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Writing for the Web and Effective Web Design
A Little Bit About Myself
Dan Bocchino– Web Content and Information Architecture
Manager, IEEE Corporate Strategy and Communications (CSC)
– B.A./M.A. in English/Writing Studies
– 9 years experience at IEEE (Publications and CSC)
– Web Editor, Writer, Information Architect
The Universe
TheUserIEEE
IEEE
From the mouths of our users…
“Getting to information does not appear to be the main focus.”
“Not really built to be a site for the general public.”
“I would expect that the IEEE would be at the top of the game, because that’s what we do.”
“It appears that either I don’t think the way it does, or it’s not friendly to me.”
“Seems like information for members of IEEE, not a resource for technicians.”
“Too much information – too busy. Need to get more organized. Too many words.”
“There are more steps than you need.”
So what?
IEEE.org
IEEE Societies
IEEE Xplore
IEEE Sections
IEEE Student Branches
IEEE Conferences
IEEE Job Site
IEEE Spectrum
WikipediaSecond LifeYou Tube
About
Conferences
Education
Membership
Standards
and more…
The IEEE Web Presence
Our 1st Site The problem
1999The problem
2002 The problem
Today
How many Web sites are on the ieee.org domain?
1
One Web site – One Voice
There is only one Web site on the ieee.org domain.
Within that Web site, there are: • sections;• subsections;• pages;• content elements.
sectionsubsection pagecontent element
Web site Purpose
To help visitors to the site accomplish their tasks
To help the organization achieve its strategic goals – New members– Conference attendees– Revenue, etc.
Usability
The ease with which people can employ a tool or object in order to achieve a particular goal.
Sites designed with the users' psychology and physiology in mind are highly usable:
– Takes less time for users to accomplish a particular task
– Easier for users to learn
– More satisfying to use
How do we measure usability?
Usability Review
Usable Times 5™ is the proprietary metric of Interface Guru, based on hundreds of hours of usability lab testing
Orientation“Where am I?”
Permission“Did I ask for that system response/popup/new screen?”
Interactivity“What can I do here?”
Relevance“Does this information matter to me?”
Speed“How long will this take?”
What can I do here?”
What is User Experience?
How do I create Web content?
How long does it take?
It depends
Do you want good content or bad content?
Remember: A Web site is a publication
Not a junkyard
Variables in estimating time:
– Amount of content– Complexity of content– Functionality requirements– Scheduling & planning– Preparation– Human resources
Many steps to creating content
Defining your Strategy
-Objectives
-Users
-User needs
Defining the scope-Functionality and content requirements-Prioritizing the requirements
Defining the structure-Understanding & creating task paths-Planning your directory structure and information architectureDefining your
Skeleton
-Wireframing
And that’s all before you even start to write your content
Killer Web Content
By: Gerry McGovern
Killer content vs. filler content
90% of all content produced is “filler”.
Focus on quality not quantity.
Your challenge will be at least 50% easier if you get rid of 80-90% of your content.
– Everything you publish, needs to be maintained
Killer Web Content’s Six C’s
Who Cares?
People are overloaded with information
They won’t waste time reading content they don’t care about
Don’t assume that because you care, your readers will too
Think before you write – will my readers care about this?
Is it Compelling?People may care, but are they paying attention?
You need to identify with your readers
Use your users’ words, not internal lingo or acronyms– talk to them, read their e-mails, use Google
Trends
Is it Clear?Be simple when you write – if your content is not clear, you will lose readers.
– All acronyms should be spelled out upon first use
– Content should be internationally friendly
People on your Web pages are scanning – make it easy for them to find what they want.
“An innovation must be truly useful, otherwise it’s just eye candy.”
Is it Complete?
Essence of any site is to help people complete a task
If a call to action is made, be clear what steps should be taken
Write great links to keep your readers moving from step to step so they can complete their tasks
Is it Concise?“Your Web site is not a murder mystery.”
“Tell them ‘who did it’ in the first paragraph.”Help people quickly understand your content.Use bullets instead of paragraphs when possible.
Is it Correct?It’s easy to pull together content from other sources.
“Editing is quality control for writing.”
Check your facts, verify your numbers, make sure the content you provide is up-to-date.
Web Writing vs. Print WritingWhen developing new Web content, you cannot simply migrate
your old print content.
Developing Web content often means writing completely new material.
Know Your Audience
Web readers generally do not read a page from start to finish.
They scan sites for relevant information.
Don’t overload your readers with too much content, or else you’ll lose them.
Word count for the Web should be about half of that for print.
Six Elements of Good Web Writing
• Use titles, headings, subheadings, and summaries.
• Use lists.• Be concise but make sure to provide
details.• Write newspaper style.• Write links that don’t have to be followed.• Provide guidance on where to go/know your
audience and its needs.
Titles, Headings, and Summaries
Titles and headings (often in bold) help your readers see your point without having to read the entire page.
Summaries should alert your readers to the type of information and where it can be found.
Be specific when creating titles; no two pages should be titled alike.
Using Lists
Make sure your lists:
are easy to skim;
utilize short lines of text;
organize related links;
use proper punctuation;
make sense contextually.
Be Concise but Detailed
Make your writing short and concise – save the details for those who want to “learn more.”
Don’t slow down the readers who just want to skim.
One main point per paragraph/section.
Links to more details as needed.
Write “Newspaper Style”
Use the “inverted pyramid” style when writing for the Web.
Basic facts and conclusion should come first.
Provide more details as you continue.
Write your beginning last; details first, then intro.
Links Shouldn’t Have to be Followed to be UnderstoodLet your readers decide whether or not to follow
your links.
Links serve as signposts; make your links informational.
Avoid “teaser” links with vague wording.
Example:
“Connect with your local IEEE section”
not “Click here for more information”.
Guide Your Readers
Web content has no page numbers – show your reader where to go next.
Provide guidance using links.
Write in a style that leads your reader to the next logical page.
Don’t make your readers think.
Web Accessibility
•http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/•Ongoing process to make sure all sites in the IEEE Web presence adhere to accessibility rules
•Alt text
•Use of table
•Logical IA
•Usability tested
Web Writing and Usability Resources
Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox To subscribe, send blank e-mail to [email protected]
Gerry McGovern New Thinking Newsletter To subscribe, send e-mail to: [email protected]
Adaptive Path Newsletter Subscribe at: www.adaptivepath.com/publications/subscribe/
Jared Spool's User Interface Engineering Tips Sign up at: www.uie.com/uietips/
Web Style Guide, 2nd Edition, by Patrick Lynch and Sarah Horton: http://webstyleguide.com/
Usable Web, 786 Links About Web Usability: www.usableweb.com/
Usability.gov, Guide for Developing Usable and Useful Web Sites: www.usability.gov/
IEEE Identity Standards
Newly developed set of guidelines.
Use of the standards is encouraged to help build consistent visual alignment among IEEE-related sites.
Brand identity guidelines, color palette, look and feel, best practices, etc.
Online soon, contact me for more information.
IEEE Web Presence Style Guidehttp://www.ieee.org/go/web_presence_styleguide
