When we think about content governance, we tend to consider roles, responsibilities, workflow, and documentation. But there’s an element to content governance that is equally important and often overlooked: training. Fundamentally, content governance requires educating everyone involved in the publishing process—including content planning, creation, editing, publishing, and measurement. All this while considering numerous publishing channels and communication goals. To be successful, content relies on a cultural support for governance with active sharing and learning. Building a content governance culture means we all need to be teachers—and students. • Learn to assess content governance readiness, including existing expertise and knowledge gaps. • Find out how to strengthen your content governance plan by making good use of staff resources. • See how to create a scalable content governance training model. • Discover how to foster a content culture and empower content contributors to do great work.

1. Rick Allen
@epublishmedia
Confab Higher Ed 2013
#confabEDU
Training:
The Missing Element of
Content Governance
http://flic.kr/p/egpZmw

2. What is content
governance?
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3. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Content governance
The process of managing your
content strategy.
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Content governance
The process of managing content roles,
responsibilities, workflow, documentation
and training.
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What’s on tap?
Getting real about content governance
Some goofy pictures
How to enable content contributors
to consistently do great work
Tips and tricks and happy content staff
How to create a content culture and a
sustainable governance plan
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6. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia

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!@#$%^&*

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We like to say...
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“
Our website sucks because
content contributors don’t take
responsibility for their content.
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And rarely admit...
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“
Content contributors don’t
know what they’re responsible
for or how to make their web
content work.
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Training:
The Missing Element of
Content Governance
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http://flic.kr/p/egpZmw

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Training:
An Essential Element of
Content Governance
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http://flic.kr/p/egpZmw

14. Content governance
needs to be realistic,
not idealistic.
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15. Plan for content training
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http://flic.kr/p/7AEnVZ

16. Your organization
ePublish Media, Inc.

17. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Get organized
Who’s involved?
What are people responsible for?
What steps and activities are required?
What content guides and tools are needed?
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18. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Content creation workflow
Plan
Create
Revise
Approve
Test
Publish

19. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Content creation workflow:
Roles
Plan
Create
Revise
Approve
Test
Publish
Roles:
Role:
Role:
Roles:
Roles:
Roles:
• Editor-in Chief
• Editor
• SME
• Author
• Editor
• Editor-in Chief
• Editor
• SME
• Editor
• Author
• Publisher
• Editor
• Author
• Publisher

20. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Content creation workflow:
Tasks
Plan
Create
Revise
Approve
Tasks:
Tasks:
Tasks:
Tasks:
• Determine
• Create draft of
• Copyedit
• Review content • Build content in • Publish content
need for new
new copy
for accuracy
email or web
content
• Return to
• Send to
author for rewrite
• Return to
template
• Request new
content editor
or send for
author and editor
• Submit for
content
for review
approval
for rewrite or
publication
submit for
publication
Test
Tasks:
Publish
Tasks:
on schedule

21. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Where are the
knowledge gaps?
21

22. copyediting
video / editingtools
HTML/CSS/JavaScript
CMS
web analytics
photographyarchitecture
/ editing
informationwriting
web
community management
metadata and taxonomy
user research
accessibility
SEO & findability
22

23. copyediting
video / editingtools
HTML/CSS/JavaScript
CMS
web analytics
photographyarchitecture
/ editing
informationwriting
web
community management
metadata and taxonomy
user research
accessibility
SEO & findability
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24. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Content creation workflow:
Guides & tools
Plan
Create
Revise
Approve
Test
Publish
Guides &
tools
Guides &
tools
Guides &
tools
Guides &
tools
Guides &
tools
•Content audit
•General content
• Message
• Message
•CMS publishing • CMS publishing
• Editorial
guides
architecture
architecture
guidelines
• Content model
• Editorial style
• Editorial style
• Email
calendar
• Content
templates
guide
guide
• General content • General content
guides
• Content model
• Content
templates
guides
Guides &
tools
guidelines
• Email publishing
publishing
guidelines
guidelines
• Visual style
• Visual style
guide
guide

25. Every step in the
publishing process is
a chance to educate.
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Content governance model
Web Group
Editor-in-Chief
Editor
Author
Approver
Editor
Author
Approver
Editor
Author
Approver

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Training model
Content governance
Web Group
Editor-in-Chief
Editor
Author
Approver
Editor
Author
Approver
Editor
Author
Approver

