Building a great content design team to meet user needs
Keyboard Magazine
Problem
Keyboard magazine, the leading publication and website about musicians and music production, was losing market share as users began to get more of their information from manufacturer’s more sophisticated websites.
Solution
Find out what users wanted, and what they were not getting from our content. Then redesign, revitalize, and rebuild our content to match our users’ needs.
Role
As Editor in Chief, I directed user research, content design, and expanding our content design team, collaborating cross-functionally across ad sales, marketing, production, and C-level management teams.
Even with amazing artist interviews like these, Keyboard's market share was declining due to the immediacy of web-based content.
Key activities
Conducted user research (focus groups of users and non-users, interviews with stakeholders and users, user surveys, analytics)
Analyzed data and identified user needs
Created user personas based on research
Recruited, hired, and trained 10 new content designers — and involved them in the design process
Developed a content guide
Facilitated brainstorming and design iterations with the content team
Launched the redesigned print and digital content
A partial listing of the new content design team for the redesign of Keyboard magazine.
Results
Increased advertising revenue and market share
Grew readership
Created a cohesive, talented, and effective content design team
Improved user experience with content that met their needs
Met all deadlines and financial goals
The redesigned cover of Keyboard only hints at the user-centered content inside, and the corresponding digital content that the content design team created.
Key takeaways
User-centered design approach was crucial to success
Building a strong content design team was essential
Involving the content design team in the design and iteration process led to better outcomes
The redesign achieved the goals of realigning with user needs and regaining market share
