Defining the content strategy is the easy part. But how are you actually going to make it work? Not just today, but tomorrow, and next year, and the year after that? How can you continually evolve and mature your internal content practices, create rock-star content teams, and produce better content faster? Sound magical? Nope, it’s just good content governance.
11. Enterprises fail at executionfail at executionfail at executionfail at execution because
they neglectneglectneglectneglect the most powerful
drivers of effectiveness:
decisiondecisiondecisiondecision rightsrightsrightsrights &&&& information flowinformation flowinformation flowinformation flow.
Harvard Business Review, The Secrets to Successful StrategyThe Secrets to Successful StrategyThe Secrets to Successful StrategyThe Secrets to Successful Strategy ExecutionExecutionExecutionExecution bybybyby
Gary L. Neilson, Karla L. Martin, Elizabeth Powers, June 2008.
12. Melissa’s Bio
• Grew up wrestling
crocodiles in
Australia
• Transitioned out of
marketing into
content strategy
• Fell in love with
supporting change
Today I help change the way people think about content through teaching,
mentoring, partnering with others, and running workshops.
13. Kathy’s Bio
• Grew up reading and
daydreaming
• Moved through technical
communications &
customer experience
• Have been doing content
strategy my entire life
Today I help change the way people think about content by shining a light in
dark corners and cleaning out content cobwebs.
16. And what about you?
• 73% work in a company
• 15% work in an agency
• 12% work in an NGO
17. And what about you?
• 60% are just getting started in content
governance.
• 25% are already awesome at it and want to
swap notes.
• 15% don’t know where they fit, but seem
pretty worried about content governance.
18. • Personal intro
• One thing you love
• What’s important to
you about content
governance and
why?
Small Group Introductions
24. What to expect:
1. Introduction to topic
2. Individual exercise
3. Large group exercise
4. Sharing
25. In this workshop, you’ll learn
how to identify, define, and
evangelize content
governance solutions for
your organization.
26. Your goals:
• Different approaches and models
• How to convince stakeholders
• Practical tools
• Metrics-based governance
• Best practices
• Collaborative problem solving
• Get a plan, and a plan for making the plan happen
35. Content Process Maturity Model
Get a detailed version of this model here: http://www.contentstrategyinc.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Content-Strategy-
Inc-Content-Maturity-Model-2014.pdf
46. What do we hear
from clients?
“This is so embarrassing. We’re the
worst.”
“But nobodynobodynobodynobody does it well, do they?”
“In some ways we’re managed and
sustained, and in other ways, we’re
ad hoc.”
47. What we heard
from you:
We have no
formalized process.
We have very little
content governance.
We’re a well-oiled
machine.
58. CharacteristicCharacteristicCharacteristicCharacteristic ExplanationExplanationExplanationExplanation
Leadership How content strategic vision, direction, and oversight is
provided.
Ownership How accountability is assigned to make sure that
content aligns with vision.
Author distribution How authors are distributed in and between
departments.
Authoring roles How content roles are assigned and distributed. (Eg:
Subject expert, writer, editor, etc)
Approval process How approval roles are distributed throughout roles,
departments, and the content process.
Publishing rights How rights to use the CMS to create, edit, delete,
change, or publish content are assigned.
What are the governing
responsibilities?
59. There are 4 different models:
• Informal
• Centralized
• Decentralized
• Hybrid
60. Image adapted from Jason Mogus:
http://communicopia.com/insights/four-models-for-managing-digital
61. Advantages:
• Easy to identify
content champions
• Low cost
Disadvantages:
• Too many to list
62. Image adapted from Jason Mogus:
http://communicopia.com/insights/four-models-for-managing-digital
63. Advantages:
• Strategic alignment
• Global consistency
• Quality content
• Content reuse and
repurposing
• Simplified project
management
• Skill building
• Accountability
Disadvantages:
• Needs considerable
staff and resources.
• Relies on process for
cross-functional
communication.
