Testing Knowledge Content Effectiveness

This guide explains how to test and validate the effectiveness of your knowledge content to ensure it meets user needs, resolves issues efficiently, and delivers business value.

Understanding Knowledge Testing

Knowledge testing is the process of:

• Validating content accuracy and completeness
• Measuring content findability and usability
• Assessing impact on self-service resolution
• Identifying opportunities for improvement
• Ensuring knowledge meets business objectives

Setting Up Testing Frameworks

Testing Types

Implement a comprehensive testing approach:

1. Accuracy Testing: Verify technical correctness
2. Usability Testing: Evaluate ease of understanding and application
3. Findability Testing: Assess how easily users can discover content
4. Impact Testing: Measure effect on key business metrics
5. Comparative Testing: Benchmark against previous versions or competitors

Testing Environment

Set up a dedicated testing environment:

1. Navigate to Admin > Testing > Environment
2. Configure the testing workspace:
   • Separate from production content
   • With realistic test data
   • Accessible to testers
   • With analytics tracking enabled
3. Create testing user accounts with different permission levels
4. Set up testing scenarios and journeys

Content Accuracy Testing

Technical Validation

Verify the technical accuracy of content:

1. Go to Knowledge Management > Testing > Technical Validation
2. Select content for validation
3. Assign to subject matter experts
4. Use validation checklists:
   • Factual correctness
   • Procedural accuracy
   • Technical completeness
   • Current version alignment
5. Document validation results and required changes

Automated Accuracy Checks

Implement automated validation where possible:

1. Navigate to Admin > Testing > Automated Checks
2. Configure automated tests:
   • Link validation
   • Screenshot verification
   • Code sample testing
   • API documentation testing
   • Version number checking
3. Schedule regular automated checks
4. Review and address automated test results

Usability Testing

Readability Assessment

Evaluate content readability:

1. Go to Knowledge Management > Testing > Readability
2. Run readability analysis on selected content
3. Review metrics:
   • Reading level scores
   • Sentence complexity
   • Technical jargon usage
   • Clarity index
4. Compare against target readability standards
5. Identify improvement opportunities

User Comprehension Testing

Test how well users understand the content:

1. Navigate to Testing > User Comprehension
2. Set up comprehension tests:
   • Knowledge checks after reading
   • Task completion exercises
   • Scenario-based questions
3. Recruit appropriate test users
4. Analyze comprehension results:
   • Success rates
   • Time to understand
   • Common misunderstandings
   • Confidence levels

Task Completion Testing

Verify that users can complete tasks using the knowledge:

1. Go to Testing > Task Completion
2. Define test tasks based on content purpose
3. Create testing scenarios with clear success criteria
4. Conduct testing sessions:
   • Guided sessions with observation
   • Unmoderated remote testing
   • In-context testing during support interactions
5. Measure task success rates and completion time
6. Identify and address obstacles to task completion

Findability Testing

Search Testing

Evaluate how easily users can find content through search:

1. Navigate to Testing > Search Effectiveness
2. Define test search queries:
   • Common user terminology
   • Problem descriptions
   • Feature names
   • Error messages
3. Run search tests across different user contexts
4. Analyze search results:
   • Ranking of relevant content
   • Query-to-content match quality
   • Search success rate
   • Time to find information

Navigation Testing

Test content findability through browsing:

1. Go to Testing > Navigation Testing
2. Define navigation scenarios
3. Conduct navigation tests:
   • Tree testing (findability in the content hierarchy)
   • Click testing (where users expect to find information)
   • Navigation path analysis
4. Identify navigation barriers and improvement opportunities

A/B Testing for Findability

Compare different approaches to content organization:

1. Navigate to Testing > A/B Testing
2. Create findability tests:
   • Different categorization schemes
   • Alternative navigation structures
   • Various content titles and descriptions
3. Split test with representative users
4. Measure and compare findability metrics
5. Implement winning approaches

Impact Testing

Self-Service Resolution Testing

Measure how effectively content enables self-service:

1. Go to Testing > Self-Service Impact
2. Set up resolution testing:
   • Define test scenarios based on common issues
   • Create control and test groups
   • Provide knowledge to test group
3. Measure resolution outcomes:
   • Resolution success rate
   • Time to resolution
   • Confidence in resolution
   • Need for additional support

Support Deflection Testing

Evaluate impact on support volume:

