How we’re helping advisers find the information they need more quickly
Making it quicker to find the right answer: our new findability mission
Back in 2018 we made some changes to how we write detailed advice content, by designing content that puts advisers first.
We did this to ensure our 20,000+ advisers have the level of detail they need to help clients.
The biggest change was 44,000 words of new advice on Universal Credit. We followed that up by putting together a dedicated team to take things forward and do even more.
So far in 2019 we’ve published newly redesigned and rewritten content for advisers on dealing with debt, discrimination, EU benefits, Brexit, working hours, mortgages. And we’ve expanded our Universal Credit advice.
As well as improving adviser content, I’m pleased to say we’re also now looking at a problem we know is really important — ’findability’.
By findability, we simply mean how easy it is for an adviser to locate the right answer.
What problem are we trying to solve?
Let’s start with the problem. We know that some advisers struggle to find what they need on our specialist advice product, AdviserNet.
“It’s really stressful when you have a client wanting an answer and you can’t find it.”
How do we know it’s a problem? The work we’ve done to improve adviser content has helped us better understand the needs of our users.
We know that for advisers, time is precious — if they’re with a client or writing up case notes after giving advice, then finding the right answer quickly is really important.
That’s not all. In a recent survey that went out to the whole Citizens Advice network, we asked what 1 thing about adviser content was most important to advisers. The most popular answer was being able to find things quickly.
We’re listening, and feedback from advisers has played an important role in helping shape what we’re doing.
Introducing our new mission
Our 3 month mission is to make it quicker to find the right answer.
For example: can we make it easier for an adviser to check if their client has grounds to challenge a decision about an application for help with homelessness?
There are 3 ways we’re planning to do it:
- understand more about the challenges advisers face
- develop some ways to better measure findability
- make some changes that (start to) improve things
We’re a small team, some of the technology is old and clunky, and we’re not going to solve it all straight away. We know it’s going to be difficult, but it’s the right thing to do.
We visited 6 local offices recently and spent time with more than 30 advisers. We’ll continue to work directly with advisers — including partnering with a local Citizens Advice office — along the way, and use what we learn to inform the changes we make.
Continuing to improve adviser content
Our findability mission doesn’t mean we’ll stop improving the advice on AdviserNet.
Take the new ‘dealing with debts’ adviser content we published earlier in 2019.
“I have been an adviser for 15 years and along the way some things have improved, others got worse. Currently very pleased with the debt advice pages which are much more helpful and user friendly than ever before. Thank you.”
How advisers are using this new content gives us confidence we’re moving in the right direction.
Alongside the ongoing work keeping things accurate and up to date, we’ll continue to improve important areas like benefits, immigration and family.
We’ll do this by ensuring we keep adding:
- the extra detail advisers need
- context to help understand the bigger picture
- appropriate technical terms
So that’s it for now. We’re working hard to keep improving adviser content, and with the new team in place we’re making it quicker to find the right answer.
If you’re an adviser and want to get involved in what we’re doing, please get in touch.
