People read web content differently to how they read paper, they scan online content for information that is relevant to them. An average visit to a web page lasts less than a minute and often only lasts between 10 to 20 seconds.

Great content design is invisible. If the user has a smooth and intuitive experience, then we know that it has achieved the desired purpose. We work within our content principles and guidelines (WCAG and Welsh Language Standards) to make sure we are writing content in plain language and using a consistent and recognisable structure throughout the website.

Good services are clear, simple, straightforward, and as hassle-free as possible. We want to do the extra work to make the information and navigation of the website as easy to follow as possible, which will result in people completing their task quickly. If that can be achieved, then we have done our job properly.

Everyone deserves a consistent user experience of the council, and its services and information. Consistency breeds trust and credibility.

We need the core ideas of the content to be the same, the way we use links, the way we lay out pages, but the guidelines should be flexible. If we find a better way to do any of these things, we can amend our processes and standards to improve content and consistency across the site.

Consistent does not mean never change. It means that when we find way to improve, we make sure we implement it across the entire site.

We can help keep consistency across the site by communicating, whether that's with each other, with those sending requests through or the site users. If everyone knows how we add and edit content as a team, we can keep things running in a way that matches all other work being done, while also ensuring it's consistent with other sites, such as gov.uk. This can ensure a smoother experience for the customer with no time being wasted.

We can make content consistent by following guidelines about certain things such as:

• Use of grammar and punctuation, including special characters
• How we speak about people, such as councillors
• Formats of information, such as dates and phone numbers
• Page designs, how we use things like accordions and links
• Text format, size
• Contact forms

Going to a new part of the site shouldn’t be like going to a different site altogether. We can ensure this by using the same style of language across the site, keeping it simple and efficient.

Different areas will have diverse types of users. We should still use the same principles and guidelines, but the content may need to be tailored differently, such as a different tone of voice.

Every circumstance is different. When we find patterns that work, we should share them and talk about why we use them. This will help in the future when we find better ways of doing things or the needs of users change.

We have a wide and diverse customer base in Cardiff. To write content that works for our users we have to know who they are, what motivates them and what barriers they face. Importantly we also need to understand their goals when it comes to interacting with the council.

To make sure our content is accessible, relevant and clear we need to understand different user needs, for example our customers’ physical, emotional and wellbeing needs. We need to think about disabilities, neurodivergence as well as situational limitations.

In order to support all our customers, we also need to have a picture of their digital needs. Not all of our customers have access to the internet or a safe space to use it. Some may need help to gain skills or to access technology.

We can use different methods to gather information about these areas by combining anonymous data and by talking to our customers. We will use web analytics, customer contact data and figures around digital deprivation to influence and inform our content creation.

As well as seeking to understand our customers, it is vital for us to have a clear picture of what they need from the council through our website. Which services do they need to engage with, what outcomes do they want.

As a team we will talk to our customers, use existing data and work with subject experts to design user journeys that are intuitive, accessible and deliver the right outcomes for our customers.

Online content is dynamic and always needs reviewing and updating. Changes are always happening, whether those are internal council changes, technological changes or user needs and expectations. We need to update content to reflect this.

Our content will go through several drafts before getting to the final published version. We want to make sure the content is the best it can be. To achieve this, we will create user stories and acceptance criteria based on customer data and feedback.

We will work closely with reading groups, and citizen panels to test content with real people who will be affected by it. We can use this data to see if our assumptions in our user stories are correct and update the content to reflect this. The more constructive feedback and evidence we receive in user testing, the more we can refine the content.

As a team we will continue to review and improve content before and after publishing. We will continue to monitor the content alongside the user needs to make sure that we are giving the right information to people in the right way.

There are over 14 million disabled people in the UK. This is 1 in 5 people. When services and information are not designed with them in mind, this is 1 in 5 people who are systematically excluded from using them.

Everyone deserves the same experience of public services. But those who need them the most are usually those who find them the hardest to access.

Designing for accessibility is designing for inclusion. Your user may be disabled, or they may be neurodivergent or have low literacy - or just be under stress, upset or in a rush. They might not have a computer or even a quiet, safe space to access services.

When we design for those who find it hardest, we make it better for everyone else. When we design accessible, inclusive, and human-centred services, we make life easier for everyone.

It takes a team with a combination of skills, expertise and perspectives to build a good service. Especially in times of rapid change. Nobody has all the answers. Innovative ideas and creative solutions can come from anywhere and everywhere.

We share our work as much as possible: ideas, designs, intentions, struggles, and even failures – seeking input early and often. We start conversations with others and involve them in our work, especially our end users and those who talk to them.

Working in the open, we communicate and coordinate better: it brings all our strengths and experiences together and keeps us pushing in the same direction: within our team, organisation and with others. We identify blind spots, challenge our own bias and assumptions, and fix what does not work. It makes us more agile, efficient, and adaptive.