Why your team deserves a better editorial experience

In the 21st century working environment, the software that we use to do our day to day work forms a key aspect of our working conditions. If team members spend all day at a desk in an uncomfortable chair, or using a keyboard with a spacebar that constantly sticks, it will be detrimental to everyone. With their working conditions compromised in such a way, they will feel discomfort, frustration and irritation, and they certainly won’t deliver optimum performance.

Exactly the same applies when it comes to the editorial experience. Today, it is arguably even more important, given that so many people work remotely, at least part of the time. If someone is working from home, the workplace ergonomics are down to them, but if team members are spending their working day using the editorial interface of a content management system, we can at least ensure that the editorial experience is as painless and intuitive as possible. 

Why does it matter?

The editorial interface has traditionally borne certain similarities to the engine room in a cruise liner. Everything is shiny and sparkling where the passengers can see it, but step through one of those doors marked “crew only” and it is another matter. Yet it doesn’t have to be like that. 

More engaged users

Providing the best editorial experience gives team members the opportunity to work to the best of their ability without constantly battling and compromising to make the best of sub-optimal conditions. It’s a classic case of giving people the right tools for the right job. Anything less will inevitably be detrimental to your team’s work output but also to their job satisfaction. 

Getting the best out of people is good for the bottom line, but it also contributes to a virtuous circle. People feel more engaged, relaxed, dare we say even happy in their work. That, in itself, contributes to them feeling inspired to strive to do better.

Better information

When the editorial experience is better and the software easier to use, mistakes or bad information are also less likely. Let’s look at a couple of simple examples: 

• Mandatory fields leave nobody in any doubt as to what is required, as they will not let you proceed if vital information is missing. This means more accurate reporting down the line when these data fields are used to sort or filter data.
• Drop downs with limited choices of values help in two ways. They make life easier for the editor, and they also provide a logical means for filtering or reporting data later on. 

Improved governance

When the editorial interface is designed to be as user-friendly for editorial input as the front end is for your customers, we reduce the potential for things to be missed. 

What sort of things? They could be minor details that lead to inaccuracies in reporting and analytics. They could as easily be more serious such as copyright information associated with images or alt-text that is a requirement for accessible websites. Omissions like these can lead to regulatory issues that take management time to resolve, and even to adverse publicity.  

Making it easy to get it right

If the editorial experience is properly designed, doing things the right way and doing things the easy way intersect. That spells good news for your team, who have a better experience doing their job. But it is also better for the organisation as more engaged personnel perform better, make fewer mistakes and might be  more inclined to stay where they are rather than searching for alternative employment elsewhere. 

Here, we have talked about why it is important to give your team a better editorial experience. Next time, we will turn this into practicalities and examine how to make it happen.