Sara Wachter-BoettcherCS NYC – February 2013

Preparing your content—and

your company

-READYFUTURE

‘‘Every client, in my experience, has a content problem.

Mark Boulton, Web Directions South

responsive design mobile-first cross-channel experiences read-it-later apps api-driven design lazy-loading adaptive experiences linked-data mashups web-enabled tvs future-friendly thinking multi-screen strategies flexible grids mobile-only users web-connected cars

responsive design mobile-first cross-channel experiences read-it-later apps api-driven design lazy-loading adaptive experiences linked-data mashups web-enabled tvs future-friendly thinking multi-screen strategies flexible grids mobile-only users web-connected cars

THERE’S NO MORE HIDING FROM IT.

‘‘In traditional media, canvas dimensions are a known constraint... With digital, however, the canvas is an unknown.Instead, we need to build on what we do know: content.

Chris Armstrong, “The Infinite Grid”

Everyone agrees: We’ve got to deal with content. For reals.

and yet:

WE’VE STILL GOT SO FAR TO GO.

Inaccessible.

Broken.

Missing.

Useless.

Even launching a new homepage is hard.

‘‘The Microsoft.com team built tools, guidelines, and processes to help localize everything from responsive images to responsive content into approximately 100 different markets... They adapted their CMS to allow Content Strategists to program content on the site.

Nishant Kothary,“The Story of the New Microsoft.com”

This is why mobile is so hard.

the web’s moving forward,

BUT OUR CONTENT’S STILL STUCK.

on the website”“just stick it up

www.flickr.com/photos/wordridden/6125516150/

We create content like this.

We create content like this.

CONTENT GOES HERE.

So we can do this.

www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829344565

So we can do this.

www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829344565

CONTENT GOES HERE.

But we end up with this.

But we end up with this.

CONTENT GOES HERE.

it’ll only get

By Eva-Lotta Lamm

worse

We don’t need more content. We need content that does more.

NPR’s Central CMS

Storage API

WebsitesMobile SitesAppsThird Parties

COPE: Create Once, Publish Everywhere

content likewater

www.flickr.com/photos/briangaid/2909765394/

Of course, content doesn’t just magically flow.

It takes infrastructure.

Which starts with content.

By Eva-Lotta Lamm

care and craft content takes

And a CMS to match

not just hierarchyinterconnection,

Of course, structured data isn’t new.

From Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL by Hugh E. Williams and David Lane (O’Reilly, 2003)

What?

No idea!

Huh?

The results just weren’t always great.

this didn’tfix it

By Eva-Lotta Lamm

www.melissaanddoug.com

arbitrarystructure isn’t

It’s about taking our content knowledge...

www.flickr.com/photos/darkfoxprime/4348506299/

patternsand finding

www.flickr.com/photos/peroshenka/408997641

not just “pages”

Patterns help establish content types.

...etc. etc. etc.

Event ListingsShowsBlog PostsArticlesProfilesBios Help ModulesPress ReleasesDirectoriesRecipesShows Product ListingsNews BriefsResearch Papers

Content types create a content system.

systems giveus options

By Eva-Lotta Lamm

We can’t manually manage how each bit of content looks.

But every bit of structure gives us the option to make a rule.

rules tell contentwhat to do

If [content type] is in [situation], then [do this with] the [content elements].

If [a recipe] is in [the app], then [include] the [ratings before the ingredients].

structure helpscontent move

Now, for the hard part.

our content’s stuck

BECAUSE WE ARE STUCK.

it’s people,not just tech

3CHALLENGESFOR OUR ORGANIZATIONS

mentality1. mass-production

LIFE magazine archives

People keep creating content the same way they always have: big WYSIWYG blobs.

THE PROBLEM

WYSIWYG or WYSIWTF?

THE REAL PROBLEMContent-producing roles aren’t tied to business strategy, goals, or vision—so those working in them see no reason to change.

www.flickr.com/photos/seattlemunicipalarchives/2710933334

that’s not my job! i just keep the production

line moving.

A BETTER WAYContent strategy bridges the gap between executive vision and daily execution, defining how content will serve strategy over time.

teams2. compartmentalized

Content-producing departments don’t communicate, or are even hostile to one another.

THE PROBLEM

protect the fiefdom!

www.flickr.com/photos/domhill/7190797128/

Government is notorious for this.

This is duplicative and inefficient. Not to mention confusing as hell.

THE REAL PROBLEMDepartments that are always focused on themselves are not thinking about their customers.

www.flickr.com/photos/red_devil/4728500604

the underpantsproblem

‘‘Customers don't know—and don't care to know—how government is organized. So why make them go from agency [website] to agency [website] to get the full picture of what gov't has to offer on any subject?

Participant, National Dialogue onImproving Government Websites

A BETTER WAYTranscend silos with cross-department teams focused on tackling a single issue. Empower them to spread new ideas.

www.flickr.com/photos/expertinfantry/5416964813

control3. obsession with

THE PROBLEMStakeholders don’t get digital—they want everything fixed in place, like print, before approval.

terrifies themuser control

THE REAL PROBLEMThe organization isn’t built for change—and suddenly, things are changing fast. Rather than adapt, it’s trying to stop the shift.

keep movingthings will

It’s not just dealing with mobile. It’s becoming an organization that’s adept at change.

A BETTER WAY

good news!

CONTENT STRATEGISTS CAN HELP

excited bunchwe’re an

LIFE magazine archives

It’s time we share that passion with the whole organization.

3WAYS TO MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN

Make mobile an entry point, not the end point.1

‘‘Use mobile as a wedge to create a better experience for ALL users.

Karen McGrane

Also true for changing organizations.

break down doorsuse mobile to

www.flickr.com/photos/justin-march/3720489344/

Don’t sell solutions. Invest more deeply. 2

save the daywe don’t

messy workit’s hard,

www.flickr.com/photos/trondheim_byarkiv/4773880876

Do less.Facilitate more. 3

After the CMS is updated...

Or the API is launched...

The content will still need help.

to fish...teach ’em

Find the people your work affects, and incorporate them from the start.

And finally, there’s you.

the futurewe can’t see

By Eva-Lotta Lamm

but we canplay a role in it

THANK YOU,

NYC CS!

Flickr images used via CC-Attribution license unless otherwise noted. Illustrations used with the permission of Eva-Lotta Lamm.

Content Everywhere is available now!http://rfld.me/content-everywhere

sarawb.com // @sara_ann_marie