Why I teach Content Strategy in Information Architecture

Why I Teach Content Strategy Misty Weaver UX Johannesburg November 14, 2012

Who?Misty WeaverTwitter @meaningmeasureLinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/mistymelissaweaverMy work is all about Communication Strategyfor Nonprofit Organizations:Community Management, Social Media Marketing, ContentCreation, Curation and Publishing, Website Management, Events

Old SchoolMasters Library & Information ScienceLecturer, University of WashingtonInformation School

Instead of thinking about IA as building a house, consider building a city. Full oftraffic, business, art, design, community and people. Seattle is my city. I, Cacophony [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Oranviri at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

Seattle Public Library stands as an example of Seattle Public Libraryforward thinking, open design meant forcommunity use.

We want a little of everything, art &architecture, style & use, design & display. Theexperience music project is both fun andfunctional.

We are a bit quirky in Seattle, art crops upunder bridges and we like to play.www.stachesofseattle.com

My work is influenced by my education, thecity in which I live and what I do now withcommunity. New School

Talking ‘bout• Content Strategy in Information Architecture & User Experience Design Discovery Process• Role of Content Inventory & Audit in the Customer Journey

• By Khammurabi Jeff Voigt

“Useful, usable content is aprocess, not a product. It needspeople who are responsible forongoing, editorial oversight. Setstandards to inform changes andinspire growth.” – From Content Strategy for the Web by Kristina Halvorson

My Interpretation• Know your organization• Know your audience• Know your ecosystem• Know your limits Build a holistic system

Goal: Deliver Relevant ContentMy personal goal is deliver relevant content topeople (and search engines). I work up thepyramid, developing specific tactics to carryout strategy. Specific Achievable Measurable Findable Useful Usable

Assumption: Content Has a Life Cycle Create Cut • New Content • Content • New Programs • Navigation • New Navigation • Policies • Roles, Policies, Wor kflowsConnect Keep•• Merge In-site links (Revise)• External Links • Content:• Social Media Pages, elements• User generated • Navigation, structur content e• Policies • Policies

Content Inventory & You

Is Design Content’s Nemisis? Lorem Ipsum Designer Luke Wroblewski argues that “using dummy content or fake information in the Web design process can result in products with unrealistic assumptions and potentially serious design flaws.” He also explains how these designs usually fail when real content is added. - Death to Lorem Ipsum Karen McGrane Defends Lorem Ipsum http://karenmcgrane.com/2010/01/10/in- defense-of-lorem-ipsum/Nemisis. Louvre. Marie-Lan Nguyen (2010)http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_Nemesis_Louvre_Ma4873.jpg

Taxonomy & Search both require us to prioritizecontent and how it is displayed

Content Inventory What Agenda QuantitativeContent Strategy The Information School University of Washington

Content Inventory what should be http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333418/Amazon-Christmas-rush-Picture-elves-work-Swansea.html

Quantitative Inventory• How much• Where is it• What’s it called• Who owns it

The Bad News• Click by Click• Starting with home page• Pay attention to sections• Have the experience the user does It takes a long time and can hurt your body but you get an unparalleled experience from the user perspective (hint: staff are usually users as well.)

Are there tools for this?• Web Crawlers• Two Monitors• Robots file• FirebugYes! They can’t do the analysis for you but they cancollect data faster so that you can still experiencethe site just without having to stop and copy/paste. Xenu http://siteorbiter.com/ http://content-insight.com/

Qualitative: What to Audit Consistent Cluttered Relevant UsefulOnce you have an inventory, you usually want to then audit the value of thecontent in an audit. These are general things I look for but audits should alwaysbe specific to your context: business goals, audience needs, resources/timeavailable.

Content InventoryTells you what’s below the surface.There’s often a world of contentunderground.Inventories let you scope and adjusttimelines. Often a client thinks theyhave 300 pages but they really have3000. I use automated tools to findthe scope before I start the projectand never start an audit without fulldiscussion of expectations. Termite mound close to Maun, Botswana by Discott

Things I’veencountered incontentinventories, auditsand website visits

Fibber McGee & MollyHALL CLOSETSThey don’t want you to open that door!

by jurvetson SLIMEYou know it when it hits you

ImperfectTommy / Edmond MeinfelderTUMBLEWEEDS ain’t nothing to break your fall

The World of Audit options is limitless… Try to connect with your user’s psychology & needs Speaks to Intended Audience Facilitates user tasks Recommendations Keywords / Subject Keep/Kill Has Calls to Action Revise Owner / Author Add Date Revised Quality Readability Length SEO Tone Title elements Message Meta description Navigation H1 tags Sub Navigation Title matches content http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brain_scan.jpg Relevancy Content is unique to page Use / Analytics Title element includes keywords Value to IAI Description element includes keywords Value to User

An inventory and auditare diagnostic tools!An inventory is not anauditAn audit is not ataxonomyA taxonomy is not amiracle cure sidknee23

There is a purpose and an order Inventory Audit Analysis DecisionThey aid us in structure and design that• Saves Customer’s Time• Builds Trust and Credibility• Develops Authority• Improves People’s Lives Online

The battle for IA has just begunWe still need to educate• Clients• Project managers• Co-workers• Users• Students

Finding ways to educate• Don’t be afraid of repeating yourself• Carry samples• Do it where people can see it• Volunteer• Mentor• Meet Up

Finding people near & far• Kerry-Anne Giloway @kerry_anne• Rahel Bailie @rahelab• Jonathan Colman @jcolman• Content Insight @content_insight• Kristina Halvorson @halvorson• Karen McGrane @karenmcgrane• LinkedIN, Google Groups

Thank you!Questions?

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Why I teach Content Strategy in Information Architecture

by Misty Melissa Weaver on Nov 15, 2012

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