putting out fires with content strategy (stc academic sig)
DESCRIPTION
You’ve probably heard – or said – something like “All I did today at work was put out fires.” We’ve all been there. We don’t want fires, but they happen. So, let’s see how content strategy helps put out fires in software development, and what you can do to prepare for a content strategy career. Presented to the Society for Technical Communication Special Interest Group as part of the pre-conference activities for the CPTSC (Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication) Conference in September 2014.TRANSCRIPT
Putting out fires with content strategy
John Collins • View slides: bit.ly/STCASIG2014 • Twitter: @jrc.collins (@scfr_pio) • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/johncollins • Personal: www.intersectUX.com/blog
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SPOKEN: I volunteer w/ Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue as the public informaCon officer. When there’s a major emergency in our county, I work with chiefs to get the right message out to the news media and the public. I’m not a firefighter, but the posiCon has given me some insights that led to this presentaCon. All of the photos here are photos that I’ve taken.
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[ ] @jrc_collins
Building software is kind of like putting out a fire. Kind of.
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It’s hard.
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You can’t see all the problems.
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Things change quickly.
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Teamwork is required.
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Teamwork required; many roles
Software • Product owner • Project manager • Interaction designer • Visual designer • Content strategist • Software engineer • QA engineer • Technical writer • Localization manager
Firefighting • Incident commander • Safety officer • Public information officer • Operations section chief • Division supervisors • Chauffeur/pump operator • Chauffeur/ladder operator • Nozzle • Ventilation • Search and rescue
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Good news!
It’s hard work, but not impossible.
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What’s the secret?
SPOKEN: Firefighters are heroic, yet not every firefighter runs into the burning building while civilians run out. Not every firefighter is the one rescuing babies from an inferno. Not everyone gets to be the chief in charge of the emergency response. [ ]
Unsung heroes on the team.
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Here’s to the pump operator!
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Here’s to the pump operator!
1 or more hoses?
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Here’s to the pump operator!
Small hoses or big?
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Here’s to the pump operator!
Water or foam?
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Here’s to the pump operator!
How many gallons per minute?
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Here’s to the pump operator!
Tank water or other water source?
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Content strategists are the pump operators.
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Content Strategy defined
The analysis and planning to develop a repeatable system that governs the management of content throughout the entire content lifecycle.
— Rahel Anne Bailie, The Language of Content Strategy
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Content Strategy defined
We define content strategy as: getting the right content to the right user at the right time.
— Kevin P. Nichols, SapientNitro
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Content Strategy defined
Planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content.
— Kristina Halvorson, Brain Traffic
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Content Strategy defined
[Content strategy means you deliver] the right information, to the right people, at the right time, on the right device, in the right format and language.
— Scott Abel, The Content Wrangler
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Content strategy puts content in the hoses.
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Content strategy sends the proper amount of content
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(not too little, not too much)
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Content strategy sends the proper content to the proper place.
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SPOKEN: What do I do here? Two idenCcal sentences, a third that’s similar but confusing, and no “Log in” opCon for the user. And a comma splice. DON’T MAKE COMMA SPLICES! [ ]
Wrong content! http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/2014/08/05/13362562/
35 SPOKEN: Story about a firefighCng drill gone wrong with the wrong content put on the fire. [ ]
Content strategy makes sure there
will be enough content in the
future.
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What makes a successful UX
content strategist?
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Knowledge of: • User experience • Software development • XML/HTML/CSS/other code • Information architecture • Content management • Localization @jrc_collins 39
Traits • Curiosity • Ability to handle negative
feedback • Ability to listen • Collaborative
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Skills • English grammar • Foreign language knowledge • Storytelling • Communication • Negotiation • Technologically savvy @jrc_collins 41
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How can academia help ?
Focus on: • English • Technical communication • Computer science • Foreign language
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Fires happen.
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Be prepared. @jrc_collins 45
SPOKEN: Know how to be the one who puts content in the hoses, sends the proper amount of content, gets the proper content to the proper place, and makes sure there’s enough content in the future. [ ]
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John Collins • View slides: bit.ly/STCASIG2014 • Twitter: @jrc.collins (@scfr_pio) • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/johncollins • Personal: www.intersectUX.com/blog