Flexible Content Requires Future-Ready Organizations
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The document summarizes the key challenges that organizations face in managing digital content and proposes better approaches to address these challenges. The three main challenges are: 1) a mass-production mentality where content creation roles are not tied to business goals, 2) compartmentalized teams that do not communicate across departments, and 3) an obsession with control that prevents organizations from adapting to change. The document advocates using mobile as an entry point to drive organizational change, investing deeply in collaborative teamwork rather than just providing solutions, and facilitating participation from those affected by the work from the start.
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Flexible Content Requires Future-Ready Organizations
- 1. www.flickr.com/photos/dandeluca/3083945050/ FLEXIBLE CONTENT future-ready organizations stc summit / atlanta / may 6, 2013 requires sara wachter-boettcher @sara_ann_marie
- 2. ‘‘Every client, in my experience, has a content problem. Mark Boulton, Web Directions South 2012
- 3. Mobile is making the web (finally) talk about it.
- 4. ‘‘In traditional media, canvas dimensions are a known constraint. With digital, however, the canvas is an unknown... We need to build on what we do know: content. Chris Armstrong, “The Infinite Grid”
- 5. But do we actually know our content?
- 6. That’s what content strategy is all about.
- 7. ‘‘A repeatable system that governs the management of content throughout the entire lifecycle. Rahel Bailie, Just Before Lunch
- 8. ✦ Defines how content will support both users and business ✦ Sets priorities, standards, and benchmarks for success ✦ Creates a framework for decision- making ✦ Establishes shared vision for content across teams or departments
- 9. It might mean auditing your content.
- 10. Defining what you should sound like. Message architecture example from Margot Bloomstein
- 11. Or creating systematic plans for writing and collecting it... Page table example from Relly Annett-Baker
- 12. and yet: IT’S STILL SO DANG HARD, ISN’T IT?
- 13. Inaccessible.
- 14. Broken.
- 15. Missing.
- 16. Useless.
- 17. Even launching a responsive homepage is hard.
- 18. ‘‘ The Microsoft.com team built tools, guidelines, and processes to help localize everything from responsive images to responsive content into approximately 100 different markets... They adapted their CMS to allow Content Strategists to program content on the site. Nishant Kothary, “The Story of the New Microsoft.com”
- 19. This is why mobile is such a problem.
- 20. we’re moving forward, BUT OUR CONTENT’S STILL STUCK.
- 21. on the website” “just stick it up www.flickr.com/photos/wordridden/6125516150/
- 22. We create content like this. CONTENT GOES HERE.
- 23. So we can do this. www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829344565 CONTENT GOES HERE.
- 24. But we end up with this. CONTENT GOES HERE.
- 25. it’ll only get By Eva-Lotta Lamm worse
- 26. We can’t make more content for every new device and channel.
- 27. We have the tools to make content do more.
- 28. NPR’s Central CMS Storage API Websites Mobile Sites Apps Third Parties COPE: Create Once, Publish Everywhere
- 31. Of course, content doesn’t just magically flow.
- 33. Which starts with content.
- 34. Less like this.
- 35. And a little more like this.
- 36. how it all connects then modeling
- 37. Data models have been around forever (well, a few decades at least). From Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL by Hugh E. Williams and David Lane (O’Reilly, 2003)
- 38. what? no idea! huh? But it’s easy to forget that data is also content.
- 40. By Eva-Lotta Lamm be human it needs to
- 41. This means revisiting our content...
- 44. Finding patterns gives you content types.
- 45. ...etc. etc. etc. Event Listings Shows Blog Posts Articles Profiles Bios Help Modules Press Releases Directories Recipes Shows Product Listings News Briefs Research Papers
- 46. Content types help you create a content system.
- 47. Start with a single type of content, like a recipe. What is it? What makes it a recipe?
- 48. Then, how do our different content types fit together?
- 49. systems give us options By Eva-Lotta Lamm
- 50. ‘‘Adaptive content automatically adjusts to different environments and device capabilities... [It] can be displayed in any desired order, made to respond to specific customer interactions, changed based on location, and integrated with content from other sources. Ann Rockley
- 51. We can’t manually manage how each bit of content looks. But every bit of structure gives us the option to make a rule.
- 52. If a recipe is in the app, then include the ratings before the ingredients.
- 53. Display the headline and summary of the most recent article in the travel category.
- 54. structure sets content free By Eva-Lotta Lamm
- 55. Getting there isn’t easy.
- 56. our content’s stuck BECAUSE WE ARE STUCK.
- 57. it’s people, not just tech
- 60. People keep creating content the same way they always have: big WYSIWYG blobs, Word docs, and PDFs. THE PROBLEM
- 62. THE REAL PROBLEM Content-producing roles aren’t tied to business goals and vision—so those working in them have no reason to change.
- 63. www.flickr.com/photos/seattlemunicipalarchives/2710933334 that’s not my job! i just keep the production line moving.
- 64. A BETTER WAY Content strategy bridges the gap between executive vision and daily execution—not just for a project, but over time.
- 66. The organization is divided into departments that don’t communicate—or, even worse, are hostile to one another. THE PROBLEM
- 68. Government is notorious for this.
- 74. This is duplicative and inefficient. Not to mention confusing as hell.
- 75. Departments that are always focused on themselves are not thinking about their customers. THE REAL PROBLEM
- 77. ‘‘Customers don't know—and don't care to know—how government is organized. So why make them go from agency [website] to agency [website] to get the full picture of what gov't has to offer on any subject? Participant, National Dialogue on Improving Government Websites
- 78. Transcend silos with cross- department teams focused on tackling a single issue. Empower them to spread new ideas. A BETTER WAY
- 81. Stakeholders don’t get digital— they want to see everything fixed in place, like print, before approving it. THE PROBLEM
- 83. The organization isn’t built for change—and suddenly, things are changing fast. Rather than adapt, it’s trying to stop the shift. THE REAL PROBLEM
- 85. It’s not just dealing with mobile. It’s becoming an organization that’s adept at change. A BETTER WAY
- 86. good news! WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
- 87. excited bunch we’re an LIFE magazine archives
- 88. It’s time we share that passion with the whole organization.
- 90. Make mobile an entry point, not the end point. 1
- 91. ‘‘Use mobile as a wedge to create a better experience for ALL users. Karen McGrane
- 92. True for changing organizations, too.
- 93. break down doors use mobile to www.flickr.com/photos/justin-march/3720489344/
- 94. Don’t sell solutions. Invest more deeply. 2
- 95. save the day we don’t
- 96. You can’t be your organization’s savior.
- 97. You can’t be your organization’s mastermind.
- 100. After the breakpoints are established...
- 101. Or the API is launched...
- 102. The content still needs work.
- 103. to fish teach ‘em
- 104. Find the people your work affects, and incorporate them from the start.
- 105. know it all we can’t
- 106. everyone along but we can help
- 107. THANK YOU Flickr images used via CC-Attribution license unless otherwise noted. Illustrations used with the permission of Eva-Lotta Lamm. Save 25% on Content Everywhere with the code SWB: rfld.me/content-everywhere sarawb.com // @sara_ann_marie