User Needs | FT Strategies - Media consultancy from the Financial Times

Overview What does the User Needs Labs include?

Who is the Program for?

This ambitious virtual program is designed for everyone involved in content at news publishers:

Managing editors
Editors-in-chief
Heads of digital, innovation, and strategy
Marketing or audience (engagement) managers
Data strategists and business analysts

They will all receive assistance in implementing the user needs approach, the much-discussed method that first saw the light of day at the BBC in 2017. Since then, nearly all major online brands have used the model in their own way, from The New York Times to Vogue and The Atlantic to Reach.

Last year, Dmitry Shishkin and smartocto launched the User Needs Model 2.0, which includes constructive journalism and service journalism (‘Help me’ and ‘Connect me’). Data research showed that almost all media that start working with the model see the performance of their pages improve over time. The newsroom can better focus on the stories that set them apart and better engage and retain their audience. Your audience ‘why’ and your newsroom ‘why’ have to be the same.

The primary goal of User Needs Labs is to facilitate mutual learning and collaboration among all participants. FT Strategies offers strategic guidance and smartocto gives access to the most innovative AI-driven editorial analytics system.

Key Components of User Needs Labs

Baseline research: the analysis of one thousand articles, followed by the implementation of 'growth hacks'.
Establishment of a user needs-driven strategy: this involves an explanation and training in the quadrant model, the creation of unique dashboards, and the evaluation of the outcomes of the 'growth hacks’.
Enhancement of content: customised and automised dashboards and reports, based on a thorough analysis of collected data.
Implementation of reporting with user needs: newsrooms will receive practical guidance (including insights from peers) on how to seamlessly integrate the user needs approach into their daily workflow.
Participants get 2000 credits for smartocto.ai.

"In the newsroom, so much is happening simultaneously. The user needs approach ensures a greater focus on your work, so that quality takes precedence. During the User Needs Labs project, it felt like a big relief to see that other media are experiencing the same problems. And that we can help each other to move forward when we use the same editorial language."
Johanna Käkönen Digital Producer for Turun Sanomat, Finland

"It is essential that you ascertain why visitors specifically choose your news coverage over that of your competitors. We are committed to assisting participants in integrating the user needs approach into their daily operations, enabling them to maximise the potential of data analytics."
Rutger Verhoeven Co-founder and CMO for smartocto

What does the User Needs Labs include?

FT Strategies and editorial data analytics company smartocto have joined forces in the sequel of User Needs Labs. In online training, media titles are guided for five months to learn what their audience expects from them and how they can improve their content strategy accordingly. Here's what to expect:

Stage 1: Initiation

Contribute data derived from a minimum of 1000 recent articles and partake in an interview to grasp your business model and strategic objectives. Together, we will define your 'North Star' goal and compile a comprehensive baseline report, offering innovative growth hacks focused on specific opportunities tailored to user needs.

Stage 2: Exploration

Learn the core principles of the User Needs Model 2.0 and virtually meet fellow participants. FT Strategies will offer personalised consultations focusing on learning objectives throughout the programme, such as an effective tagging strategy and in-depth data understanding. Smartocto will facilitate the onboarding process, introducing you to the key features of our user needs tools.

Stage 3: Strategy Design

Explore the Quadrant Model and the crafting of unique dashboards. This stage marks the beginning of your newsroom's practical experimentation with the tool. FT Strategies will provide tailored one-on-one consultancy sessions, aimed at enhancing your comprehension of a data-driven strategy. Smartocto offers technical support and showcases various tactics related to user needs.

Stage 4: Calibration

Elevate the quality of your content and discover your unique market position through a detailed analysis of collected data. FT Strategies will assist in the deeper integration of the user needs approach, offering fresh perspectives on transforming your organisational workflow. Smartocto begins the fine-tuning of KPIs, helping in feature utilisation such as headline testing and dashboard interpretation.

Stage 5: Implementation

Build your core use cases with data collection ongoing and the responsibility of the user needs approach resting within the newsroom. FT Strategies remains available for individual consultations to support and guide the strategy's implementation. Smartocto enriches your experience by adding €2,000 worth of credits for continued editorial assistance and virtual user needs support via smartocto.ai.

Stage 6: Mastery

Seamlessly integrate the user needs approach into your everyday workflow. FT Strategies will compile a conclusive report detailing the results of growth hacks and mapping out a strategy for sustained commitment and long-term application. Smartocto will assist in standardising the process and offer an ongoing data support system.

User Needs Labs

Understand your audience

Create content that resonates

Accelerate audience engagement

Grow your revenue potential