The websites of large organizations often develop haphazard tangles of content, as their different branches contribute material with little central oversight and organization. As a learning exercise, we were given “clients” whose websites needed an overhaul. We had to analyze what was there, and create a strategy that could deliver an excellent user experience that fit with the Zoo’s mission, brand identity, and the desires of its patrons. The deliverables below drew on what we learned in our Interaction Strategy, Content Planning and UX Planning classes.
We were placed in groups of three; however, rather than produce deliverables collaboratively, we were often asked to complete the work on our own, focusing on only one section of the site. I was the sole author of the documents below, although they benefited from group discussion and brainstorming.
Toronto Zoo Content Audit (Excel file)
The zoo’s website was a huge, haphazard mess of content. Having a complete catalogue is useful, but creating the catalogue was the invaluable part, because it gave me a sense of what the content was trying to achieve, and where it was failing.
It should be noted that this is not a complete catalogue. If I were to do a complete content audit of the Toronto Zoo’s website, it would be…very long.
Creating an interactive strategy means understanding who is going to be using the end result, and what their reasons for doing so are. These are personas I created myself, based on some secondary research and my own intuition.
Toronto Zoo Competitive Analysis (PDF)
In addition to comparing our section of the website with the zoo’s competitors, we were also asked to develop a “theme.” This would be a sentence that everyone who works on the redesign can keep in the back of their heads when making design decisions. You could think of it as a distillation of the zoo’s unique value proposition.
Toronto Zoo Content Structures (PDF)
Inconsistent content can make it difficult for users to find and compare information. These content structures are meant as guidelines for content creators, ensuring that however many contributors we may have, the content stays consistent and unified. They also make a writer’s job much easier!
Toronto Zoo Content Strategy (PDF)
This document describes where the zoo’s web content is currently failing its users, and how to address these issues in the website re-design.
Christina Hough 