SECRET SHOPPER WEBSITE REVIEW - Furry Elephant · • Misconceptions need to be explicitly identified • Need simple scientific story, not complex engineering • Meaning of timescales

JULIAN HAMM Furry Elephant Communications

© FURRY ELEPHANT | 17.04.13 | NDA | 1 /34

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

www.nda.gov.uk SECRET SHOPPER WEBSITE REVIEW

Julian Hamm 17 April 2013



The aims of the website review are to provide a third-party assessment and identify improvements

Evaluate first impressions • Does the site tell me what I need to

know?

• Do I trust what it tells me?

• Do I feel reassured?

Identify improvements • Quick wins

• Benefits of a re-launch



Contents

• Evaluation

• Quick wins

• Benefits of re-launching site

• Stages to re-launch

• Next steps



The evaluation is split into strands that are similar to those used for website development

1. Audience

2. Messages

3. Information Architecture

4. Design (look and feel)

5. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)



The website should communicate with all its important audiences

1. Audience

DECC

Regulators

NDA

Volunteer communities

Greenpeace

BBC

Mums

Supportive public

Local press

Worried public

Connected Insiders Need detail

Nitpickers Use detail to oppose

Uninformed Concerned Stories to reassure

Potential Advocates Big picture + counter-arguments

Supportive media



ISSUE: The site currently only caters effectively for Connected Insiders

1. Audience

https://www.nda.gov.uk/

• Small number of people • Least important to influence • Have access to other channels for

same information • Will spend time looking for what

they want



Reassure the concerned by explaining the simple principles that makes GD uncontroversial science

Public perception Actual NDA work

2. Messages



ISSUE: Environmental and safety concerns are not addressed in a way that will reassure the audience

2. Messages

http://www.nda.gov.uk/aboutus/ geological-disposal/rwmd-work/dssc/ video-meeting-the-challenge.cfm

• Misconceptions need to be explicitly identified

• Need simple scientific story, not complex engineering

• Meaning of timescales should be explained

• Health effects should be addressed directly



The information architecture should support the messages that NDA wants to promote




ISSUE: The current information architecture doesn’t support any clear messages


https://www.nda.gov.uk /aboutus/mission.cfm

• Few obvious pre-thought paths • Signposting not clear • Menus not organised in a meaningful

way • Too much key information in PDFs



The look and feel should be authoritative and reassuring for the Uninformed Concerned

4. Design



4. Design ISSUE: The current look and feel is too faceless to be reassuring

• Colour scheme is a bit drab • Graphics are too complex and

industrial • Feels very much like a man’s

world • Very little breathing space




SEO is key to win the competition for audience attention and to spread your messages

5. SEO



ISSUE: The SEO is not tailored to the search terms a concerned audience would use

5. SEO

• Identify search terms for concerns

• Plan landing pages • Plan information

architecture for SEO • .gov.uk gives immediate

high ranking



Contents

• Evaluation

• Quick wins



• Next steps



QUICK WINS: the best option is a re-launch but here are some easy ways to improve what you have

1. Introduce yourself

2. Get the first click right

3. Page titles consistent and SEOed

4. Promote the videos

5. Summarise PDFs



Explain on the home page what the NDA’s function is and how it accomplishes it

Quick Win 1


• Make this tab a simple and accessible introduction to what you do

• Always keep the tab on top



Clearly signpost the next sensible page to visit and make sure that page is meaningful

Quick Win 2


• Only have the second of these choices

• Link to Sweden example http://www.nda.gov.uk/aboutus/geological-disposal/sweden-geological-disposal.cfm



Make sure the page titles are consistent with the link you clicked, and are meaningful

Quick Win 3

https://www.nda.gov.uk/ • Don’t be afraid to have long page titles

• Describe the page, as well as giving it a title

http://www.nda.gov.uk/aboutus/mission.cfm



Make links to the videos more prominent, even though they aren’t really on message

Quick Win 4

• Make sure the link and video title are consistent

• SEO the page title and video title by making it more meaningful

http://www.nda.gov.uk/aboutus/ geological-disposal/index.cfm

http://www.nda.gov.uk/aboutus/ geological-disposal/ steps-to-implementation.cfm



Provide a brief summary of the important information currently hidden in key PDFs

Quick Win 5

• No reason why key PDFs can’t have their own page with cover picture and short summary

• PDFs should open in a new window




Contents

• Evaluation

• Quick wins



• Next steps



Waste disposal is a political problem not a technical one and comms are part of the solution

National concerns have local impacts

• 72% think there is no safe way of getting rid of high level radioactive waste

• Cumbria was implicitly concerned about tourists’ perceptions of nuclear waste

Better informed people are less concerned

• People who feel informed about nuclear waste are considerably more positive about nuclear energy

• Only 26% feel well-informed about nuclear waste

Source: Eurobarometer Attitudes towards radioactive waste 2008



GDF: £20Bn over 20 years – Public acceptance of waste disposal could have huge positive impact on NDA

NDA will end up owning waste disposal

• Geological disposal will be an issue for decades

• Government will look to NDA / RWMD as experts

So see ownership as a great opportunity

• Improved NDA brand awareness and reputation will mean you can drive the debate

• Become the trusted source of information about nuclear waste disposal



Improving the NDA website will also support government energy policy for new nuclear

54% of opponents of nuclear power would change their mind if they thought the waste problem was solved

Source: Eurobarometer Attitudes towards radioactive waste 2008



Contents

• Evaluation

• Quick wins



• Next steps



To re-launch, you need to reorganise existing content and create a Safety Story to support a new audience

Audience

Content

Technical

Connected Insiders

Nitpickers Uninformed Concerned Potential Advocates

Safety Case Safety Story

Information architecture Design SEO



The Safety Story should reassure the concerned and help supporters explain why geological disposal is safe

Safety Story philosophy

• Be positive and take control of the messages

• Address stakeholder concerns, not just regulatory obligations

Safety Story content

• Explicitly identify and correct misconceptions

• Use analogies, graphics, interactivity and interesting facts and figures to convince



Contents

• Evaluation

• Quick wins



• Next steps



Next: Produce a Public Reassurance Toolkit - a document that defines the NDA’s core public reassurance messages

What people are worried about

• An inventory of concerns about waste and its affects on health and the environment

How to reassure them

• Key reassurance messages for each concern

• Watch list of misconceptions and how to correct them

• Style guide for concepts and language

• Facts and figures to add meaning and context



Safety Story • Public Reassurance Toolkit ordered into

extended narratives • Graphics, interactive activities

The Public Reassurance Toolkit is valuable both as a standalone resource and as the heart of the Safety Story

Public Reassurance Toolkit • Key messages • Misconceptions watch list • Style guide • Facts and figures



The Public Reassurance Toolkit would be immediately usable across internal and external channels

Public Reassurance Toolkit

Training Press CSE Website

re-launch Internal comms



The Public Reassurance Toolkit could be completed and delivered within six weeks

Analysis and First Draft • DSSC • RWMD team

10 days

Initial Presentation and Review Workshop • Jon +

half day

Refine based on Review • DSSC • RWMD team

5 days

Delivery of final Powerpoint presentation • Jon +

half day

1 2

3 4



Julian Hamm 3 Horswell Cottages South Milton Kingsbridge Devon TQ7 3JU Email: [email protected] Tel: +44(0)1548 560383 Mob: +44(0) 7976 719490

Contact

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SECRET SHOPPER WEBSITE REVIEW - Furry Elephant · • Misconceptions need to be explicitly identified • Need simple scientific story, not complex engineering • Meaning of timescales