Business knows why online users fail to engage
The clients I work with know exactly why their online information or service fails. They know their customers' behaviours and pushbacks. They know exactly what frustrates and annoys customers, and what confuses and disempowers them. They also know what appeals and draws customers in.
They know... but as the tale of the three tax agents shows, they just aren't able to organise that knowledge and use it to structure their website, and design online content and communications.
How to capture and structure user insights
When Jakob Nielsen stated the first rule of usability1 as "Don't listen to users", he was recognising that user input has limited value for a business that is attempting to turn a poor-performing website around.
Today's usability consultants stress observation and listening as user discovery strategies but how do you observe the professional who has 'stolen' a few minutes from a busy day to compare home loan products?
How do you capture subconscious behavioural drivers by listening to a user talk?
In fact, observers and listeners do no more or less than business is doing every day at customer touchpoints - inferring, interpreting, recognising. The difference is that, unlike usability consultants, business is ALWAYS there listening and observing, noticing and evaluating.
Business knowledge is the key
Business has valuable and extensive insights into the agendas behind what users do
- on their website
- on their corporate intranet
- at their emails or e-newsletters
Frontline staff like sales or customer service staff can make significant contributions but everyone 'knows' - from anecdotes that are shared around the office; from reports in the media; from experiences of family and friends; and from personal reactions and behaviours.
Structured analysis that identifies, captures and organises
My structured analysis tools enable my clients to
- to harvest and organise their knowledge
- to identify the implications of the user agenda for their online design
- to evolve design concepts that can later be applied to wireframes, content layouts or briefing creative designers
Requirements for architecture, content and creative emerge from our collaborative structured analysis.
Talk to me
If you are taking up the challenge of making your website work better for your business or for your government department, talk to me.
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First Rule of Usability? Don't Listen to Users. Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox, August 5, 2001
Focus on the user agenda
