USA Today: CMS User Evaluation

The Goal

Gain a better understanding of the challenges our users face with our internal CMS, Presto. Discover what features our users want to have that don’t currently exist and gain insights on what current features need to be improved.

This user evaluation included:

• Audit of Success/Error states through the user journey

  • Goal: Surface all success/error pain points and inconsistencies that our Presto users face and provide short- and long-term recommendations which will improve how the user engages with and proceeds through the product.

• Interviews with 18 Presto users

  • Goal: Surface areas and user flows in which experienced Presto users struggle to complete tasks easily and intuitively.

• Heuristic evaluations among 3 designers.

  • Each designer had a varying CMS skill level.

    • Beginner: Never used a CMS before

    • Intermediate: Familiar with other CMS platforms but not Presto

    • Expert: Has used Presto for a couple of years

Success / Error States Audit

Six journeys were mapped out through the user flow. Each success / error message that the user encountered or engaged with was documented.

The sub-journeys included:

• Create a story

• Upload an image

• Upload a video

• Create a gallery/playlist

• Curate a front

An audit of each success / error message was created, including language that was used in each type of message as each step of the way. The audit was presented based on the sub-journey and were placed on a matrix that was broken down into Expression and Types.

• Expression: How the message is
  communicated with users.

  • Toast

  • Modal

  • Alert

  • Microinteractions

    • Pop Overs

    • Form Status

    • Button Status

    • Tool Tops

    • Asset Status

• Types: What the message is communicating to users.

  • Success

  • Error (Critical Error)

  • Informational

  • Locked

User Interviews

18 experience Presto users were grouped by positions and typical Presto workflow including Reporters, Planners, Digital Directions, Market Engagement and DOT Manager.

Users were asked to walk us through various workflows that perform on a regular basis including - Create a story, Curate a front, Enhance a story, Story discovery and review, and Budget planning.

After analyzing all 18 interviews, 8 critical areas were identified: Search Tools, UI and Accessibility, Communication Strategy within Presto, Site Performance, Content Planning and Scheduling, Content Fields and Functionality, Workflow and Home/Hub. Within each critical area, we sorted pain points by what was needed by users and what was wanted and which pain points was repeated across multiple Presto user positions and workflows.

Next Steps

Based on the results from the audit, user interviews and heuristic evaluation, a series of short-term and long-term recommendations were presented to the Presto product managers and stakeholders to clean up the success / error messages, improve current UI in terms of accessibility and functionality, and build provide features that are needed by Presto users as well as consider features that are wanted as well.