Thinking Strategically About Contentby Scott Abel, The Content WranglerLocalization World Singapore, April 12, 2013

web: www.contentwrangler.com twitter: @contentwrangler

Scott AbelThe Content Wrangler

content marketersocial media choreographerXML evangelisttrouble-makertechnical documentation expertmagazine columnist/bloggerconference presenterconference organizerinstructor UC Berkeleynightclub dj

my personal metadata

content strategyMy area of speciality is

Let’s start with acommon vocabulary!

content?what is

Content is the lifeblood of your organization. It’s the stuff thathelps you accomplish your business goals.

Ann Rockley @ARockley

content?what is

There are many types of content. Some content is aimed at internal audiences, other content is created for external audiences.

content strategy?what is

Content strategy is a repeatable system that governs the management of content throughout its entire lifecycle.

Rahel Bailie @RahelAB

content strategy?what is the purpose of

It’s about envisioning the future of content -- its development, management, delivery -- and creating a plan that helps us leverage content to achieve our future goals.

content strategyimportant, but not

Strategists do not get lost in the minutiae. What should be included in the style guide? What font should we use? Should we use the passive voice? Do we need a blog?

content strategistconcerns of a

Content strategists are concerned with actions, resources, costs, opportunities, threats, and timetables associated with producing content that help us meet our goalsand support our vision.

vision?what is

Vision is what you want your content to help you accomplish in the future. It should be a clear, concise, and easy-to-understand description of the future you desire.

visionexample

“Create source content that can be translated into 12 target languages by machine with 90% accuracy by 2016”

visionexample

“Become the largest retailer (by sales volume) of smartphones to Latin Americans living in the United States by 2014”

content strategistanother name for a

Content strategists are business consultants for content.

Rahel Bailie @RahelAB

critical eyewhat’s needed is a

Let’s take a look at some often overlooked areas of waste in the content production lifecycle to uncover time-sucking tasks that prevent us from innovating.

time-suckersidentifying

manufacturingthink of content production as

The Japanese make great strides in manufacturing in the 1970s and 1980s by adopting lean manufacturing practices and just in time delivery.

innovation?how do you find time for

First,take an honest and critical look at every single step in your content lifecycle. You may have to enlist the help from a specialist in operational efficiency.

this way herewe’ve always done it

or...

avoid lame excuses like

that way herewe’ve never done it

lame excuses like

productivitystart with

What is this?

What is this?

rulesthese are

What is this?

What are these?

What is this?

rulesthese are

Who is this?

Deanactually, his name is

rule enforcerhe is a

What is this?

toolDean’s rule enforcement

The Editor

Who is this?

Steveactually, his name is

this presentationhe has no idea I used his photo in

shhhhh...

rule enforcerhe is a

rule enforcerhe prides himself on being a

inefficienthe is horribly

like the majority of us

Have you ever misplaced you keys?

The Editor

So has Steve.

left his car keyshe can’t remember where he

memorize...but he want us to believe he can

style guide rules750

branding rules125

grammar ruleshundreds of grammar

terminologyhis corporate and industry

on demandand recall these rules

has never seenwhile reading content he

left his car keysbut, he can’t remember where he

editingSteve’s biggest time-sucker is

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Relying on outdated approaches like memorizing a style guide is indefensible when challenged. Automating enforcement of writing rules is one way togain efficiency.

Software can be used to automate tasks that humans are ill-equipped to perform efficiently

and effectively -- like editing. By freeing editors of busy work, they will be able to

read, augment and improve content.

THE EDITING PROCESS IS AN EASY PLACE TO FIND INEFFICIENCIES

SOME EDITORS WON’T LIKE THIS!

THEY MISTAKENLY SEE THEIR VALUE AS ENFORCERS OF RULES

THEIR REAL VALUE IS IN ENHANCING AND IMPROVING CONTENT

THEY SHOULD NOT BE SPOTTING STYLE AND BRANDING ERRORS, GRAMMAR PROBLEMS, TYPOS --> OR FINDING YOUR CAR KEYS

THERE ARE SOFTWARE TOOLS FARBETTER SUITED FOR SUCH TASKS

time-suckerthe biggest

priority to emailwe assign false

We tend to try and answer email as soon as possible. Why? Not because we know it is time senstive. Not because it is important. But, because itarrived in our inbox.

emailnegative impacts of

When we constantly monitor our email inbox, we fail to fully concentrate on a single task. As a result, our productivity drops.

emailadditional impacts of

The cost of email is not free. Email relies on servers, software, electricity, and more often than we might admit, toner and paper.

metricsemail

In addition to being the wrong tool for many jobs, the average employee spends 28% of the work week dealing with internal email messages that addno business value.

metricsemail

That’s 13 hours a week or650 hours per year!

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Adopt alternatives to email (IM, social media and the telephone). Admit that they often prove a better, faster mode of communication.

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Do not use email to set up meetings with groups of people. Instead, use a meeting management tool.

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Do not hit the “reply all” button unless absolutely necessary.

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Ask yourself, “Do I really need to reply to this message right now?” and “What will happen if I don’t?”

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

If you really need to send an email, write it so it is easy to scan. Include numbered lists to make it clear what you are asking and tomake it easy for therecipient to reply.

example1. To translate the Adobe FrameMaker files I

need the source files by Tuesday.

2. I will need the illustrations by Tuesday afternoon 5pm PT.

3. The job will be ready on Thursday.

4. The price is $3,000 USD.

5. Who do I invoice? What’s their email address and their telephone number?

time-suckersmore

authoringmore specifically, collaborative

review and editing, too

collaborationwe have yet to master

We pretend that we are working as a team toward a common goal. Usually, that’s not the case.

collaborationchange is involved in

Most often, our collaborative efforts don’t actually save time. We use new tools and old processes to do pretty much the same thing we did before.

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Make everyone on the “team” understands what a team is and what it is not. Ensure everyone is working toward a measurable, common goal.

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Pick up the telephone and get everyone on the line. Open the document you are working on, discuss it, make changes, and end the call with a completeddocument.

time-suckerone more

contenttime wasted looking for

reusing itrecreating it, instead of

contenttime wasted looking for

85% of knowledge workers complain that not being able to find the right information is a huge time-waster.

contenttime wasted looking for

Knowledge workers spend on average 2.3 hours per day looking for content; one in ten spend four or more hours on average days.

time-suckerhow to get rid of this

Find ways to make content easy to find and reuse for you and for those you work with.

presentationtakeaways from this

content is a business asset worthy of being managedeffeciently and effectively

presentationtakeaways from this

taking a critical look at the way you do things today willhelp you find time toinnovate

presentationtakeaways from this

borrowing lessons learned from manufacturing can helpus uncover inefficiencies

presentationtakeaways from this

a little common sense goes a long way

learn more?where can you

Managing Enterprise Content A Unified Content Strategyby Ann Rockley and Charles Cooper (New Riders 2012)

Content Strategy:Connecting the Dots Between Business, Brand, and Benefitsby Rahel Bailie and Noz Urbina (XML Press, 2012)

Document Engineering Analyzing and DesigningDocuments for BusinessInformatics and Web Servicesby Robert Glushko and Tim McGrath (2005 MIT Press)

The Discipline of Organizingby Robert Glushko (2013 MIT Press)

Come up and see me for a set.

web: www.contentwrangler.com twitter: @contentwrangler

Scott AbelThe Content Wrangler

Thinking Strategically About Contentby Scott Abel, The Content Wrangler