UX and the Customer Journey
What we don't want: Content that explains obvious UI elements and sections.
What we do want: Content that meets customers where they are and with what they want.
How do we get there: By understanding the the customer journey
Start with a Great UI
Software speaking, if your product has an intuitive interface rooted in common sense then users are far less likely to open any docs. Like everything, there are tips and tricks to make your UI out of this world.
​
If you're hardware or service-based, you may think you have no UI. Well, well, well, indeed you do! Optimize your doc center, support site, and your community forums with these UI methodologies and you'll find your success.
Document Workflows
Society has progressed to a point where technology is a common daily interaction. This means that we no longer have to explain what a radio button is, that checking a checkbox enables the function, or that you need to click Save to save.
​
Equipped with the lens of our customers and knowledge of how they want to use our product and what they are looking to accomplish, content of today needs to provide them the pathway.
For example, let's look at a calendar app: I want to create a calendar for my friend group to plan our holiday events in a shared format. Instead of 3 topics: Creating a new calendar, Adding a new event, and Sharing my calendar. Knowing what my customer wants, I can create a topic titled: How do I create a shared calendar for collaboration, that will outline end-to-end the process.
Analyze Metrics
If your doc delivery platforms are smart, and your content is tagging appropriately you can start to compile data. Use this data to idenfity a FAQ list, see which topics you need to prioritize, or those you need to rework.
​
Analyzing these metrics will help you get an handle on your customer success with real data points to know where you stand and which strategy is working.
