content as conversation

Content as Conversation

Janice (Ginny) Redish, Ph.D.

Redish & Associates, Inc.

Bethesda, Maryland

301−229−3039

ginny@redish.net

www.redish.net

Silver Spring, MDApril 30, 2011

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 2

Tell your latest web story

When?

Why?

What were you trying to do or what were you looking for?

To satisfy their goals

Content

Information

To do a task

People just want to

answer their question

do a task

solve a problemFlickr cc photo by russelljsmith

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 3

Navigation and search are critical

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 4

Good, clear design is critical

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 5

Technology that works is critical

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 6

But they all support the content

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 7

Content = conversation

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 8

On most sites, the site visitor starts the conversation.

Theme =content as conversation

How well does your web site converse?

Flickr cc photo by Bradleyolin

Lost. No problem. Use the computer!

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 9

A few guidelines for good conversations Imagine the conversation

as you design.

Don't hog the conversation. Take turns.

Set the context first.

Answer your site visitors' questions.

Talk to your site visitors.

Evaluate your site through personasand their conversations.

Flickr cc photo by Polandeze

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 10

Imagine the conversation as you design

Which link should we click on?

Flickr cc photoby Mr.Thomas

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 11

http://www.tricare.mil/

Old CDC page; CDC has revised this and most other health information, following the content as conversation model.

http://familydoctor.org

Don't hog theconversation.Take turnsHeadings are the site visitor's turns in the conversation.

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 14

Approved fumigation with methyl bromide at normal atmospheric pressure, in accordance with the following procedure, upon arrival at the port of entry, is hereby prescribed as a condition of importation for shipments of yams from foreign countries.

How would you say this information in a conversation?

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 15

Did you say something like this?

newcontext = given, known then

If you are importing yams, [someone] must fumigate them when they arrive at the port of entry.

To fumigate yams, [someone] must use this procedure:

Clark and Haviland, Comprehension and the given-new contract, In R. Freedle (Ed.), Discourse production and comprehension, 1975, Erlbaum, 1-40.

Set the context first

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 16

Answer your site visitors' questions

Flickr photo by pedrosimeos7

Oh! I thinkI like that bag, but I wonder…

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 18

Talk to your site visitors

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 21

Evaluate through your personasand their conversations

Do usability testing!

Even before that:

Walk your personas through their conversations.

See the site through their eyes with their words.

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 22

Think "conversation."

Write conversations.

Facilitate conversations.

Evaluate through conversations.

✔✗

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2011, Janice (Ginny) Redish Writing Web Content that Works Slide 23

Morgan Kaufmann / Elsevier, 2007

Ginny Redish

ginny@redish.net

301 229 3039

Thank you