1.
Planning for
Content Governance
Rick Allen
@epublishmedia • ePublish Media, Inc.
HighEdWeb New England
#hewebne • March 18, 2013

2.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Hi, I’m Rick.
2 ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Content governance
4 ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Content governance
The process of managing content roles,
responsibilities, workflow, documentation
and training.
5 ePublish Media, Inc.

6.
Content governance
is the process of
managing your
content strategy.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
ePublish Media, Inc.

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The problem
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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
What we’re talking about
• Roles and responsibilities
• Content workflow
• Documentation
• Training
9 ePublish Media, Inc.

10.
A content governance
plan must be practical.
Think resources, think
needs.

11.
Roles and Responsibilities
http://www.raw-hollywood.com/2012/04/glee-cast-to-perform-beyonces-i-was.html

12.
“
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
It’s critical for each person to
know what their role is and how it
fits into the larger content process.
This is why defining ownership
and roles is one of the most
important aspects of workflow and
governance.
Content Strategy for the Web, 2nd Edition
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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamtea/1792070920/

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamtea/1792070920/

15.
Content governance
is relationship
management.

16.
Staff Organization Chart
ePublish Media, Inc. 4

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Staff Organization Chart
ePublish Media, Inc. 4

18.
Content Governance Model
Committee
Editor-in-Chief
Editor Editor Editor
Author Author Author Author Author Author
ePublish Media, Inc. 4

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Content Governance Staff Organization
Model Chart
ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Knowledge Gaps
• Web writing • Accessibility
• CMS / publishing tools • Usability
• Copyediting • Photography &
videography / editing
• HTML/CSS/JavaScript
• Page design & layout
• Metadata & Taxonomy
• Community
• Information management
architecture
• Web analytics & user
• SEO & findability research
20 ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Adequate staff resources?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4825345881/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamtea/1792070920/

22.
Content Workflow

23.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Interview
• Describe your content planning and
publishing process from beginning to end.
• Who requests, creates, edits, approves,
publishes, and measures content?
• What authoring, publishing and measurement
tools do you use?
• What processes work and what don’t?
23 ePublish Media, Inc.

24.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Map it out
Plan Create Revise Approve Test Publish
ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Document all department
processes
• Admissions • Student organizations
• Academic advising • Marketing and
communications
• Academic programs
• Alumni relations
• Faculty
• PR
• Student Services
• Dean’s office
• Career Services
25 ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Document all content
delivery channel workflow
• Web
• Print
• Email
• PR
• Social media
26 ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Do existing tasks work?
• Are copyediting requirements inadequate?
• Is your photo team trained on image editing?
• Does your CMS support your content workflow?
27 ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
How much time is allotted to
each task?
• Is the content approval process too long?
• Does Creative Services have adequate time to
create custom graphics?
• Is your social media content calendar
sustainable?
28 ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Sample Content Creation Workflow
Plan Create Revise Approve Test Publish
Source: Content Strategy for the Web, 2nd Edition
ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Sample Content Creation Workflow:
Roles
Plan Create Revise Approve Test Publish
Roles: Role: Roles: Roles: Roles: Roles:
• Editor-in Chief • Author • Editor • Editor-in Chief • Editor • Editor
• Editor • SEO Spec. • Editor • Author • Author
• SME • SEO Spec. • Publisher • Publisher
• SME
ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Sample Content Creation Workflow:
Tasks
Plan Create Revise Approve Test Publish
Tasks: Tasks: Tasks: Tasks Tasks: Tasks:
• Determine • Create draft of • Copyedit • Review • Build content • Publish
need for new new copy • Return to content for in email or web content on
content • Send to author for rewrite accuracy template schedule
• Request new content editor or send for • Return to • Submit for
content for review approval author and editor publication
for rewrite or
submit for
publication
ePublish Media, Inc.

32.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Sample Content Creation Workflow:
Guides & Tools
Plan Create Revise Approve Test Publish
Guides & Guides & Guides & Guides & Guides & Guides &
Tools: Tools: Tools: Tools: Tools: Tools:
•Content audit •General •Message •Message •CMS publishing •CMS publishing
•Editorial content guides architecture architecture guidelines guidelines
calendar •Content models •Editorial style •Editorial style •Email •Email
•Content guide guide publishing publishing
templates •General •General guidelines guidelines
content guides content guides •Visual style •Visual style
•Content models guide guide
•Content
templates
ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Sample Content Creation Workflow:
Timeframe
Plan Create Revise Approve Test Publish
Timeframe: Timeframe: Timeframe: Timeframe: Timeframe: Timeframe:
• Varies • One day • Two days • One day • One day • One day
ePublish Media, Inc.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Content Creation Workflows
• Website
• Social media
• Email
• Print
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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Additional Workflow
• Content maintenance
• Content measurement
• Content governance
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Documentation

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Content audits and analysis
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Information architecture
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Content guides
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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
41 http://eyeform.co.uk/eyes-2/iceberg-ahead

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Scheduling
Source:
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2010/08/content-marketing-editorial-calendar/
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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Measurement
• Content quality checklists
• User surveys and feedback systems
• Usability focus groups
• Web analytics
43 ePublish Media, Inc.

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44 http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2009/04/toward-content-quality.php

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Additional documents
• Web policies, social media guidelines
• Accessibility and usability guidelines
• CMS training guides
• Taxonomy and metadata guidelines
• SEO guidelines
• Web analytics analysis
45 ePublish Media, Inc.

45.
In order to be useful,
content guides and
tools need to be easily
accessible.

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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Publish documentation
• Decide how to publish by considering what
will make it as easy to access as possible
• Publish on your live site (then share!)
• Publish on your intranet
47 ePublish Media, Inc.

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Training
http://www.flickr.com/photos/highedweb/6299940481/

48.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Training checklist
• Are staff trained on content policies, processes and
guidelines?
• Is there adequate documentation, including guides
for editorial style, SEO, accessibility, usability,
delivery methods, content types and formats?
• Are messaging and communication goals made
useful and usable for content contributors?
• Are content contributors made aware of changes in
web policies, processes and guidelines?
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Train content owners and
contributors
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#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Train the trainers
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51.
Create content groups
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Resources
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamtea/1792070920/

53.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Resource requirements
• CMS with workflow
• Web analytics and survey tools
• Editors
• Photographers
• People who can make decisions
• Web authoring tools
54 ePublish Media, Inc.

54.
Maintenance
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamtea/1792070920/

55.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Ask:
• Have our website objectives changed?
• Have our users’ needs changed?
• Have our resources changed?
• Is our governance plan still effective?
56 ePublish Media, Inc.

56.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Assess (again)
• Roles and responsibilities
• Processes
• Documentation
• Training
57 ePublish Media, Inc.

57.
#hewebne • @epublishmedia
Thank you!
Rick Allen
@epublishmedia
ePublish Media, Inc.