Anthrobytes Media, LLC

When defining quality in a knowledge base or help system content comes up, this quote is the first thing I think of. And it really happened.

During the interview, I asked him how to define quality in a knowledge base. He snorted and said, “That’s the issue, isn’t it?” That’s when I knew he didn’t know what he was talking about.

–Director of Customer Experience, regarding a massively qualified Content Strategy candidate he interviewed and passed on.

Why does this come to mind? Because it showed the Director had no idea what he asked or why the answer was the correct answer. He asked a good question but didn’t know the answer.

Quality in content is what we define it as

The point the candidate (let’s call him Alan) was clear about is that quality is what we define and track as quality that matters to us. And Alan was completely right. The Director (let’s call him Greg) thought there is some objective quality standard for post sales content that we all agree on because it is the definition of quality.

I didn’t get to ask Greg what he thought that objective standard of quality was. I wish now I had made the time to ask because I’m curious what he thought it was.

But I can guess, based on how interested he was in reporting typos to my boss.

Typo-free content in your knowledge base or help system is a terrible metric for quality. And while this can sound like a radical position for me to take, here’s why:

• Typo-free nursery rhymes as knowledge base or help content meets that quality definition. We’ve all read content that seems to go on forever and nothing we read has anything to do with the product at hand.
• Typo-free badly written content meets that quality definition. For example, think about bad translations that come with some products.

But neither of these define quality in knowledge base or help system content. Or, at least, not quality that matters to the customer.

Useful metrics to define quality in content

What metrics should you use to define quality in content? Here’s a place to start with why you might choose it.

Writing

• All content is accurate and up to date. This matters because in accurate or out of date content doesn’t help the customer at all. This one is critical in defining quality in content.
• All content is well-written, using the best practices in technical communication. This matters because well-written content is easier to read than badly written content. Well-written generally is active voice, present tense, second person with no extra words.
• All content is written to the 5th grade level. This matters because people under cognitive load need easier to read content.
• All topics use the controlled terminology standards we defined. This matters because excellent content uses the same words for the same thing. And costs are significantly reduced in localization.

Findability

• Articles findable in 3 clicks. In a well-organized system, the customer can find what they need in 3 clicks. This matters because customers don’t want to play where’s the content, how do I find it? Easy to find content is important in defining quality in content. And 3 clicks is the typically assumed metric.
• Every topic includes at least 3 synonyms for important keywords. This matters because customers don’t search using the same words you wrote. Let them use their words to find the content they need. Put these synonyms in searchable metadata so you still get the cost savings of controlled terminology. Consider watching the search words in your search tool for the words people are using that they aren’t finding.

Engagement

• Customers spend 60 seconds or more on topics, on average. This matters because you can assume at the 60-second mark, they read the content. People read content when it’s useful to them.
• Customers watch 80% or more of the videos, on average. This matters because people quickly abandon videos if the content isn’t relevant.

Reduce business problems

• Call center deflection. If the content for topic A is showing a reduction in calls about topic A, your content solved a business problem.
• Using the instructions, customers can onboard in under X minutes.

You have so many more to choose from, but these 4 areas are where I start to define quality in content.

Choose what you define as quality in content

The list above includes ways for defining quality in a knowledge base or help system. Your standards and metrics depend on what matters to your company.

So, pick 3 to 5 for this year and start measuring them over the year. What you measure usually improves because you are focusing on that. Next year, see what and how much you improved. Continue working on the ones that need work and add a few more that work for your environment.

Because Alan was right: that’s the question, isn’t it?

I may have more to say about this topic, so stay tuned!