This document discusses the relationship between content strategy and information architecture (IA). It provides three key points: 1. Content strategy and IA overlap in many areas such as defining user needs, content audits, customer journeys, wireframing, and usability testing. They work together to ensure content supports user and business goals. 2. Examples are provided to illustrate how content strategy supports specific IA activities, such as using personas to define what content users need and in what format or channels. Scenarios are also used to determine what content is needed on each page. 3. Both content strategy and IA face similar challenges today with the shift to more dynamic digital experiences across multiple channels. There is a need

1. Content Strategy and IA
IA-Konferenz :: 11. – 12. 05.2012
Nikki Tiedtke :: Senior Interaction Architect

2. “IA without
content strategy
is just giving a
garbage can a
better signage.”

3. Contents
1. Content and IA: The 3 second elevator pitch
2. What is content and content strategy?
3. Where we work together
4. How we work together
USEEDS° user centred thinking 3

4. Content and IA: The 3 seconds
elevator pitch

5. USEEDS° user centred thinking 5

6. Possible user questions after visiting Geezeo
What are my
benefits?
What do they
talk about?
What do they
offer?
Why should I
care?
What should I
do?
USEEDS° user centred thinking 6

7. USEEDS° user centred thinking 7

8. Ah!
USEEDS° user centred thinking 8

9. What is content?

10. Content is…
Available in many formats and surely not just text
Text Text is… Channels could be …
Website
Customer Support
Graphics UI copy Mobile
Error messages TV
Videos / Animations Alt tags Radio, etc.
Metadata
Formats could be…
Games / Widgets Forms Online articles
Search results Banners
Audio Help pages eBooks
Marketing pages Videos
Infographics
Images Emails
Podcasts
Customer Service copy PDFs
Terminology, etc. Case studies
Trial downloads, etc.
USEEDS° user centred thinking 10

11. What is content strategy?

12. “Content strategy plans for the
creation, delivery and governance of
useful, usable content”
Kristina Halvorson,
Content Strategy for the Web
USEEDS° user centred thinking 12

13. “Content strategy ensures that…
Business strategy
Brand strategy
Editorial strategy
Publishing strategy
… are included in digital UX
strategy.”
USEEDS° user centred thinking 13

14. Content Strategy and IA – where
we work together

15. Content strategy and Information Architecture
CS IA CS
CS IA CS IA
Content Strategy Definition and graphic by Brain Traffic 2010
USEEDS° user centred thinking 15

16. Core strategy: How content supports business and user
goals
Content Strategy Definition and graphic by Brain Traffic 2010
USEEDS° user centred thinking 16

17. Substance: What content and why? Which channels and
formats?
Content Strategy Definition and graphic by Brain Traffic 2010
USEEDS° user centred thinking 17

18. Structure: How is content structured, accessed and
designed?
Content Strategy Definition and graphic by Brain Traffic 2010
USEEDS° user centred thinking 18

19. Workflow: How do we create and implement content?
With what teams, processes and tools?
Content Strategy Definition and graphic by Brain Traffic 2010
USEEDS° user centred thinking 19

20. Governance: How do we measure success and maintain
content?
Content Strategy Definition and graphic by Brain Traffic 2010
USEEDS° user centred thinking 20

21. Bing! The elevator waits again…

22. USEEDS° user centred thinking 22

23. I want to see, not read
Unrelevant copy
Filler content:
Das Richtige…
Massgeschneidert… Erm…where is the
product?
Exklusiv…
Jederzeit…
USEEDS° user centred thinking 23

24. USEEDS° user centred thinking 24

25. Ah!
USEEDS° user centred thinking 25

26. How we work together

27. Where does Content Strategy support IA?
Contextual inquiry Customer journey Content audit
IA
What contents do users What are the users’ What are the content
need / expect? questions? heuristics?
How do they talk about With what content can What content do we have
CS their needs? we answer them? and where?
Which channel and In what shape is the
What words do they use?
format makes sense? content, the metadata?
Do they interact with Who owns each page? Is
content? Where? How? it relevant, outdated?
USEEDS° user centred thinking 27

28. Example: Customer Journey & Content Strategy
Steps Unaware Aware Evaluate Buy Use
Questions 1. __________
2. __________
3. __________
Answers 1. i.e. what stories / topics / themes
2. __________
3. __________
Format / 1. i.e. Text & Video on website
2. __________
Channel
3. __________
* Adapted from Barbra Gagos Content Mapping Templates: http://barbragago.com/what-is-content-mapping/
USEEDS° user centred thinking 28

29. Where does Content Strategy support IA?
Competitive &
Web-Analytics Personas
trends analysis
IA
Which contents are What contents do What topics do they care
used? competitors offer? about?
How do users interact How do people speak How much content do
CS with content? about a topic? Where? they need?
How do users rate What are common What channels and
content? themes, words? formats do they use?
What writing style would
suit them?
USEEDS° user centred thinking 29

