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How to design a content production process for your next website project
with Liam King
www.gathercontent.com
Recording
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WELCOME TO THE SHOW...
In the next 50 mins (or so) we’re going to cover:
➔ the stages of content production➔ content people➔ how to co-design a content production plan➔ common content issues / recommendations➔ Q&A
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WHY LISTEN TO ME?
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Do any of these sound familiar?➔ content is often underestimated and delays the launch➔ in house teams are already juggling business as usual and other
project responsibilities➔ difficult to ensure content consistency➔ the overall user experience suffers
WHY DO WE NEED BETTER CONTENT PLANS?
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Content production stages
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OUR EXAMPLE PAGE
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
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Content “hats”
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THE COPYWRITER/S
SKILLS➔ writing for the web
experience➔ ability to apply style guide➔ domain knowledge (ideally)
RESPONSIBILITIES➔ research and consult subject
experts➔ draft and revise the content➔ source relevant media
They may be existing in-house staff, from the agency, or a third party.
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THE SENIOR EDITOR
SKILLS➔ significant digital
communication experience➔ intimate with the project
objectives➔ domain knowledge (ideal)➔ relationship with subject
experts
RESPONSIBILITIES➔ QA review all content➔ own and enforce style guide➔ own the content production
process
Ideally appointed from the in house team.
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THE SUBJECT EXPERTS
SKILLS➔ an authoritative voice➔ access to accurate info➔ values communicating their
subject➔ a willing project partner
RESPONSIBILITIES➔ available for consultation➔ provide info and data➔ review content for accuracy➔ ongoing ownership of
content after launch (ideal)
Typically from across the organisation.
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THE CMS EDITOR
SKILLS➔ confident with the CMS➔ experienced at populating
page templates
RESPONSIBILITIES➔ build pages from sitemap➔ import content into CMS➔ add links, images and files➔ apply meta data such as
taxonomy labels➔ format to work online
Should have ongoing responsibility for maintaining the site.
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Co-designing a process
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WORKSHOP GOALS
➔ (begin) to design an appropriate process for the scenario➔ explore the challenge of content production as a content team➔ identify gaps and red flags early➔ create a moment to put content is centre stage in the project➔ content team adopt and own their design solution ➔ inform content governance (post project / launch)
Run the workshop as early as possible in the project!
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PREPARE FOR THE WORKSHOP
➔ run time: 120 mins➔ invite project owner, senior editor, writer rep/s, CMS editor rep/s,
subject expert rep/s (5-8 people)➔ book a large room with wall space and break out areas➔ materials: lots of post it notes, coloured sharpies, A2 blank
sheets, latest UX design print offs
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KICKING OFF THE WORKSHOP
10 mins➔ who am I and my role in this project➔ background to project / workshop goals➔ running time and agenda➔ round the table intros, inc. connection to the content➔ workshop principles
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20-30 minsTASK: What are the appropriate workflow steps for producing this example piece of content for the new site during the project?
➔ split into teams (with mix of roles)➔ share a generic process diagram as a model➔ give a specific page example, e.g. International student visas➔ share print outs of the latest UX designs for that content type➔ use a post it for each stage (to move them around)
STAGE #1 - MAP YOUR PRODUCTION PROCESS
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STAGE #1 - MAP YOUR PRODUCTION PROCESS
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10 minsTASK: Assign and label a person or role to each stage in your process➔ are all the assigned roles already filled?➔ is the same person or role appearing time and again?➔ are the named people aware of the project and their
responsibilities on it?Tip: use colour-coded stick-men or post its to quickly visualise recurring roles
STAGE #2 - ADD THE HUMANS
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10 minsTASK: Highlight and annotate potential pain-points in your process
➔ consider bottlenecks, known issues, lack of skills, internal politics
➔ give them red dots for visual impact
STAGE #3 - CALL OUT THE PAIN POINTS!
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15 mins (if you have time to spare!)TASK: Develop ideas that could help to mitigate or smooth out the potential pain points
➔ consider the use of software, systems, and tools ➔ your current techniques➔ communication and stakeholder management techniques
STAGE #3A - DESIGN SOLUTIONS
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10 minsTASK: Estimate in fractions of hours how much effort each step may realistically take and total them
➔ the total effort per page of content, NOT the timespan [duration] for each stage
➔ be realistic and go with previous experience➔ be cautious until proven otherwise during the project
STAGE #4 - ESTIMATE EFFORT
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STAGE #5 - PITCH AND CRITIQUE THE PROCESS
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10 mins (per team)TASK: Present your process for the rest of the team to critique
➔ video record the pitch and critique to watch back later➔ encourage the group to ask questions and clarifications➔ wrap up the workshop➔ take lots of high-res pics of the outputs and back up ASAP
STAGE #5 - PITCH AND CRITIQUE THE PROCESS
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Some recurring issues I’ve had to deal with in my workshops:
➔ trying to perfect the process➔ it descends into therapy (for past experiences)➔ shut up and get it written down!➔ someone is going to get pissed off with the bigger project➔ “But we don’t know what we need to produce yet!”➔ content team gets scared and deflated by realisation
MY WORKSHOP BATTLE SCARS
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The content production plan
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Most of the work has been done in the workshop, now it just needs to be pulled together:➔ merge and refine the outputs of the workshop to produce v1.0 of
the content production diagram➔ pull out any insights and concerns and make recommendations
to mitigate ➔ make a decision about the tools to manage the process➔ issue the plan to the content team and gather feedback
ISSUE A CONTENT PRODUCTION PLAN
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CONTENT PRODUCTION PROCESS DIAGRAM V1
➔ clear stages➔ stage owners➔ breakdown of
activities➔ effort estimates➔ print friendly
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COMMON RECOMMENDATIONS (TO FINISH ON)
I often find myself recommending the same things:➔ engage the subject expert content owners ASAP➔ hire pro-writers (it is worth the cost)➔ prioritise (and reprioritise content for first phase / launch)➔ be clear and strict about the role and remits of reviewers ➔ don’t allow reviewers to make edits directly➔ don’t start writing until a style guide is issued
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THANKS FOR LISTENING!