415 - Case Study

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Solutions

User Testing/Surveying
Viewers and listeners trust and rely on KQED to provide quality programming and thought-provoking information, and their expectations for KQED.org are no different. As a result, 415 needed to ensure that the site convey KQED's core brand principles and provide the expected level of quality, while also energizing the user experience. To make the redesign of KQED.org more relevant to its user base, 415 conducted user testing sessions to obtain patron responses to design and development concepts and to observe user reactions to the site design, navigation, and nomenclature. Following testing sessions, 415 analyzed the data and applied the market research to the final strategy and site design that is live today.

Content
While KQED.org was designed to enhance and support KQED's existing media and services, it also needed provide unique content in order to draw its own audiences and serve as an independent gateway to the rich community life of Northern California. KQED wanted the site to serve as both a resource and a microphone for the community, so 415 developed a content strategy that would achieve these goals while still accommodating KQED's limited budget and editorial resources. The resulting site leverages content partnerships (cultural organizations, community service groups and media outlets, etc.) and better utilizes KQED's other broadcasting media as a content source. 415 has also planned future content enhancements for KQED for the coming years, allowing for a continual organic evolution of the site.

User Interface Design/Information Architecture
415 paid special attention to user interface design and information architecture, ensuring that KQED.org would engage and empower users through access to resources in a manner not feasible through broadcast media. The result is a fluid experience that enhances interaction between KQED and the community via:

-- clear topic navigation allowing the user to easily navigate through all content and cross reference information based on topic (instead of media platform)
-- a redesigned view of broadcast schedules (by day, by week, by month, and "What's on now") allowing users to quickly find relevant content on programming and events, including episode descriptions, schedule changes, and email alerts to remind users of programming schedules
-- the creation of over 30 content templates with scalable, interchangeable content modules to allow for variation in page layout depending on the amount of content available at a given time
-- single sign-on functionality for bulletin boards, MyKQED, and member profiles
-- new and improved, streamlined interface for discussion boards

Interactivity/Functionality
In order to create a strong sense of community and relevance online, KQED.org needed to promote more human interaction, and it needed to offer a more extensive, more personalized set of features. A sampling of new and improved features and functionality includes:

-- "Local Focus" -- an online town square dedicated solely to Northern California with local forums, local event calendars, and access to KQED's "LocalLife" section
-- "LocalLife" -- a section integrating audience members and community organizations as active participants in the site's evolution (e.g. each month, KQED will have a theme, submit their own KQED-branded photo, and ask users to contribute photos to the homepage movie)
-- "MyKQED" -- a free membership section enabling users to participate in discussion groups and receive email newsletters to stay up-to-date on favorite programming as well as the latest KQED news.

Technology
415 managed the Systems Integration vendor evaluation and selected Deloitte Consulting to provide the technical solutions and components that brought 415's creative vision to life. Deloitte was responsible for a full technology infrastructure redesign, from hosting solution to Content Management System selection and implementation, all facilitated by 415.

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