When my team set out to redesign the Harvard Pilgrim website, we knew that marketing initiatives would be significant in determining the design choices. What we didn’t expect was the magnitude of the content we would discover, and the internal politics we would navigate right up to launch. As a content strategist and UX practitioner, I learned more over the course of this project than I have on any other, and along the way determined a new process for blending content and design work with governance and organizational change. In this session we’ll review the case study, with special attention called to the experience of the content team, and the focus on user-centered solutions. I’ll share what worked as well as what didn’t, and provide concrete recommendations on how to accomplish marketing objectives while simultaneously fulfilling user needs. Goals for the session: - Hear recommendations for navigating tricky political situations with numerous stakeholders - Learn methods for developing and clarifying a realistic governance plan - Discover tools for testing navigation changes and A/B testing, all of which is helpful in bringing stakeholders to agreement - Find out how content teams can work with compliance departments to comply with legal requirements while also providing a fantastic user experience Marli Mesibov is the VP of Content Strategy at the design and UX agency Mad*Pow. Her work spans strategy and experiences across websites, web applications, and mobile for enterprise companies and startups. Before coming to Mad*Pow, Marli’s clients included Motorolla, Fidelity Investments, Rowan University, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care. Her work has helped these clients attract and engage new market subsets. Marli is also the managing editor at UX Booth, and a frequent conference speaker. She has spoken at conferences including LavaCon, Content Strategy Applied, Content Strategy Forum, and ConveyUX. Marli can also be found on Twitter as @marsinthestars, where she shares thoughts on UX Design, content strategy, and Muppets. You can learn more about Marli and her work at http://marli.us

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PREPARED BY
Finally Answering: Who Owns the
Website?
@MARSINTHESTARS
April 7, 2018
Conduit 2018
Marli Mesibov, VP, Content Strategy

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Marli Mesibov
VP, Content Strategy, Mad*Pow
marli@madpow.net
@marsinthestars

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“I’ll share your toys, I’ll share your money,
I’ll share your toast, I’ll share you honey,
I’ll share your milk and your cookies too –
The hard part’s sharing mine with you.”
- Shel Silverstein
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Who Owns the Website

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Who Owns the Website

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CASE STUDY

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Who is Mad*Pow?
We are a design agency full of passionate people,
in a creative environment, delivering amazing
experiences for industry leading clients.
We are purpose driven - focused on
improving health, financial wellbeing, education, and
human connection. Our goal is social impact and
financial return.
Purpose Driven Design
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars

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The Problem:
After years of marketing directly to
employers, the ACA meant Harvard Pilgrim
needed to reach out to a new audience –
prospective members.
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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The Ask:
Showcase Harvard Pilgrim’s value to
consumers, identify a roadmap for
improvements, and revamp the website to
mirror this value.
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
DISCOVER SYNTHESIZE GENERATE REFINE
Plan/Strategy Prototype
EVALUATE
IMPLEMENT
Deployment
QA
Case Study

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Stats:
• We reduced content from 1000+ to 130
pages
• We streamlined the navigation
• We removed external links from internal
navigation
• We ruffled a lot of feathers…
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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The New Ask:
How do we maintain the level of valuable,
useful content, and ensure we don’t go
back to having a bloated, business-centric
site?
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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ENTER: CONTENT STRATEGY

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“Content strategy is planning for the
creation, delivery, and governance of
usable, useful content.”
–Kristina Halvorson, Brain Traffic
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy
Substance includes the
voice and tone as well as
the message the content
conveys.

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy
Structure is intertwined
with technology and
development. The
content structure informs
the technology we
choose.

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy
Governance is a team’s
process for managing
content. Governance
tactics streamline the
editing and retiring of
content according to
when it stops being
relevant.

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy
Workflow is a process
followed by a team.
A good workflow
accounts for everyone
who needs to have a say
in the content without
slowing down the
creation process

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BACK TO THE CASE STUDY…

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The New Ask:
How do we maintain the level of valuable,
useful content, and ensure we don’t go
back to having a bloated, business-centric
site?
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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The New Problem:
Everyone hates governace.
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy
Governance is a team’s
process for managing
content. Governance
tactics streamline the
editing and retiring of
content according to
when it stops being
relevant.

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Content Strategy

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• Is this a centralized or decentralized
process?
• What does their RACI model look like?
• Who gets the final say? WHO OWNS
THE WEBSITE?
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study

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Centralized
• Web group owns the site
• All site updates go
through that group
• Ensures consistency
• Easy to update
standards
• Can cause bottlenecks
• Requires executive buy-
in and enforcement
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study
Decentralized
• Each business owner
owns their section
• Quick decision making
• Lots of autonomy
• Tough to regulate
• Can result in duplicate
content or a patchwork
feel to the site

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Case Study
Responsibl
e
Accountabl
e
Consulted Informed
Submit idea
to web team
Business
owner
Web editor
Web
publisher
Decide: does
it belong on
the site?
Web editor Editorial head Web
publisher
Business
owner
Create
content
Web editor Editorial head Web
publisher
Editorial
review
Web editor Editorial head Web
publisher

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TAKEAWAYS

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Centralized approach if you have:
• Complex legal and federal requirements
• Rapidly changing standards
• Many interweaving teams communicating with one
audience
Decentralized approach if you have:
• Many aligned teams
• Lots of content needing to be updated frequently
• Many diverse audiences
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Takeaways

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Both approaches require a message
architecture and a mission statement that all
teams agree on, and is endorsed by the
executive level.
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Takeaways

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Takeaways

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• The Charismatic Organization, by
Deborah Jospin and Shirley Sagawa
• Managing Chaos, by Lisa Welchman
• Slideshares by Adam Connor -
www.slideshare.net/adamconnor
Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Resources

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Mad*Pow | @marsinthestars
Questions?
Email:
marli@madpow.com
Twitter: @marsinthestars