing a more streamlined and consistent approach to our letters and emails to customers.<\/p>\n

With policy, user experience and business analysis, we\u2019ve worked to improve our certificates and inserts so that they\u2019re more accessible in terms of design and terminology.<\/p>\n

With engagement and user research, we\u2019re also looking at how we can best communicate some complex recruitment issues with employers.<\/p>\n

Our users have contact with the organisation through various channels \u2013 on the phone, in written communication, and through social media. So it\u2019s not just digital content we have to look at as content designers.<\/p>\n

To try to enshrine the principle of consistency, I\u2019ve been working on a style guide with our communications and engagement teams to ensure we take a consistent approach and employ best practice across all channels. We can draw on evidence from user research via GDS<\/a> to improve our tone and clarity to our users, at whichever point they\u00a0use our service.<\/p>\n

Content design has a further role to play in helping the organisation find a way to work together routinely<\/em> at all stages of producing content which is intended for any channel. Our content strategy must include all complementary disciplines and be integral to how the organisation communicates with its users.<\/p>\n

Build strong communities<\/h2>\n

You may have noticed the frequent use of \u2018we\u2019. There are lots of different \u2018we\u2019s in a content designer\u2019s working life.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had the good fortune to work with the content team at mygov.scot. They\u2019ve given me invaluable and frequent advice, peer reviews, and content design input into usability testing. Their blogs<\/a> and resources<\/a> are helpful, and their meet-ups are informative and supportive, especially if you\u2019re the only content designer working in an organisation.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also gained content design (and other) insights from:<\/p>\n