Content strategy in technical communication

Developing a tech comm content strategy

Sarah O’KeefeScriptorium Publishing

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Administrative details

❖ Yes, you can have the slides.

❖ Sorry, there is no transcript.

❖ Please ask questions.

❖ My Twitter ID: @sarahokeefe

Sarah O’Keefe

❖ Founder and president, Scriptorium Publishing

❖ Content strategy fortechnical communication

❖ Interested in collision ofcontent, publishing, andtechnology

Sarah O’Keefe

❖ Founder and president, Scriptorium Publishing

❖ Content strategy fortechnical communication

❖ Interested in collision ofcontent, publishing, andtechnology

Lipstick?!

Content strategy is…

❖ “The practice of planning for content creation, delivery, and governance” - Kristina Halverson (@halvorson)

❖ “A repeatable process or methodology that manages content within the entire content lifecycle” - Rahel Bailie (@rahelab)

Develop

Destroy

Deploy

Deliver

Or this…

Develop

❖ Authoring and editing

❖ Storage

❖ Management

❖ Reuse

❖ Localization

Deliver

❖ Determine deliverable formats

❖ Generate deliverables from content

Deploy

❖ Distribute to a public web server

❖ Package in a software build

❖ Send to printer and ship to customers

❖ Manage access restrictions

Destroy

❖ Archive

❖ Delete

❖ Revoke

❖ Expire

What’s different about tech comm content strategy?❖ Web content strategy: persuasive content

❖ Tech comm: technology transfer

❖ “Buy our stuff” versus “use our stuff”

Wandering the desert…

flickr: joni1973

Step 1: Determine business goals for tech comm content❖ Regulatory requirements

❖ Company positioning

❖ Avoid more expensive support options

❖ Marketing

KayakStackers

1033394A-1/12

IMPORTANT WARNINGIT IS CRITICAL THAT ALL YAKIMA RACKS AND ACCESSORIES BE PROPERLY AND SECURELY ATTACHED TO YOUR VEHICLE. IMPROPER ATTACHMENT COULD RESULT IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT, AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU OR TO OTHERS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING THE RACKS AND ACCESSORIES TO YOUR CAR, CHECKING THE ATTACHMENTS PRIOR TO USE, AND PERIODICALLY INSPECTING THE PRODUCTS FOR ADJUSTMENT, WEAR, AND DAMAGE. THEREFORE, YOU MUST READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AND CAUTIONS SUPPLIED WITH YOUR YAKIMA PRODUCT PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OR USE. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AND CAUTIONS, OR IF YOU HAVE NO MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE AND ARE NOT THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE INSTALLATION PROCEDURES, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE PRODUCT INSTALLED BY A PROFESSIONAL INSTALLER SUCH AS A QUALIFIED GARAGE OR AUTO BODY SHOP.

Part #1033394 Rev.A

KAYAK STACKER (2X)

CARRIAGE BOLTS (4X)

HEAVY DUTY STRAPS (2X)

SNAP AROUNDS (4X)

HEX KEYS (4X)

(Refer to bow/stern tie down instructions for correct assembly and installation.)

BOW/STERN TIE DOWN (2X)

MINIMUM CROSSBAR SPREAD 30”Legal priorities

KayakStackers

1033394A-1/12

IMPORTANT WARNINGIT IS CRITICAL THAT ALL YAKIMA RACKS AND ACCESSORIES BE PROPERLY AND SECURELY ATTACHED TO YOUR VEHICLE. IMPROPER ATTACHMENT COULD RESULT IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT, AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU OR TO OTHERS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING THE RACKS AND ACCESSORIES TO YOUR CAR, CHECKING THE ATTACHMENTS PRIOR TO USE, AND PERIODICALLY INSPECTING THE PRODUCTS FOR ADJUSTMENT, WEAR, AND DAMAGE. THEREFORE, YOU MUST READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AND CAUTIONS SUPPLIED WITH YOUR YAKIMA PRODUCT PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OR USE. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AND CAUTIONS, OR IF YOU HAVE NO MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE AND ARE NOT THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE INSTALLATION PROCEDURES, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE PRODUCT INSTALLED BY A PROFESSIONAL INSTALLER SUCH AS A QUALIFIED GARAGE OR AUTO BODY SHOP.

Part #1033394 Rev.A

KAYAK STACKER (2X)

CARRIAGE BOLTS (4X)

HEAVY DUTY STRAPS (2X)

SNAP AROUNDS (4X)

HEX KEYS (4X)

(Refer to bow/stern tie down instructions for correct assembly and installation.)

BOW/STERN TIE DOWN (2X)

MINIMUM CROSSBAR SPREAD 30”Legal priorities

20% of front page

Strong branding

Do not adjust your TV…

This probably doesn’t help sales…

Reduce support calls…

What he said.

Twitter: @mbakeranalecta, November 12, 2011

flickr: amagill

Business goal examples

❖ Meet regulatory requirements

❖ Reduce volume of support calls

❖ Avoid legal exposure

❖ Increase product market share by highlighting feature set

❖ Increase product visibility

❖ Build user community and thus loyalty

Step 2: Strategy

flickr: Rudy Letsche

The more common (and bad) approach❖ Tools & technologies

❖ Tactics

❖ Strategy

❖ Implementation

It’s your responsibility.

flickr: Michael Gwyther-Jones

A better way…

❖ Goal

❖ Strategy

❖ Tactics

❖ Implementation

❖ Tools

❖ Technology

Strategy examples

❖ Provide customers with multiple ways to access needed information

❖ Embed information in software

❖ Deliver content that complies with regulations (duh)

❖ Deliver attractive content for improved market positioning

I hate you now.

Step 3: Tactics

❖ Implementation

❖ Tools

❖ Technology

How do we get there from here?

flickr: aigle_dore

Tools & technologyflickr: casarico

Constraints

flickr: quinnanya

❖ Financial

❖ Organizational

❖ Regulatory

❖ Legal

❖ Cultural

Think inside the box?

Possible solutions

BudgetLeg

Organization

lations

SkillsRisk

Choose wisely…flickr: prilfish

The wrong tool means big trouble!

flickr: antarcticabound

The wrong tool means big trouble!

flickr: antarcticabound

The asteroid is coming

flickr: edsweeney

Determining tactics

❖ Best delivery format?

❖ Best way to create that format?

All technology is risky.flickr: mockstar

Risk types

❖ Implementation risk

❖ Obsolescence

❖ Market share

❖ Technical deficiencies

Pick your poisonallaboutprops.com

Business value must drive strategy.

flickr: zoomzoom

You need a different perspective.flickr: petrifiedforestranger

Contact info

❖ Sarah O’Keefe

❖ okeefe@scriptorium.com

❖ Twitter: @sarahokeefe

❖ www.scriptorium.com

❖ BTW, we’re hiring.

Content strategy in technical communication

Technology

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