30. Example: Personas & Content Strategy
Persona Name & Type
Age
Product usage
Quote
Main goals Motivations Pain points
Content needs Formats Channels
• What information? • Which formats would the • Which channels would
• In what depth? persona use? the persona use?
Adapted from Daniel Eizans: „Context in Content Strategy“: http://danieleizans.com/2011/01/context-in-content-strategy-personal-behavioral-context/
USEEDS° user centred thinking 30

31. Where does Content Strategy support IA?
Scenarios & user Information
Wireframing
flows Architecture
IA
What content supports What is the content goal How is the priority &
the user goals? for each page? hierarchy of content?
What are the core What are the key
What is the real copy for
CS contents & key messages and CTAs for
Wireframes?
messages? each page?
Are there possible
Where in the flow should What are the labels? Do
localization issues?
they appear? they fit the Style Guide?
Where do we need
What is the SEO
contextual, supporting
strategy?
content?
USEEDS° user centred thinking 31

32. Example: Scenarios & Content Strategy
Where will
List of a tank of
Content accesso- gas get
require- ries him?
Need: “I
ment
Need want a
balance of
features
and fuel
economy”
Feature
list,
User Goal: “ I Video
Content
require- need to replace Safety
ment features
my car.”
Content Need
require-
ment Content
require-
ment
Adapted from Daniel Eizans: „Context in Content Strategy“: http://danieleizans.com/2011/02/context-in-content-strategy-personal-situational-context/
USEEDS° user centred thinking 32

33. Example: Scenarios & Content Strategy
Scenario:
User goal:
Product detail
Homepage Search results Product category page
Key contents
Key messages
Contextual contents
Adapted from Daniel Eizans: „Context in Content Strategy“: http://danieleizans.com/2011/02/context-in-content-strategy-personal-situational-context/
USEEDS° user centred thinking 33

34. Example: IA & Content Strategy: Message hierarchy
Call to action What do I
need to do?
Primary
Why?
message
Secondary How?
message When?
Based on Karen McGrane, Bond art + science: http://www.slideshare.net/KMcGrane/why-ux-design-needs-content-strategy
USEEDS° user centred thinking 34

35. The message is the core
Flow Website
structure structure
Core
message
Page Page
design structure
(conceptual &
visual)
USEEDS° user centred thinking 35

36. Example: Page table
Can be used to define contents and hierarchy on pages
Page ID:
Page name:
Page objective:
Main call to action:
Secondary call to action:
Main message: Why do I need to read ths page? What can I do here?
Key message / user benefit 1: What’s my benefit?
Objective reasons to believe: Why should I believe this is beneficial
for me?
Key message / user benefit 2:
Objective reasons to believe:
Key message / user benefit 3:
Objective reasons to believe:
USEEDS° user centred thinking 36

37. Where does Content Strategy support IA?
UX-Guidelines Usability Testing
IA
What are content
What content do we need
guidelines for UI
to test?
patterns?
What is the Editorial
CS Styleguide?
How can we test it?
What are Content How can we measure our
Usability Guidelines? content’s success?
Extracted from http://blog.greenonions.com/2010/06/05/letter-to-a-content-strategist/
USEEDS° user centred thinking 37

38. We face the same challenges

39. Then… Now…
Static websites = static content Websites are dynamic = content has to be
adaptive
Few publishing channels: Print, online, Multiple publishing channels across different
radio, TV devices: Social, Video, Mobile etc.
Brands have central ownership about their Content can be shared and published by
content everyone
Digital media was a solitary experience Digital media is interactive
Publishing tools where costly, complicated Publishing tools are freely available
and had to be built
Using digital media was a niche Digital media is mainstream = higher
expectations
USEEDS° user centred thinking 39

40. My wishes for 2012 and beyond
Don’t debate who’s
More IAs do CS. more important in UX.
It’s always the user.
More CS do IA.
Think holistically
Embrace similarities
Group hug
We are all in publishing now.
Let’s go for it!
USEEDS° user centred thinking 40

41. Say hello. Don’t wave goodbye.
E-Mail:
nikki.tiedtke@useeds.de
Slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/nikkitiedtke/
Facebook content strategy & user experience group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/contentstrategyandux/
Twitter:
@NikkiTiedtke
XING:
http://www.xing.com/profile/Nikki_Tiedtke
Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkitiedtke
USEEDS° user centred thinking 41

42. © USEEDS° GmbH | Chausseestr. 123 | 10115 Berlin
Tel.: + 49 (0)30 340 6005-0 | Fax: + 49 (0)30 340 6005-49
ron.hofer@useeds.de l www.useeds.de
Wir schicken Ihnen gerne ergänzendes Informationsmaterial,
Projektbeispiele oder unseren Schulungskatalog zu!