Communication Audits

Shel Holtz will conduct a thorough audit of your internal or external communications, intranet, or external Web presence.

Objectives

Each audit is designed to achieve objectives aligned with the business outcomes your organization is trying to achieve. Regardless of whether you are assessing tools or overall communication efforts, Shel tackles the project from the standpoint of business outcomes. She's audits are designed to achieve the following objectives:

  • Assess the program's or site's ability to communicate effectively to target audiences; that is, determine how well the effort delivers the client's messages and engages the audience in a manner most likely to influence those audiences consistent with the client’s business goals.
  • Provide the client with a detailed analysis of the effort's weaknesses, along with recommendations for improving communication and a prioritization of the most important efforts the company should undertake.

Process

The process for Shel's communication audits includes the following:

  • Review of any printed documentation pertaining to effort (e.g., strategic plan, content guidelines, etc.).
  • A thorough review of the communication materials, sites, feedback, and other input covering both content and usability.
  • Interviews with senior management representatives to identify the key business goals management expects to obtain from its communication efforts.
  • Intereviews with users of the content to assess the communication's effectiveness and identify any key issues that may be hindering achievement of communication goals.
    A survey of employees is an option to consider, providing quantitative data that can be invaluable in assessing communication needs.
  • Delivery of a comprehensive written report. These reports generally average about 30-90 pages.
  • A one-hour phone or in-person consultation, scheduled after delivery of the report. This consultation is designed for the client to ask questions that arise from reading the report.

The process takes 15 days through the delivery of the report.

Deliverables

The deliverables include the written report and the telephone consultation.

Written report

The written report includes the following sections:

  • Executive summary
  • Review of competitive sites
  • Best practices
  • Review of communication vehicles and channels to address key issues, strengths, and weaknesses
  • Recommendations
  • Priorities

The report focuses on the site's content and not the technology that underlies the site. When auditing intranet and Web sites, Shel places special emphasis on the following:

  • Writing style - Readability - Scannability - Tone - Wordiness and clarity
  • Page elements - Titles - Headlines - Subheads - Usability features
  • Page lengths
  • Content - Does the content match reader needs? - Is content consistent with brand image and organizational goals? - Is all content written and published in a manner consistent with the way readers use the Web? - What key content or interactive elements are missing?
  • Navigation - Can visitors find what they’re looking for?
  • Interactivity - Can visitors use the site effectively and efficiently?
  • Design - Are graphics appropriate? - Does design enhance or detract from content? - Does design support navigation?

Any other issues that emerge – including those identified as best practices from the competitor analysis – will be added to this mix.

Telephone consultation

Clients schedule a 60-minute telephone consultation upon reviewing the written report. During this time, representatives can query Shel Holtz on any issues or questions that may have arisen. Shel can also visit your location to present the findings face-to-face in a highly interactive multimedia session.

Experience

Shel has conducted audits and analyses for companies including...

  • Applied Materials Employee Communications
  • International Monetary Fund intranet
  • IBM Global Services Web site
  • EDS (various Web sites)
  • Alcan Aluminum intranet
  • Alcan Aluminum Web site
  • Accenture Web site
  • eBay intranet
  • ILOG Web site
  • Lifeway Web site
  • Tennessee Valley Authority intranet
  • Tennessee Valley Authority Web site
  • Medtronic Foundation Web site
  • Atofina Chemicals Web site
  • Georgia-Pacific Web site