Workforce management software and services company Kronos knows its way around a case study–as illustrated in the case highlighted here. A B2B audience is a curious thing…on one hand, we want things in short, digestible bits because of the pile of other things to do on our desks and, arguably, our shortening attention spans. On the other hand, we want details, people, details! This case study is a good illustration of how a case study can effectively serve both audiences.

Allina Hospitals and Clinics Improves Productivity and Accountability with Kronos for Healthcare

At a high level, what makes this work is that it is both succinct and detailed. How can that be? Though I read this online as a PDF, printed out double-sided, the format I imagine Kronos was thinking of when they created this, it is a one-sheet wonder. Short and sweet and to the point on the front. Detailed with more of the story on the back, for those who want a little more meat on their case study’s bones.

Analysis

• Front
  • Brief overview of the client to set the scene.
  • Bullet points describing the challenges they faced.
  • One sentence description of how Kronos addressed those challenges.
  • Bullet points describing the specific benefits of the solutions for this client.
• Back
  This is where Kronos gets to tell the full story (in 753 words). Here we get details about the specific problems this client faced and how Kronos’ products and services solved these challenges.
  The case study includes quotes from the client. This is key in a case study as it indicates both that they client knows it received value and that they participated in the creation of the case study. The latter point is important, because it’s easy for a company to assume that clients received certain benefits, but it is much more credible to get that information directly from the client. We know that you, dear company, think you are the bees knees. Having a client say that is much more powerful…because it means it really is true.
• Format
  • Front page  Bullet points, clear headings, and the sidebar on the left helps make this quite easy to scan and read, while sharing key facts about this case.
  • Back page  Nice use of headings to break up the text and help readers jump to specific sections if they choose.
  • Overall design  Love the graphic design. It is simple and helps make the text readable.
  • Branding  This is key. Kronos includes their contact information and their logo. This keeps the branding consistent and makes sure the audience knows where the case came from and can get in touch if necessary. I’ve downloaded case studies that are formatted on blank white paper, with no branding or contact information included. This is a little too stark for my tastes as a reader and is a lost opportunity–for branding and for providing contact information.
• Access
  I was able to download this without completing a form, which I appreciate. For one thing, I’m not a potential client at this point and I’m reviewing the content for the sake of this post, so I wouldn’t have chosen to clog up their system by registering for this content. For another, case studies like this can be a great introduction to a company, for those at an early stage of the buying cycle. The audience for case studies can truly be at all stages of the buying cycle, so a knowledge of the specific audience is critical to the decision of requiring registration to download something like this. Potential customers early in the buying cycle are less likely to fill out a registration for content like this.
• Salesy quotient
  Low
  The case study is written as objectively as possible for a case study, without a lot of “look at how great we are” language.
• Educational quotient
  High
  As a case study is designed to be.

What do you think about this case study? Does it serve the needs you look for in a case study? Is something missing? If you were writing a case study, would you use this general format for your audience? Why or why not?