"We love meeting with you"

Enjoyable content development for site revamps

We love meeting with

you!

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Elaine NelsonI have deep thoughts about nerdy things.

elainenelson.org@epersonae

I am here.

Why are meetings terrible?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

And yet, email is also bad.

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Do this instead1.  Get the right people 2.  Focus them on their audience 3.  Engage and listen 4.  Show your notes in real time 5.  Refine as you go

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Why?•  Everyone participates. •  The user comes first. •  No one’s wasting time. •  Better voice, tone, and visuals. •  Common frames of reference.

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

PREPARATION

Reasons to participate

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Active listening

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Neutral tone & lots of eye contact

Attention to non-verbal cues

Asking from different angles

Listening while they discuss

Repeating key points back

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Live typing

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

BRING IN THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Someone who knows the material

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Someone who knows the users

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Someone who edits the site

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

The biggest cheese you can get.

Some teams are brokenIt’s not about you. Most teams are not broken!

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

A typical team…

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

THE FIRST MEETING

Building a common frame

of reference

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

We also have jargon.

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

We learned it the hard way…•  Is any specific content required by law or

custom? •  Are there URLs in print? •  Are there other marketing or social media

projects in progress?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Scheduling

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

IT’S ABOUT THE AUDIENCE

The Worksheet•  Primary, Secondary,

Tertiary audiences •  What are their goals? •  What are your goals

for them?

evergreen.edu/webresources/docs/audience-and-goals-worksheet.docx

Up on the big screen

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Engage and listen

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

What do these people have in

common?

Actually Frequently Asked

Questions

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Ultimately, what do they want to achieve?

What’s the one question that you get so often that you’re sick of it?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Read & understand the policies

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

What could the user do that would help them be more successful?

What do you wish they would ask?

…in order to…?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Use more tools

This is a secret weapon.

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

EXPLAIN IT LIKE I’M…

https://xkcd.com/1364/

One topic at a time

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Some examples•  What kinds of jobs could I get with an

MES degree? •  Why do I have to write an academic

statement? •  How do I get an article to read for a class? •  Is Evergreen’s campus safe? •  What can I do at the Rec Center if I’m not

a student?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

What would you have someone do if they were just getting started?

How does it work? No, really: how does it actually work?

What do you say when someone comes up to the counter? On the phone? When you’re at a party?

How do people get it wrong? Does that happen a lot? Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Keep engaged & listening

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Typos adn stuff

Stop early

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

REFINE AND REPEAT

Editing & Adding Content

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Uncovering IA

Sharing

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Rinse & Repeat

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

LET’S GO FOR IT!

Did we cover the goals?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Is it better than what’s there now?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Are the big cheeses ok?

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

Go!!!!!!

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

After the end•  Some examples

Check-out•  What’s not done yet? •  Who will do it? •  Who will be trained? (Reduce the number

of cooks.) •  Sort of an editorial calendar

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

What I want to do

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

(someday)

IN CONCLUSION, A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.

You too can be…

•  Invite the right mix of people. •  Understand the audience & goals. •  Ask questions & listen actively. •  Write in haste, edit at leisure. •  Be open and flexible.

Elaine Nelson ★ @epersonae

THANK YOU.Elaine Nelson, The Evergreen State College evergreen.edu ★ elainenelson.org ★ @epersonae