content strategy for designers
DESCRIPTION
Good content strategy work will have a big impact on your project's success. But not everyone gets to work with a dedicated content-y person – designers are often stuck making content decisions on their own. But hey man, it's gonna be okay. There's lots that you can borrow from the world of content strategy to get what you need to make better design decisions. In this presentation, you'll learn how content strategy directly impacts your visual designs, and some tools and techniques to make your work better informed and more efficient.TRANSCRIPT
Content strategy for designers
Brought to you by Alaine Mackenzie on January 14, 2014
Content strategist @yellowpencilweb
Occasional Twitter user @alainemack
Hey that’s me
Today you’ll learn
How to steal from content strategy to make your designs better and
your projects more successful
You’ll also learn
what is content strategy what happens without it
how do I fix it
What is content strategy?
“…the practice of planning content creation, delivery, and governance.”
Kristina Halvorson, “The Discipline of Content Strategy”, A List Apart, 2008
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wparsons/3502120483/
Okay but why do I care
Without content strategy
You’re just guessing
Without content strategy
You don’t know your priorities
Without content strategy
You don’t (really) know the brand
Halp, halp!
Your content arsenal
Content audit
Voice and tone guide
Content models
Governance plan
Content audit
Find the complexity Find the meaning
Find the suck
Voice and tone guide
Expand on the brand Resolve the gaps
Fun but not childish
Clever but not silly
Confident but not cocky
Smart but not stodgy
Cool but not alienating
!!
Kate Kiefer Lee, content strategist at MailChimp: voiceandtone.com uxmag.com/articles/the-elements-of-a-style-guide
Content models
Define the elements Define their relationships
Eliminate ambiguity
Governance plan
Prevent future heartbreak
Who will request, create, edit, approve, publish, and maintain this stuff?
!What resources will you need?
!How much effort will it take?
Your content arsenal
Content audit
Voice and tone guide
Content models
Governance plan
In sum
Don’t design impaired Be an undercover content ninja
You can do it
