Conducting Audits
Quick Tip!
An audit is an inspection or examination of a system.
Helpful Staff for this Topic
The Digital Corps conducts audits during the creation or redesign of websites. The two main types of audits are content audits and site audits. These audits are conducted to determine if anything on a website or system needs changed and/or updated. The typical project we conduct audits on are websites that we will redesign.
Content Audit
A content audit checks all content on a website and compiles it into a comprehensive list in order to better understand the content and prepare it for future updates. The most effective and organized way to conduct a content audit is to use a spreadsheet and divide the content by page and section.
Check out an example of a content audit along with the format of the spreadsheet.
While this is one example of a content audit format, it easily shows all of the content and content types. It also allows for the possibility of a full, partial, or sample audit. This will depend on the level of detail the project requires.
- A full audit is a complete listing of every content item on the site. This may include all pages as well as all assets (such as downloadable files and videos).
- A partial audit is listing of a subset of the site’s content. A partial inventory may include, for example, the top few levels of a hierarchical site or the past six months of articles. All sections of the site will be covered.
- A sample audit is a less detailed collection of example content from the site.
In order to decide which type of audit must be conducted, first consider what the goals of the audit are.
A content audit helps break down a website to show content hierarchy, which can help re-work the information architecture. The content audit sections should reflect the structure of the website or system, such as the following:
- Page Title
- Page Header
- Section Headers
- Content
- Text
- Photos
- Videos
UX Site Audits & Heuristic Evaluations
A UX site audit helps identify the areas of a website or system that may need to be changed in order to improve overall usability. Website audits are an essential measure to improve the efficiency and visibility of a website.
For a UX site audit, a variety of tools may be necessary. Because of this, it is beneficial to use a document template. In order to thoroughly conduct an audit, consider the following:
- Business objectives: what is the goal of this system?
- Understand the user: who uses this system, what are their behaviors, and what do they like/dislike?
- Analytics: provides quantitative data about the evaluated system.
- A heuristic evaluation: usability rules of thumb.
To get started with a site audit, use the template and replace the boilerplate text with information specific to the project.
Once your audit is conducted, it is important to relay this information to the appropriate people. First, send it through the review process:
- JPM
- PM
- Team Lead
- Brandon
Once it has been reviewed, set up a time to talk with the JPM about the findings and any changes that must be made.
Quick Tip!
Sometimes, someone might ask for a site audit that is more akin to QA testing. In these cases, try adapting an audit plan from the QA template!
Site Analytics
Based on what the original content goals are, it is important to know whether or not the content is working for the system. Each piece of content audited will have several data metrics attached to it. These metrics help understand whether the content is working well or not. Use sites like Google Analytics as a helpful tool for tracking websites.
To determine the effectiveness of the content, use analytics to see where users are clicking on a website. This identifies possible weak points and content of a system.
To conclude:
These audits can be used by multiple teams to determine if anything on a website or system needs changing and/or updating, for example, new designs, updated text, and updated content like photos or videos.
The UX Team member should work with designers, developers, and/or content creators to effectively update the necessary content. In order to track the recommended changes, stay up to date with site tracking and analytics of newly implemented content.