28. Be a teacher!
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http://boagworld.com

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What if people don’t want
to learn?
http://flic.kr/p/6ZJWAR

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http://flic.kr/p/6bXF19

31. Who are our users?
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http://flic.kr/p/6bXF19

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What do we need to know?
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What do we need to know?
Who are our users?
What do they care about and what
do they need to know?
What information are they looking for?
How are they going to use this information?
When and how are they going to
access this information?
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34. Content contributors
are users too.
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35. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Who are content contributors?
Planners
Editors
Requesters
Approvers
Providers
Publishers
Creators
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36. Occidental College
Residential Education & Housing Services
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http://www.oxy.edu/residential-education-housing-services/staff/first-year-staff

37. Pacific Northwest College of Art
Fine Art Library
37
http://library.pnca.edu/about/staff

38. Emporia State University
IT Help Desk
38
http://www.emporia.edu/it/about/service.html

39. North Carolina State University
Onboarding Center
39
http://bulletin.ncsu.edu/2013/06/first-stop-for-new-hires/

40. Emory University
Office of Student Leadership and Service
40
http://osls.emory.edu/about/meet_the_staff1.html

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42. 42
http://www.mnsu.edu/reslife/employment/meet_the_grad_staff.html

43. 43
http://www.mnsu.edu/reslife/employment/meet_the_grad_staff.html

44. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
What do we need to know?
Who are our users?
What do they care about and what
do they need to know?
What information are they looking for?
How are they going to use this information?
When and how are they going to
access this information?
44

45. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Brand guidelines
•
•
•
•
•
Student-centered
Empowering and valuable
Community-minded
Pioneering and resourceful
Welcoming

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Putting communication
goals to work
•
Community-minded
Ready to
start writing?
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48. Content is made
relevant by the context
in which it is perceived.
48

49. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Content templates

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Voice and Tone
Inviting, Helpful
Our mission is making sure you have
Less like...
access to a quality academic and
student experience …

51. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Voice and Tone
Inviting, Helpful
Our mission is making sure you have
Less like...
access to a quality academic and
student experience …
More like...
We're here to help you reach your
academic and career goals …

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53. 53
Less this...

54. Readability
Scorecard
Low
31%
High
11%
Medium
58%
54
More this...

55. Findability
Scorecard
High
10%
Low
49%
55
More this...
Medium
41%

56. Communication Goal
Scorecard
High
18%
Low
61%
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More this...
Medium
20%

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http://eyeform.co.uk/eyes-2/iceberg-ahead

58. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Branding, communication,
and editorial style
•
•
Overarching
communication goals
•
Editorial style
guidelines
•
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Branding guidelines
Voice and tone
guidelines

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Editorial style guides
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General content guidelines
•
•
Web writing
•
SEO & findability
•
Accessibility
•
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“How-to” content
guides
Metadata and
taxonomy

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Content types
•
•
Events
•
Academic program
description
•
Faculty bio
•
Slideshows
•
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News stories
PDF Forms

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Content templates

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Tasks
•
•
Admissions portal
•
Alumni portal
•
Legal department
•
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Specific department
or stakeholder
considerations
Library services

65. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Whoa! That’s a lot.
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66. A content governance
plan must be practical.
Think resources, think
needs.
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67. Create a content culture
67
http://www.nj4hcamp.rutgers.edu/images/Staff/

68. http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2011-10-30/
Source: Higher Ed CMS Usage Survey, 2011 (.eduGuru)
Encourage feedback
http://doteduguru.com/id7800-results-higher-ed-cms-usage-survey-2011.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/highwaysagency/6032691030/

69. Source: Higher Ed CMS Usage Survey, 2011 (.eduGuru)
Document feedback
http://doteduguru.com/id7800-results-higher-ed-cms-usage-survey-2011.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/highwaysagency/6032691030/

70. Publish documentation
70
http://flic.kr/p/dWNJ62

71. To be useful, content
guides and tools need to
be easily accessible.
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72. Create content groups
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http://flic.kr/p/5qq1mL

73. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Create content groups for...
Discovering content and
publishing problems
Encouraging feedback from content
contributors in all roles
Enabling cross-training and
information sharing
Informing staff about content governance
policy and workflow changes
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75. Building a content culture
means we all need to be
teachers...
75

76. Building a content culture
means we all need to be
teachers...and students.
76

77. #confabEDU • @epublishmedia
Thank you!
Rick Allen
@epublishmedia

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