what are words for?
DESCRIPTION
Related blog post: http://weblog.muledesign.com/2011/05/confab_2011_what_are_words_for.phpTRANSCRIPT
What Are Words For?A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CONTENT & LANGUAGE ONLINE
Erika Hall@mulegirl
#wordsfor
Introduction
Who I amWhat I’m Talking About
Why It Matters
CriticalIntentional Effective
The Old Days
1998
“Delightfully Hostile”—The New Yorker
Let Go Take Charge Work Together
Letting Go
Baggage
Baggage
Content is text.
Baggage
Content isn’t text.
Baggage
Content isn’t text. Anyone
can write.
Baggage
Anyone can write.
Content isn’t text.
The Web is a
publication.
Baggage
Anyone can write.
Content isn’t text.
The * is a
publication.
“Content Creation”
WritingComposingIllustrating
FilmingCommenting
Curating
“Content Consumption”
ReadingViewing
WatchingListeningExploring
“Be specific.”—William Strunk
Upgrade Account
Mark as Read
Delete
Add to Cart
Register
I’m Feeling Lucky
Submit
Anyone can write
$399
The Writer’s Tool The Designer’s Tool
$1,29995
“People rarely read Web pages word by word; instead, they scan the page.”
—Jakob Nielson, 1997
“People don’t read on the web.”
Idiocracy (2006)
I hate orange.
Publishing?
Interconnected and complex.
“Murder your darlings.”—Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch
Cambridge Lecturer (among other things)
The Result
Content Strategists Alone in the Wasteland
“No other part of a UX project necessarily involves the implementation of long-term organizational practices.”
- Erin Kissane
Tending the Content
Thinking of Content Over Context
Business problem?
Pour some content on it.
Taking Charge
Content Strategy
Brand Strategy
Business Goals
Product Quality
“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns, as it were, instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish squirting out ink.”
— George Orwell
Working Together
— Jason Fried Getting Real, 37 Signals
Mind Your Ps & Qs
PurposeProcess
ProblemsPractice
QuestionsQuality
Purpose What is the goal Process How is that done Practice What do you bring to it Problems What is getting in your way
Questions What to ask Quality What to fight for
Purpose Informing An informational website Enabling A tool/application Pursuading A marketing website Vending An online store
ResearchStrategyDesign
Implementation
Requirements GatheringStrategy Definition
Voice,Tone, & StructureCopywritingGovernance
Business Process Research
Competitive Analysis
Brand Attributes
Style Guidelines
Sample Content
Usability Testing & Results
Workflow Recommendations
Personas
Content Map
Nomenclature
Stakeholder Research
Wireframes
Will neglecting design confuse your users?Visual
Designer WriterInteraction
DesignerInformation
ArchitectDesign
Strategist
User Experience Design Roles
Discovery Concept Design Maintenance
DesignStrategist
Business Process ResearchCompetitive AnalysisPersonas
InformationArchitect Workflow Recommendations Wireframes
Nomenclature
Stakeholder Research
Usability Testing& Results
Writer Style GuidelinesContent MapVoice & Tone
VisualDesigner Brand Attributes Style Guidelines
Meet the Meerkat
Meet the MeerkatSuricata suricatta
Be the Meerkat
Be the MeerkatA group of meerkats is called a“mob”, “gang” or “clan”.
SCOPE CREEP!
WAFFLING!
STRATEGY SHIFT!
Common Pitfalls1. Poorly Defined Goals
2. Lack of Process3. Subjectivity
In Conclusion
Strategy is Leadership
It doesn’t matter how good the wine is.
What “content” means, how to handle it, and who should be doing what follows from the WHY.
It is very different in all of these contexts.
Start from the big why
Be specific about the what
Clarify goals and roles
Stick to your story
Be open to change
Thank You!
Erika Hall @mulegirl | [email protected]