session3 pl online_course_31_may2011

Write Great Web Content: Plain Language in Action

Session 3: May 31, 2011

©E-WRITE, 2011 -- Session 3 2

Course topics for Session 3

• Part 1: Review of topics and homework from Session 2

• Part 2: Repurpose print content for online readers

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Do a full “Humpty Dumpty” repurpose

• Part 4: Write concise content • Part 5: Session 3 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 3 homework: writing assignment

and reading assignment


Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 2Session 2 topics:• How to write content that’s appropriate for intended

users• How to write a bite, snack, and meal

Session 2 reading homework:• Chapter 6, “Focusing on Your Essential Messages”

Session 2 writing homework:• Write a bite and a snack for the Department of Veterans

Affairs’ page: “Headstone Cleaning Project Description”


Part 2: Repurpose print content for online readers What is repurposing?• Reorganizing, revising, or rewriting content published in one

communication channel so it will work in another channel

Examples of repurposing:• Radio broadcast to podcast• Web content to print brochure• PowerPoint to web content

Why repurpose?• ____________________________________• ____________________________________


Write for communication, not dissemination

When your web writing communicates, users …• Can find your content online• Can read and understand your content while looking at

the monitor• Will value your content


Is this an example of communication or dissemination?

http://www.interaction.org/staff-care-resources


Communication or dissemination?

http://www.interaction.org/document/recognizing-and-responding-stress-employees


Four considerations when repurposing print content for the web

1. Choose communication over dissemination.

2. Don’t make online readers “cope” with a file format developed for another purpose: PDF, PPT, Excel, Word, etc.

3. Consider whether the content has a long enough shelf life to warrant repurposing.

4. Choose either the gateway page method or the Humpty Dumpty method of repurposing.


Two approaches to repurposing

• Create a gateway page that leads to segmented PDF content

• Do a full “Humpty Dumpty”


Create a gateway page that leads to the PDF(s)


Repurpose by doing a full “Humpty Dumpty”

1. Write a summary sentence about the document’s content or message.

2. Break the print content into small, manageable chunks.

3. Keep the chunks that support the summary sentence you wrote.

4. Rewrite or rearrange the chunks on existing or new pages for presentation on the web.

5. Link to or discard the chunks you haven’t used.


Part 3: In-course assignment: Do a full “Humpty Dumpty” repurpose


Repurpose this print-based PDF


Write concise web content

• What does the term concise mean to you?

• How can readers tell when web content is concise?

• What do web writers do when they are editing web content for conciseness?


Before publishing, edit web content for two types of conciseness

1. Relevance: Review each chunk to determine whether is essential to the content’s overall purpose or message.

2. Brevity: Edit conscientiously so the content is as brief as possible:

– 1 word, not 2– 20-word sentences not 45-word sentences– 3-sentence paragraphs not 15-sentence

paragraphs


Step 1 in editing for conciseness: Relevance

Review the ADEQ’s “Who We Are and What We Do” page:

1. Is each chunk of content relevant to the overall purpose: to explain who they are and what they do?

2. Cross out any chunk of content that is not relevant.

3. No wordsmithing! No copyediting!


Our conclusion? Is all the web content relevant?


Step 2 in editing for conciseness: Brevity

What’s the effect of cutting word count? • A 10% cut eliminates annoying phrases

—“in order to”—and unnecessary modifiers to lightly refresh the text.

• A 25% cut eliminates all types of word fluff and may alter the message slightly.

• A 50% cut alters the message: narrower scope, fewer persuasive points, fewer examples, etc.


Test the web writing maxim: “The best thing you can do for your content is cut by 50%”


Can Blue Jay Consulting’s 153-word Approach page be cut by 50%?Our goal is to optimize the performance of every organization with which we

work. We figure out how to maximize the capability of systems and personnel alike. Our techniques are proven, our consultants are respected and our clients benefit from quantifiable results.

We base all of our efforts on the following general approach:1. Conduct a thorough assessment of the department. What's not working,

what's not making sense? Where are the problems, where are the opportunities?

2. Dive into day-to-day operations to gain insight into your organization's performance.

3. Present a set of recommendations for department-wide improvements.4. Partner with personnel from all areas of the hospital -- including

administration, physicians and front-line staff -- in problem-solving efforts.5. Remain in place during the implementation of new process and system

improvements in order to manage the change and provide support.6. Maintain ongoing contact with clients to ensure sustainability of achieved

successes.


My 76-word version

Approach We improve your organization’s performance by maximizing the

capabilities of your systems and personnel. Our consultants employ our proven six-step approach to gain you quantifiable results:

1. Assess the department to discover problems and opportunities.2. Analyze day-to-day operations to understand the department’s

performance.3. Recommend improvements.4. Partner with administration, physicians, and front-line staff to

solve problems.5. Provide support while you implement new processes.6. Maintain contact so you can sustain your successes.


“Another guy’s” much better 90-word version

ApproachWe improve our clients’ performance—people and systems alike. Our

techniques are proven, our consultants are respected, and our clients gain measurable benefits.

Here’s how we do it:

1. Assess. What's not working? What's not making sense? Where are the opportunities?

2. Observe. Dive into day-to-day operations to learn the ground truth.3. Recommend. Identify specific improvements.4. Partner. Collaborate with administrators, physicians and front-line staff in

problem-solving efforts.5. Execute. Provide support and manage change during the

implementation. 6. Follow up. Keep in ongoing contact to sustain success.

-- David Kay of DBKay & Assoc.


Three guidelines for writing concisely

1. Edit for relevance first and brevity second

2. Keep paragraphs short and focused– About five sentences or 75 words– Easily recognized as a chunk– On one topic

3. Use plain, simple language

Too Fancy Nice ‘n Plain

Utilize

At the present time

On the basis of


Part 5: Session 3 wrap-up

• Questions?• Web pages to look at again?• Review the two methods of repurposing print for

the web?– Gateway page– The full “Humpty Dumpty”

• Review the two-step approach to editing for conciseness?– Relevance first– Brevity second


Part 6: Writing and reading homework for Session 3

By Friday, June 3:• Edit for conciseness –

or - Repurpose print

Read • Chapter 5, “Writing

Information, Not Documents”

• Chapter 8, “Tuning up Your Sentences”


Resource


Resources


Resource


Evaluation

session3 pl online_course_31_may2011

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