If you’re looking to design and create content then you might find these tips from GOV.UK helpful.
Discovery – learn about your users, your subject and existing content by:
- finding the words people use (Google Analytics, Adwords and Trends, online forums, social media)
- attending user research (listen to phone calls, meet users, observe how they interact with current services)
- finding gaps or problems with existing content
- building your knowledge of the subject and understand the policy intent (work with
- stakeholders, policy and subject matter experts)
- reviewing how existing content addresses user needs
- helping your team define their focus (write problem statements, mission statements and service descriptions)
Alpha – build prototypes, design and iterate content by:
- creating or updating prototypes
- writing and testing letters, text messages, emails and other notifications
- following GOV.UK design patterns and styles (share new patterns and research with other designers and across government)
- designing GOV.UK start and done pages and testing with users
- testing GOV.UK content with users to cover the whole journey
- working with legal and security to understand constraints on content
- sharing content and research for GOV.UK start, done and guidance pages
- helping business analysts and product owners to write clear user stories
Beta – design the content for your first release by:
- designing error and validation messages
- showing when the online service is unavailable
- explaining how the service uses cookies and collects personal data
- writing feedback questions to help the team learn about the user’s experience
- writing metadata descriptions and keywords to help users find the right service and improve search engine rankings
- iterating content based on feedback from users, design hypotheses and analytics
- helping your team to name the service
Live – continue to iterate the service content by:
- using feedback and analytics to inform changes or discover new user needs to explore
