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Write Responsively: Content as a Touchpoint
Heidi Steiner BurkhardtUser Experience Specialist University of Michigan Library@heidi_sb
Designing for DigitalApril 7, 2016
About Me
Content in User Experience
What this talk is not
MissionIdentify the types of web
content your library sends
out into the world
Practice empathy for users
emotional states
Initiate the development of
voice and tone guidelines
MissionIdentify the types of web
content your library sends
out into the world
Practice empathy for users
emotional states
Initiate the development of
voice and tone guidelines
Employ a cohesive strategy
Write appropriate web
content
Establish a unified
personality for your library
on the web
Big Picture
Touchpoints“Any point of contact between a buyer and a seller.”
-Oxford Dictionary
Chart via Google results for: touchpoint
Touchpoints“Any point of contact between a buyer and a seller.”
-Oxford Dictionary
Chart via Google results for: touchpoint
“A touchpoint is a point of interaction involving a specific human need in a specific time and place.”
-Chris Risdon on Un-Sucking the Touchpointhttp://adaptivepath.org/ideas/un-sucking-the-touchpoint/
User Journeys
Find out if the library has a book you want, go get it, and check it out
Book Available
Search ResultsHours,
location, directions
Go to library
Book checked
out
Book not owned
Place holdGet
notification
Request through ILL, etc.
Check out at desk
Find in the stacks
Place an interlibrary loan request for an article that is not available in full-text
Article is abstract
only
Search
Results
Link resolver
page
Access ILL system
Fill out form
Get notification
Access ILL system
Open, download
article
Arrive at event
Learn about and attend an event
Social media
Blog
Email newsletter
Flyer
Details, location,
directions
Go to library
Website
Copy and content
Policies and general informationAbout us page ⦿ Hours ⦿ Borrowing ⦿ Events
Policies (but not too many)
SupportHelp pages ⦿ FAQs
Self-help knowledge base
entries ⦿ How-to guides
Instructional content
Personal supportfrom humans (!)
Interface language and microcopySystem alerts ⦿ Status messages ⦿ Button text
Form labels ⦿ Email and text notifications
Email ⦿ Chat ⦿ Text
Editorial
Marketing and outreachEmail newsletters ⦿ Twitter ⦿ Facebook
Other social media
Blog posts
PhysicalWayfinding ⦿ Stacks labeling
Signage and flyers of all flavors
Homework
All the feels and writing responsively
Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions
What time does the library close?1
Potential emotions:
Interest, anticipation, trust
When you write, be:
Clear, concise
Why: Need information or answers
Policies and general information
What time does the library close?1
Make the current day’s hours
obvious.
Present complex hours clearly.
Indiana University and UNC
Chapel Hill are great examples.
Why: Need information or answers
Policies and general information
What time does the library close?1
Similar tasks:
● Find the events calendar
● Learn how to make donations
● Figure out how to access
resources
Why: Need information or answers
Policies and general information
Place a hold on a book (successfully)1
Potential emotions:
Joy, anticipation, optimism
When you write, be:
Affirmative, friendly
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Interface language and microcopy
Place a hold on a book (successfully)1
Success! We got your
request and will let you
know when it’s ready.
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Interface language and microcopy
Place a hold on a book (unsuccessfully)1
Potential emotions:
Annoyance, anger, confusion
When you write, be:
Gentle, calm, kind, clear, helpful
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Interface language and microcopy
Place a hold on a book (unsuccessfully)1
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Interface language and microcopy
Uh oh. Something went
wrong. Use the Ask Us
link for help.
Place a hold on a book 1
Similar tasks:
● Check your account and renew
items
● Download an ebook
● Place an interlibrary loan request
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Interface language and microcopy
Requesting an article not available in full-text2
Potential emotions:
Apprehension, interest, confusion
When you write, be:
Straightforward, useful,
encouraging
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Support
Requesting an article not available in full-text2
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Support
Explain without overwhelming or
insulting the user’s intelligence.
Walk through steps and don’t
assume knowledge.
Be specific.
Requesting an article not available in full-text2
Why: Trying to accomplish something
Support
Similar tasks:
● Download an ebook
● Use databases remotely
● Find peer-reviewed articles
● Use citation export tools
Interlibrary loan request is ready.2
Why: Expecting communication
Interface language and microcopy
Potential emotions:
Joy, anticipation, optimism
When you write, be:
Positive, friendly, clear
Interlibrary loan request is ready.2
Why: Expecting communication
Interface language and microcopy
Good news! Your
interlibrary loan request is
ready. Sign in to access
and download it.
Interlibrary loan request is ready.2
Why: Expecting communication
Interface language and microcopy
Similar content:
● Hold is ready
Similar, but opposite:
● Couldn’t fill request
Learned about an event in the email newsletter3
Potential emotions:
Interest, distraction, curiosity
When you write, be:
Enthusiastic, engaging, personal
Why: Sphere of life
Outreach and marketing
Learned about an event in the newsletter3
Be casual and talk to your readers
like friends.
Keep it useful and interesting.
Prioritize your content.
Use specific subject lines.
Why: Sphere of life
Outreach and marketing
Learned about an event in the newsletter3
Similar scenarios:
● Follower on social media
● Friend shared or retweeted
● Word of mouth
Why: Sphere of life
Outreach and marketing
Learned about an event from the library’s blog3
Potential emotions:
Interest, anticipation, trust
When you write, be:
Casual, friendly, genuine
Why: Active library user
Editorial
Learned about an event from the library’s blog3
Write clear titles.
Use writing for the web best
practices for readability.
Develop topics and keep a
calendar, don’t write just to write.
Why: Active library user
Editorial
Voice and Tone
Voice
Tone
If your library were a person, how would you describe them?
How do you want people to feel when they visit your library on the web?
Consider times a shift in tone may be needed.
Reality (and encouragement, too)
Jump on opportunities. Chip away. Piece by piece. Project by project. Keep the big picture in sight.
Be a content advocate. Make others aware of these touchpoints.
Favorite reads..
How to Make Sense of Any Mess by Abby Covert
Nicely Said by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
Useful, Usable, Desirable by Aaron Schmidt and
Amanda Etches
Gather Content blog
https://gathercontent.com/blog/
Voice & Tone
http://voiceandtone.com
All images either owned by me or in the public domain. Thanks Pixabay!
