Content ManagementResearch and Recommendations for:

John Coyle | Nikki DuJardin | Emily Dixon

Intent

Purpose of project:

• Examine the content strategy of an existing organization.

• Develop observations and recommendations that aim to benefit the organization’s effectiveness in content production, dissemination, and storage.

Deliverables

Landscape Analysis• Identifies 3 organizations that operate in the same space.

Content Audit• Assesses the current content situation of REI.

Diagrams of Actors and Workflow • Identifies who is writing for REI and how this is accomplished.

Final Report• Addresses all the findings of the research team, plus

recommendations for the future.

Stakeholder Profile

• The University Center for Regional Economic Innovation (REI) is operated in affiliation with the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) and Michigan State University (MSU).

• Mission: To build a new economic development ecosystem, leveraging higher education assets to support the co-creation, co-application, and dissemination of innovative economic development strategies.

• Small and young organization

• Development of unique content types

Main Content Types

Co-Learning Plans • Key objective of the co-learning plans is to create actionable knowledge

and to design and implement innovative development strategies to accelerate competitive success in the global economy.

Student-Led Faculty Guided Project• These projects are based in colleges and universities across the

state and assist Michigan communities in completing local and regional economic development initiatives.

Webinars • Facilitates the dissemination of project results/updates and

allows networking with a live audience.

REI Workflow

REI Resources

Strengths• REI develops and releases valuable and quality content. • Gain valuable knowledge about this audience through the use

of an network induction form.

• Google Analytics provides helpful insights on user interaction.

• All content released is required to be accessible to all viewers.

• Access and sharing of documents within the organization is efficient.

• Links posted to social media outlets are engaging and also relevant to the organizations mission.

Weaknesses• Content on the website is not presented in a way that

effectively highlights the most current content.

• High turnover rate of student Research Assistants creates a knowledge gap about content production and workflows.

• No official documentation for file naming and sharing

conventions or content styling within the organization.

• Current projects have no description attached to them on the website.

RecommendationsAttach additional information to current projects.

• To stimulate more dialogue within REI’s audience by providing main points that may relate to their own areas of expertise and generate excitement for presentations of the research at the annual summit.

• Examples of possible content to be attached to current projects: a short description of project goals and themes; pictures of content author(s) and subject material; short bio for author(s); related links; etc.

Recommendations

• This must present content that is consistently the most current news as well as making apparent actions the user is encouraged to take.

• Examples of possible changes to the website homepage: rotating feature section that can easily draw from website content; large buttons that invite users to suggest innovations and join the network.

Revise homepage content and presentation.

Recommendations

• Uniformity in file structure and syntax will increase productivity by cutting away time spent searching.

• Examples of common practices: name files with a descriptive title, date saved, draft number, and initials of the employee; create folders to consolidate related files.

Develop and train employees in proper file naming and organization.

Recommendations

• Consistent use of certain styling elements across all publications helps establish a recognizable brand and builds credibility and trust with the audience.

• Examples of possible style guide points: established color palette with accompanying hex codes (identification numbers) so they may be replicated exactly and consistently; identify preferred fonts for heading text, body text, etc; reasoning and philosophy behind style choices.

Create style guides for published content.

Recommendations

• When student employees leave, they sometimes take valuable and necessary knowledge with them about workflows that they followed to create a desired product.

• Examples of possible policies to enact: orientation period for new employees that entails typical tasks and workflows of the position; solicit activity documentation and instructions from extended student employees; assure that all files that employee worked on are still accessible to REI personal after departure.

Provide more thorough structure for orientation and decommission of student employees.

Thanks to…

It was great working with you!