1. Navigate to Testing > Deflection Impact
2. Configure deflection tests:
   • A/B test with and without knowledge suggestions
   • Before/after comparisons when adding content
   • Targeted content for high-volume issues
3. Measure support metrics:
   • Ticket/call volume changes
   • Escalation rate changes
   • Agent handling time impact
   • Cost savings calculations

Business Impact Assessment

Connect knowledge effectiveness to business outcomes:

1. Go to Testing > Business Impact
2. Define business metrics to track:
   • Customer satisfaction scores
   • Customer effort scores
   • Product adoption rates
   • Renewal and expansion rates
3. Correlate knowledge usage with business metrics
4. Calculate ROI and business value

Specialized Testing Approaches

Multivariate Testing

Test multiple content variables simultaneously:

1. Navigate to Testing > Multivariate Testing
2. Define variables to test:
   • Content format (text, video, interactive)
   • Content length (concise vs. detailed)
   • Tone and style (technical vs. conversational)
   • Visual elements (screenshots, diagrams, animations)
3. Create test variations
4. Measure performance across variables
5. Identify optimal combinations

Audience-Specific Testing

Test effectiveness for different user segments:

1. Go to Testing > Audience Testing
2. Define audience segments:
   • Experience level (novice, intermediate, expert)
   • Role (end-user, administrator, developer)
   • Use case or industry
3. Conduct segment-specific testing
4. Compare effectiveness across segments
5. Optimize content for target audiences

Competitive Benchmarking

Compare your knowledge against competitors:

1. Navigate to Testing > Competitive Analysis
2. Select competitors for comparison
3. Define benchmark metrics:
   • Content coverage
   • Findability
   • Usability
   • Resolution effectiveness
4. Conduct comparative testing
5. Identify competitive advantages and gaps

Testing Tools and Methods

User Testing Methods

Choose appropriate testing methods:

1. Moderated Testing:

   • One-on-one sessions with facilitator
   • Think-aloud protocols
   • Guided task completion
   • Post-task interviews

2. Unmoderated Testing:

   • Remote testing platforms
   • Task-based scenarios
   • Screen and interaction recording
   • Survey-based feedback

3. In-Context Testing:

   • Real-world usage monitoring
   • Support interaction analysis
   • Community forum observations
   • In-product feedback collection

Testing Tools

Leverage available testing tools:

1. Go to Admin > Testing > Tools
2. Configure testing tools:
   • Readability analyzers
   • User session recorders
   • Heatmap generators
   • Survey and feedback collectors
   • A/B testing platforms
   • Analytics integrations

Testing Workflow Integration

Test Planning

Integrate testing into content development:

1. Navigate to Admin > Workflows > Test Integration
2. Configure testing stages in content workflows:
   • Pre-publication testing requirements
   • Post-publication validation
   • Periodic testing schedules
3. Define testing roles and responsibilities
4. Create testing templates and checklists

Continuous Testing

Implement ongoing testing processes:

1. Go to Admin > Testing > Continuous Testing
2. Set up automated monitoring:
   • Usage pattern analysis
   • Feedback monitoring
   • Performance tracking
   • Periodic validation checks
3. Configure testing triggers:
   • Content updates
   • Product changes
   • Support trend shifts
   • Usage anomalies

Analytics and Reporting

Testing Dashboards

Monitor testing results through dashboards:

1. Navigate to Analytics > Testing Results
2. Configure dashboard views:
   • Test coverage metrics
   • Pass/fail rates
   • Improvement trends
   • Issue tracking
3. Set up regular reporting schedules
4. Configure alerts for critical issues

Improvement Tracking

Track progress in addressing identified issues:

1. Go to Analytics > Improvement Tracking
2. Monitor resolution of testing issues:
   • Open issues by severity
   • Resolution time trends
   • Recurring problems
   • Impact of improvements
3. Correlate improvements with performance metrics

Best Practices

Testing Strategy

• Test with real users: Whenever possible, involve actual customers
• Prioritize high-impact content: Focus testing on critical knowledge areas
• Test throughout the lifecycle: Don't wait until publication to test
• Combine methods: Use both qualitative and quantitative approaches
• Test in context: Evaluate knowledge in realistic usage scenarios

Implementation

• Start small: Begin with critical content areas
• Document findings: Create clear records of test results
• Close the loop: Ensure test findings lead to improvements
• Retest after changes: Verify that improvements are effective
• Share insights: Distribute testing learnings to content creators

Next Steps

• Explore Analytics and Reporting for comprehensive performance measurement
• Learn about Knowledge Workflow to integrate testing into content processes
• Set up Knowledge Gaps Management to address issues identified through testing