1 00:00:00,090 --> 00:00:04,130 - We have to survive have really close connections 2 00:00:04,130 --> 00:00:06,004 with our readers or else we won't have a business. 3 00:00:06,004 --> 00:00:08,587 (upbeat music) 4 00:00:11,740 --> 00:00:13,210 - [Narrator] Fast Company recently underwent 5 00:00:13,210 --> 00:00:16,370 a digital redesign like never before, incorporating 6 00:00:16,370 --> 00:00:18,500 information from its most valuable asset 7 00:00:18,500 --> 00:00:20,980 into the process, its audience. 8 00:00:20,980 --> 00:00:24,340 - We knew that we had to get in the business 9 00:00:24,340 --> 00:00:27,690 of connecting directly with our readers 10 00:00:27,690 --> 00:00:30,630 in a much more meaningful and intimate way 11 00:00:30,630 --> 00:00:32,400 than we had in the past. 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,700 The business will not grow on clicks and page views 13 00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:39,700 and those traditional analytics. 14 00:00:39,700 --> 00:00:42,490 - In order to do that, we brought in a partner like SAP 15 00:00:42,490 --> 00:00:44,780 and they provided experience management tools 16 00:00:44,780 --> 00:00:47,050 which really allowed us to connect to the audience 17 00:00:47,050 --> 00:00:48,440 in ways that we haven't before. 18 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,270 - [Narrator] Using these new communication tools 19 00:00:50,270 --> 00:00:52,540 they were able to identify the biggest universal 20 00:00:52,540 --> 00:00:54,810 problems that the audience was experiencing 21 00:00:54,810 --> 00:00:56,350 and began creating solutions through 22 00:00:56,350 --> 00:00:58,070 the user design process. 23 00:00:58,070 --> 00:01:00,210 - One of those universal problems was that everybody 24 00:01:00,210 --> 00:01:01,270 has limited time. 25 00:01:01,270 --> 00:01:03,050 So what we realized is that we needed to build tools 26 00:01:03,050 --> 00:01:05,170 that would bring the content to life for them 27 00:01:05,170 --> 00:01:06,760 in a limited amount of time. 28 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:08,870 So the tools that we built solve for those problems 29 00:01:08,870 --> 00:01:10,030 in different ways. 30 00:01:10,030 --> 00:01:12,930 Some are very visual like a pull quote. 31 00:01:12,930 --> 00:01:15,460 We had eliminated this in the last redesign 32 00:01:15,460 --> 00:01:17,240 but found that it was important for readers 33 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,530 to be able to just quickly grab what some of the key quotes 34 00:01:20,530 --> 00:01:22,750 might be in order to keep reading. 35 00:01:22,750 --> 00:01:25,130 In contrast, we've developed a tool that's non-conventional 36 00:01:25,130 --> 00:01:28,860 that allows the editorial team to select the thesis 37 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:31,670 of the piece and bring that into the foreground 38 00:01:31,670 --> 00:01:34,910 so that users can quickly understand why should I 39 00:01:34,910 --> 00:01:37,170 invest time in this piece of content? 40 00:01:37,170 --> 00:01:39,200 - [Narrator] With the tools now live on site 41 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,270 readers are able to experience them and provide 42 00:01:41,270 --> 00:01:43,490 real-time feedback to the design team. 43 00:01:43,490 --> 00:01:44,750 - Now we're getting the feedback and it's really 44 00:01:44,750 --> 00:01:45,583 exciting to see. 45 00:01:45,583 --> 00:01:47,120 People are resonating with the tools. 46 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:48,590 A large portion of our audience is saying 47 00:01:48,590 --> 00:01:51,320 that this elevates my brand experience so it's increasing 48 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:52,740 my brand perception. 49 00:01:52,740 --> 00:01:55,070 Included in this is of course negative feedback 50 00:01:55,070 --> 00:01:57,790 but we are taking those very seriously and really 51 00:01:57,790 --> 00:01:59,950 figuring out how to better improve the products 52 00:01:59,950 --> 00:02:01,570 to solve for those. 53 00:02:01,570 --> 00:02:04,010 - [Narrator] And that feedback, both positive and negative, 54 00:02:04,010 --> 00:02:06,330 will help inform the evolution of these tools. 55 00:02:06,330 --> 00:02:08,720 - Typically with a redesign your launch is your last day. 56 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,010 With this, we're allowed to have a continual conversation 57 00:02:11,010 --> 00:02:13,810 with the audience to approach this in an iterative way 58 00:02:13,810 --> 00:02:15,910 and continue the design process. 59 00:02:15,910 --> 00:02:18,060 - [Narrator] And this innovative process has transformed 60 00:02:18,060 --> 00:02:20,600 the brand's approach to user design for good. 61 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,400 - In a competitive landscape, this will help us 62 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,900 be more sustainable 'cause we will continue the conversation 63 00:02:24,900 --> 00:02:26,680 with our audience and we will continue to improve 64 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:28,680 the audience experience, allowing us to be more 65 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:30,290 competitive than we've ever been. 66 00:02:30,290 --> 00:02:33,400 - A light bulb went off in our head with this project 67 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,930 because if you were asking us a year ago whether 68 00:02:36,930 --> 00:02:40,270 we'd have a way to measure the sentiment 69 00:02:40,270 --> 00:02:43,570 and the emotional connection with our users 70 00:02:43,570 --> 00:02:47,220 I don't think anybody would've imagined that. 71 00:02:47,220 --> 00:02:48,063 And now we do.