Workhorse Strategy for Workhorse Content by Rahel Bailie Presentation given to CHI*Atlanta UX Group in January 2010

1. Workhorse Strategy
for Workhorse Content
Rahel Anne Bailie
Intentional Design Inc.
www.intentionaldesign.ca

2. Definition
Content (n.):
• Human-usable,
contextualized data
• Something contained,
as in a receptacle

3. The distinction
You can’t design for
Lorem Ipsum text

4. Assumption Users want
Content is the treasure at the end of
the treasure hunt.
content.
If the content is not up to snuff, your
UX isn’t complete.

5. Persuasive
Genres
Marketing Informational
Infotainment
Instructive
Educational Informational
Procedural
Entertainment
Dramatic Humorous Fiction
Documentary

6. Formats
Delivery Text Graphics Images Video Audio
Outputs
Print
Print PDF optimized for print
Browser
Website Intranet Extranet Wiki
Software interface Knowledge base
User forums Training
Utility
XML Other XML schema

7. Transferrable • Minimalism: minimalist
concepts content (+ plain language +
semantic structure +
translation-readiness)
• Design pattern libraries:
content component
libraries
• Multichannel service:
multichannel publishing

8. • Multi-channel publishing
Typical CS
(Web, print, etc)
• Product lifecycle content
(specs, descriptions, UA,
tech marketing)
• Web sites and apps

9. Framework
Content strategy:
A repeatable system
that governs
management of
content throughout the
entire content lifecycle

10. • Requirements • Acquire
• Personas, use • Author
cases, scenarios • Edit
• Governance • Metadata
• Budget
Analyze Collect
Publish Manage
• Aggregate • Configure
• Transform • Componentize
• Present • Structure (XML)
• Syndicate • Repository
• Revise/sunset
The Content Lifecycle

11. Case study
Content strategy for
single-sourcing of
product content

12. Project goals • Better user experience –
SaaS
• Faster time to market –
competitive advantage
• Savings – production and
translation
• Efficiency – easier internal
processes
• Brand – contemporary look

13. UX team builds UA product content directly into the interface
User Interface
For example: Menu | Menu | Menu | Menu | Menu
Here Window A Window B
and here
and here

14. The content is written in a source file ... and syndicated into the UI.
User Interface
Typical DITA task* Menu | Menu | Menu | Menu | Menu
<Task><Title>Title [w variable]</title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc> Window A Window B
<TaskBody><Steps>
<Step><Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult></step>
</steps> ?
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>
DITA XML = Darwin Information Typing Architecture
3 topic types: concept, task, reference
OASIS standard at http://docs.oasis-open.org/dita/v1.1/CD01/overview/overview.html

15. Single-sourcing, with external variables, to multiple outputs.
User Interface
Typical DITA task* Menu | Menu | Menu | Menu | Menu
<Task><Title>Title [Client Label]</title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc> Window A Variable B
<LearnObj>Learning Objective</learnobj>
<TaskBody><Steps>
<Step><Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult></step> ?
</steps>
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>
Taxonomy File Learning Centre Object
EN Title [w variable]
Window A Help Topic Content Object
Learning Objective
Term A Title [w variable]
Term B 1. Short Description Base Object
StepKnowledge
Window B = Variable Step Title [w variable]
info
Term A 1. Step
Step Step
1. results
Term C Task results info
Step
Step info
Step results
Step results
Task results
Task results
[Added call centre comments]

16. Implications for Proposed Method
• Can’t simply migrate content into new software
• Moving from old method (manuals / desktop / spaghetti code content)
to new method (topics / Web / object-oriented content) means major
rewrite = initial significant cost
• The new UI has additional content types
• UA is embedded in the UI, so it must be created, created well, and
display reliably

17. Comparison
Typical per-module cost (existing) Typical per-module cost (proposed)
• $220 per topic • $120 per topic
• 1350 topics • 670 unique topics
• $297,000 per average module • $80,400 per average module
• 30% revised topics • 15% revised topics
• $89,100 per average revision • $12,060 per average revision
• $ 97,200 average localization • $24,120 average localization
cost into 4 languages cost into 4 languages
• Cost of initial dev: $297,000 • Cost of initial dev: $80,400
• Cost of revision: $186,300 • Cost of revision: $36,180

18. Position
Content drives the
user experience.

19. User goal
Get content:
1. Find it.
2. Consume it.
3. Act on it.

20. Reminder • Users don’t care
about the content
genre or whose
department it is to
supply it
• To content
consumers, it’s all
“just content”

21. Update the site/product:
Interpretation • Better content for
increased user engagement
• Better content for more
satisfying user experience
• Easier content update
processes
• Contemporary look and
better content
• Deliver content by adopting
newer technologies

22. The UCD process
Phase Sequencing
User research (w content)
Personas (w content)
Scenarios (w content)
Paper prototype
Usability testing
Wireframes (w content)
Usability testing
Development and design
Usability testing
Testing (w content)
Launch
Maintain
Embed content aspect into each phase of the UCD process.

23. The content process
Phase Sequencing
Goals/Objectives
Inventory/Audit
Categorize/classify
Map content flow
Map work processes
Develop content model
Set up taxonomy
Assign metadata
Creation/editing
Automation
Launch
Maintain

24. UCD process
Identify need for
user-centered
design content
Specify
context of use
System
Evaluate
satisfies Specify
design
content specified requirements
requirements
Produce design
content solutions
As shown on the Usability Professionals’ Association site

25. Content
capabilities Content must be able to:
• Integrate
– Embed data into content
• Converge
– Show content from multiple
sources in single display
• Syndicate
– Send content out on
demand

26. Content attributes So content must be:
• Well-formed
– 4 Cs, right tone, etc
• Structured
– XML, xHTML, accessible
• Semantic
– Have meaningful metadata
• Standards-based
– OASIS (DITA, DocBook, etc.)

27. Rahel Anne Bailie,
Thank you Content Strategist
Intentional Design Inc.
+1.604.837.0034
www.linkedin.com/in/rahelannebailie
www.google.com/profiles/rahel.bailie
www.intentionaldesign.ca