how to design a content production process for your next website project
DESCRIPTION
You can watch the full webinar recording at: http://blog.gathercontent.com/how-to-create-content-production-planTRANSCRIPT
How to design a content production process for your next website project
with Liam King
www.gathercontent.com
Recording
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
WHY LISTEN TO ME?
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?
Content production stages
OUR EXAMPLE PAGE
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
A TYPICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS
Content “hats”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Co-designing a process
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!
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
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
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
STAGE #1 - MAP YOUR PRODUCTION PROCESS
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
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!
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
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
STAGE #5 - PITCH AND CRITIQUE THE PROCESS
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
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
The content production plan
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
CONTENT PRODUCTION PROCESS DIAGRAM V1
➔ clear stages➔ stage owners➔ breakdown of
activities➔ effort estimates➔ print friendly
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
THANKS FOR LISTENING!