Content, context, and community

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Content, Context, Community Eric Reiss @elreiss CS Forum July 2, 2014 Frankfurt, Germany

description

Professional factions have made it impossible for the business community to make educated decisions - or even understand what the hell we do. Content strategists scream “Content is King.” The information architects yell “Structure the kingdom.” The SEO folks say, “There is no data without metadata.” The interaction designers insist “While any software system introduces some kind of formalization of the world, HCI (like AI) deals with formalizations of human cognition and activity. These are the issues that have lay at the heart of philosophical debate for centuries. In some ways, it would be hard to imagine a more philosophical enterprise.” And the business community says, “screw you.” To which the advertising agencies say “We can solve your problem. Don’t ask how we do it, but we can. Just throw money in our direction.” Guess who gets the money thrown at them? If content is king, context must certainly be the “kingdom.” Perhaps it is time for us to start thinking about the context of professional communities. Far too often, “user experience” becomes the elephant described by the blind men – each community is convinced that their unique vantage point is the proper one. As content strategists, what can we do to build professional context, and thus convince the business community that our work truly does have value. This is our common challenge. Let this talk be a call to action to all media professionals. To stop fighting each other, but instead to take up the battle with an uninformed and confused populace – people who mean well, but don’t know what to do about it.

Transcript of Content, context, and community

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Content, Context, Community

Eric Reiss@elreiss

CS ForumJuly 2, 2014

Frankfurt, Germany

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Disclaimer

Absolutely no attempt has been madeto make this presentation politically correct.

If you can’t handle the real world,take your coffee break early. Like now.

No animals were harmed during the productionof this PowerPoint (even though I tried).

Made entirely of recycled electrons.

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WMCWeapon of Mass Communication

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� The current business mentality� The current UX/CS environment� Getting to the boardroom� What to do when you get there

Our agenda the next 40 minutes

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The current business mentality

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Survival is more important than success

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“This is not the time to take risks”

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“There is safety in charismatic leaders”

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“There is safety in charismatic leaders”

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(Often, they don’t recognize false prophets)

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The current UX/CS environment

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Which tool would you NOT want to have if you were building a house?

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Pick me! Pick me!

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User Experience

CS IA SD IxD GD PM KM DM SEO SM MKT IT

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Webmaster WebmasterVisual designerCopywriter

DeveloperVisual designerInformation architectCopywriter

Front-end engineerFull-stack developerVisual designerUI designerInteraction designerContent strategistInformation architectContent providersSEO consultantSocial media guruProduct managerProject managerToken baby-boomer

1995 1998 2000 2014

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Clients know what they want

But we know what they need

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Clients know what they want

But we know what they need

This is the fatal disconnect

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Information Architecture

Knowledge management Personas

Scenarios

Thesauri

Sensemaking

Accessibility

Storytelling

Usability

Findability

Content strategy

Mental models

Experience design

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We are here

The moneyis here!

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Getting to the boardroom

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“Nowadays, people knowthe price of everythingand the value of nothing.”

Oscar Wilde

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� Do something quick and easy that makes your client look good(show that positive change is not impossible)

� Make sure the manager knows that you know they are calling the shots(Don’t threaten, be supportive)

� Find out what the this person has in terms of personal goals and hidden agendas(there is always a hidden agenda)

� Avoid talking about legacy decisions(don’t become a scapegoat)

Before you ever get to the elevator...

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Will your client be comfortable taking you upstairs?

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Let’s visit our doctor...

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So, let’s talk about clothes for a moment

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Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

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“If you get me into the boardroom,I will make you proud of me. And that will further your career.”

[your name here]

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What to do when you get there

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“There are but two levers withwhich to set a man in motion –fear and self-interest.”

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It’s all Greek to me....

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„Es hört jeder doch nur,was er versteht.“

Goethe

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“He hears only thatwhich he understands”

Goethe

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“He hears only thatwhich he understands”

Goethe

CS

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Don’t speak geek

Don’t speak geek!

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Solve problems, don’t create them

Solve problems. Don’t create them.

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Don’t attack other disciplinesDon’t attack other disciplines!

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Think beyond your own self-interest

Think beyond your own self-interest.

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Harvard Business Review, June 2014

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Ten things to remember

1. Look like you belong there2. Don’t let gender get in the way3. Exude confidence and leadership ability4. Take charge of a situation that scares them5. Find a champion. Become a protégé.6. Don’t argue with the CEO or Chairman7. Don’t use business terms you don’t understand8. Don’t make CS sound complicated9. Walk them through a proven process10. Show them the money

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And in summary

Yourpicturehere.

Play nice Take control Be adult

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And finally, our new mantra...And finally, our new mantra....

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Sell crackers, not crumbs!

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Danke!

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Eric Reiss can (usually) be found at:

The FatDUX Group ApSStrandøre 152100 CopenhagenDenmark

Office: (+45) 39 29 67 77Mobil: (+45) 20 12 88 44Twitter: @[email protected]