Designing the role pages
After launching our controlled public beta the first feature we added to the prototype were pages outlining the roles of social workers (password: swletmein). We discussed creating these pages in a previous design history post.
The purpose of the role pages is to help users:
- understand the steps they could take towards their next role
- feel confident the role they’re moving into is the right fit for them
- see guidance and information about career pathways into various roles
The format we first developed for user testing was:
- what you’ll do
- skills and knowledge
- how to become one
- career paths and progression
- current opportunities
We took the information from desk research and job descriptions found online. A key challenge in designing the content was that social worker job titles and roles are generally not standardised. Roles, job titles, responsibilities and team structures can differ widely between local authorities.
The next step was to get the role pages in front of users to test our findings and assumptions.
Initial testing
We tested the content for one of the role pages during round 3 of user testing. Users liked how easy the page was to understand and navigate, but questioned how useful it would be to them.
Users found that:
- the language was familiar and simple
- the layout and structure was easy to navigate
- the content largely aligned with their understanding of the role
But that they also found the content was:
- vague and incomplete
- too general to help an experienced practitioner
- too focused on informing career progression for graduates and junior social workers
Based on this feedback, our goal was to ensure our content was general enough to be relevant for social workers at different stages in their careers, but specific enough to be informative for individuals.
Given the complexity of capturing the information, we felt we needed dedicated content sessions to review the role pages. To achieve this we set up a series of dedicated content review sessions with social workers.
Content testing
We recruited social workers from a range of local authorities, concentrating on experienced practitioners to benefit from their wide experience.
The sessions followed a standard format. The user researcher led the sessions with the content designer observing and asking follow-up questions. We started by asking the social worker to tell us about their role and the service they work in. This enabled us to gain insight into their role and its challenges in their own words. Next, we went through the role page relevant to their position and gathered insights.
What we found out
Through these sessions we gain more detail to imrpove our content and make it less generic.
Many users felt we had not included enough detail around necessary leadership skills for senior positions. Many also emphasised the importance of self-care practices and managing personal and team stress. Users also wanted to see greater emphasis on the positive impact of their work, rather than focusing on duties and risk. They felt this was a key part of their roles we had overlooked.
Our ‘how to become one’ sections generally estimated minimum experience in years. For example:
This was to give users an idea of how much experience they needed before thinking about moving into more senior roles. Many users felt that this was misleading or arbitrary. They felt it might lead a talented social worker to think they could not progress sooner. They also felt it implied that all social workers who meet the minimum requirement are ready to move up, which is not always the case.
Users also reflected that some of the role pages were too focused on child protection, one of many areas of social work practice. Users suggested we broaden the language used to make the role pages more relevant to other areas of practice.
What we’ll do next
In the next sprint we’ll make updates to the content based on the feedback, adding detail around job roles and skills. We'll also ensure they apply to all areas of social work practice to be relevant to the broadest possible user base.
We’ll also refine the ‘how to become one’ sections. Updates will need to ensure the requirements don’t include minimum years of service and rather make clear the level of experience needed.
As we create new job role pages, and update existing ones, we’ll keep testing with users and iterating based on feedback.