ROLE
WHAT I DID
I led the UX work producing all the required UX discovery and further UX output deliverables. This would include desk research, content audit, wireframes and copy recommendations.
All work and internal and client presentations took place online due to the WOW at the agency and with the client.
THE APPROACH
The project was run in two key stages — a Define stage and Design stage. In the tail end of the Define phase, I was to work with a copywriter to ensure any reworking or production of new content was in line with the findings / recommendations and mapped to the business requirements. Handover would be for small design changes only.*
* After discussions with the client, the project was extended and re-costed as it was clear a greater depth of content and design production would be required to bring the section in line with my recommendations.
THE CHALLENGE
There were numerous insights supporting the need for a refresh of the Eco content on kia.com/uk - in particular, users required transparency and clarity of cost of buying and ownership. The current website didn’t fully explain electric vehicle technology, include any content pertaining to compelling comparisons with petrol and diesel vehicles or present the ‘electrified lifestyle’ in general.
The current “Discover Electric & Hybrid” section of the Kia UK website, contained information relating to Kia’s range of electric and hybrid cars - including information on costs and charging and other related areas of information. There are numerous insights supporting the need for a refresh of the Eco content on kia.com/uk - in particular, users need transparency and clarity of cost of buying and ownership. The current website doesn’t fully explain the EV technology, present compelling comparisons with ICE vehicles or present the ‘electrified lifestyle’. This project aimed to create new content - defined by the content strategy and new IA.
Existing website challenges
Key EV content content is not up to date and in line with industry norms
Detailed EV (Electric Vehicle) subject matters are scattered across the entire section and do not always map into the correct page subject matter they allude to
Lack of content relating to related EV references including EV technology in general, batteries and sustainability
Content is mainly static and lacks interactive or video content to bring it to life
Constant use of same page layouts across the section means same-same look across many pages
Lack of lifestyle and real life EV references
The client had some key business requirements in terms of specific content relating to Electric Vehicles that had to be taken into consideration and worked into our recommendation accordingly.
SOLUTION HYPOTHESIS
The aim of this project was to define an improved content strategy for the Eco section of the website. The final output would be refreshed content and IA for the section. This would then be fed into Kias exsisting content modules to create the individual pages.
In order to achieve this, the activities as described below were agreed upon. My starting point was to be existing research and insights, including the customer purchase journeys and flows in order to garner any insights and knowledge. The Define phase outputs were as follows:
UX AND STRATEGY
Desk research: utilise existing research and insights where required. Conduct a competitor review
Develop Kia Eco Principles and Scorecard: This would be used to define critical success factors for the future work produced in the section, allowing us to focus and align the experience consistently
Eco section sitemap / IA definition: Map the current site as is. Create amended site map based on any new content requirements
Eco section content outline production: Create content themes for each of the pages, based on the undertaken discovery and research
Preliminary review of cross-linking opportunities for key traffic-driving pages: Examine cross linking opportunities based on amended IA. Working with the analytics team to ensure viability.
CONTENT
Gap analysis of the existing site content (inc SEO recommendations): Conducted by a third-party
Backlog creation exercise: Create a backlog based on content outline production output
Prioritisation exercise to define content production requirements: Once the above backlog is completed the client will review and prioritise the content backlog
ANALYTICS
Analytics review: The analytics team and SEO third party complied relevant data and fed back to the client in unison with my recommendations
DELIVERABLES
The deliverables were to be presented back to the client and any amends or rework from the initial meeting was to be presented back to the client subsequently, alongside the analytics report from the data team. Following this the backlog was produced.
Kia Eco Principles + Scorecard
Eco section sitemap
Navigation overview
As-is analytics report
Eco section content outline
Content backlog
DEsk research AND COntent principles SCORECARD
Content and feature observations were recorded alongside recommendations. Previous strategy and customer journey work were benchmarked to ensure any previous findings could be pulled accordingly. To ensure the recommendations and outputs translated into the right actions, we created a content principles scorecard - this provided orientation and allowed alignment of brand aspirations, business objectives and customer needs - providing common constraints to reduce arbitrary decisions.
CONTAIN OUTLINE AND THEMES
Using notes from my research and previous strategy work, alongside my desk research and incorporating specific content requirements from the business I created content themes. Mapping related areas of content into buckets and from these creating key themes and then into pages of content themes. Ensuring there was cross-linking operating between specific areas of content that allowed for the customer conversion funnel.
SITEMAP AND NAVIGATION
A new sitemap was created based on the content outline and theme work, this was completely different from the original and it was becoming apparent that my recommendations were greater than the original scope and what the client had envisaged. Alongside the sitemap I made recommendations for the navigation, to allow the customer to reach the deeper levels of the section, because Kia's current navigation did not accommodate this in any form.
EXTENDED DELIVERABLES PHASE
Once my define deliverables were presented, the project was extended to include the following. This allowed more work to be created which mapped into my recommendation of a full section overhaul, rather than a smaller ‘face-lift’.
Content backlog: Create a detailed content backlog that would be used for content prioritisation and to guide content creation.
Content wires and templates: Creation of content wires and wireframes
Modules mapping: Map existing content modules to wireframes
Day workshop with copywriter
Designs thereof of all the above
CONTENT AUDIT + PRIORITISATION EXERCISE
A detailed backlog for content across all pages of the new site. Indicating the content theme, bite/snack/meal level, outbound links and a traffic light system according to whether content was available, needed to be created, could be used as is or could be improved . The backlog was also to be used in a content prioritisation exercise with the client.
Content WIRE, wireframes AND MODULE MAPPING
Content wires were produced - indicating the hierarchy of content panels for every page based on the new site map. From this pre-existing modules were mapped into each panel for every page, which in turn were tweaked slightly for the new use. A full set of wireframes was also produced based upon these. UX recommendations for infographic areas were also documented alongside these for handover to the client.
SUGGESTED INFOGRAPHICS
Alongside the wireframes I produced a set of panels that included the infographics to showcase how they would sit on the new pages and amongst other content to ensure alignment to the page purposes and narrative. The designers then took these and created the final mockups based on updated and new content received from the client.