Context
To check if a qualification is full and relevant, users must first answer four questions:
- Where was the qualification awarded?
- When was the qualification started and awarded?
- What level is the qualification?
- What is the awarding organisation?
Based on these answers, they are shown a list of matching qualifications.
In earlier versions of the prototype, users had to select a qualification from this list before they could continue. This created challenges when users were unable to find the qualification on the list. Without a clear next step, they could be left at a dead end, unsure whether their qualification was full and relevant — or what to do next.
We needed to design a way to support users in these situations, ensuring they could still progress through the service or be signposted appropriately.
What we initially did
At first, we added an ‘I cannot find the qualification’ link at the bottom of the qualifications list. This took users to a static page that provided more detailed guidance about why they might not find the qualification.
However, the page was extremely long, as it attempted to cover every possible scenario. As a result, users had to read through information that often wasn’t relevant to their specific case. This was a temporary solution for the Private Beta pilot, but we knew it needed improvement — ideally, users should only see guidance relevant to the specific qualification they’re checking.
What we did after the pilot
During research, we observed that some users believed the qualification they were looking for was missing from the list because not all qualifications from the Early Years Qualification List (EYQL) spreadsheet had been added to the service.
To address this misconception, we made the ‘I cannot find the qualification’ link on the ‘Select a qualification to check’ page more prominent and added contextual content to clarify that all full and relevant qualifications from the EYQL had already been included in the service.
We also added content to make it clearer that the qualifications shown are potentially approved, meaning users still need to take action. Finally, we added guidance to explain that if users had already checked their answers and still couldn’t find their qualification, they should use the ‘I cannot find the qualification’ page.
Although the temporary ‘I cannot find the qualification’ page served its purpose during the pilot, we knew a more scalable and user-focused approach was needed.
To achieve this, we worked with developers and used Contentful’s reusable component functionality to build modular content blocks and create 20 tailored versions of the page. Each version shows only information relevant to the qualification being checked, helping users either reach a result or understand what to do next.
We created different versions for each key date range (pre-2014, 2014–2019, and post-2019) and each qualification level. We added a catch-all version for users who selected ‘not sure’ when asked about the qualification level.
Example pages: on the left, for a Level 4 qualification started between September 2014 and August 2019, and on the right, for a Level 6 qualification started on or after September 2019.
Because users could see different versions of this page depending on the level and start date of the qualification, we added inset text at the top of each page to explain why they were seeing that specific version. This helps reduce confusion and ensures users understand how the information relates to their situation.
Working with Policy
As part of our usual content workflow, we draft content in Word documents and share them with our Policy colleagues for review. They provide comments, we iterate based on their feedback, and once everyone is happy, we get a formal sign-off. We then update the content in Contentful to publish it and make it live in the service.
Given we had created 20 tailored versions of the ‘I cannot find the qualification’ page, we recognised that asking Policy to review and sign off on 20 separate — but largely similar—documents wouldn’t be a good use of time for anyone.
Instead, we ran a session to explain the user needs and the rationale behind our approach. We then created just three Word documents — one for each key date range (pre-2014, 2014–2019, and post-2019) — and included the content variations for different qualification levels in the notes. This helped streamline the review process while still ensuring Policy had visibility of all the content users would see.
Next steps
We will continue iterating the content across the different versions of this page to help users better understand why they might not find the qualification on the list and what they can do next.
We’ll also monitor support queries related to this page — particularly those indicating confusion or uncertainty — to identify areas where the content could be clearer or more helpful.
As new qualifications are added to the service, we’ll keep an eye on whether additional versions of this page are needed to support new combinations of qualification levels and date ranges.