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!

@liamkingwww.lagomstrategy.netliam@lagomstrategy.net

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