• Can form a
bottleneck if not
efficient and
responsive.
64. Centralized and decentralized models refer to
the reporting structure, not physical
distribution.
In a centralized model, writers can sit within
different product teams.
Important to note:
65. Important to note:
So that a
centralized
content team…
…can actually sit within multiple other teams.
66. Image adapted from Jason Mogus:
http://communicopia.com/insights/four-models-for-managing-digital
67. Advantages:
• Harness the efforts of
many authors
• Costs and resources are
spread throughout the
organization
• Reduces content
publishing bottleneck
• Easier to publish and
update quickly
Disadvantages:
• Editorial and quality
control checks are
difficult to implement.
• Global and strategic
coordination is
difficult.
• Often, non-writers
need to acquire
content and CMS
skills.
68. Image adapted from Jason Mogus:
http://communicopia.com/insights/four-models-for-managing-digital
72. As content specialists, we often prefer the
idea of a centralized model.
It allows for maximum control over content
strategy, quality, and functionality.
BUT…
73. “A hybrid model works
best for us.”
What do we hear
from clients?
80. 1. What are the barriers to changing
your content governance models?
Different group of 4 – 6.
Brainstorm & Discuss.
Use sticky notes, one idea per note:
2. What are the benefits of changing
your content governance models
81. Place your sticky notes on the wall,
in the Barriers and Benefits
sections.
89. What happens if rolesare not clear?
• Concern over who makes decisions
• Blaming others
• Out of balance workloads
• “Not sure, so take no action” attitude
• Questions about who does what
• A “we-they” attitude
• A reactive work environment
• Poor morale
• Don’t know where to go to get answers
99. RACI best practices:Responsible
One or more people need to be
responsible.
Things to think about:
• If one person has many Rs, they may have more
work than they can handle.
• If one deliverable or activity has many Rs, can
tasks be more streamlined so team members
have more autonomy?
100. RACI best practices:Accountable
Ideally, only one person should be
accountable.
Things to think about:
• If nobody is accountable, then there is a high
risk of not meeting project or strategic goals.
• For complex situations, there may need to be
more than one person accountable. This will
simply take longer to move through approvals.
101. RACI best practices:Consulted
Several people may be consulted.
Ensure two-way communication.
Things to think about:
• Too many Cs lead to swirl and slow down the
process.
• Too few Cs can result in poor quality through
lack of accuracy or strategic alignment.
102. RACI best practices:Informed
Several people may be informed.
Communication only goes one way.
Things to think about:
• If there are a lot of Is, find ways to inform people
in batches, at logical intervals.
• Develop a system (preferably automated) to
inform people.
103. A RACI can help at different levels
For example:
• Organizational content RACI
• Channel-specific content RACI
• Project-specific content RACI
108. What do we hear
from clients?
“Nobody wants to
give up control.”
“We don’t know
what anyone else does.”
“We’re all executers.
There are no leaders.”
114. Complete the RACI quiz
Use your work environment, or your
imagination + Oh My Kale Smoothie
Company (OMK) .
Share your answers and discuss with
a partner.
115. In different groups of 3 or 4:
Complete a RACI for a work scenario you’re
facing, or for this OMK scenario:
• Create 3 new web pages of step-by-step
instructions including photos and a video.
Tip:Tip:Tip:Tip: Take a look at the roles on the wall!
121. Business goals
• Align with business strategies
• Align with other business processes
• Reduce costs
• Reduce time to publication
• Meet the needs of products, devices, or
technologies
• Improve employee engagement and
satisfaction
• Improve consistency of customer experience
123. Employeeswant to:
• Do good work
• Feel ownership over their work
• Grow their skills
• Understand the bigger picture
• Enjoy what they do
• Enjoy who they work with
• Feel supported
125. Success criteria needs to tie into a
solid business strategyand high-
levelbusiness goals.
Include:
• Business goals
• Employee goals
126. Key PerformanceIndicators(KPIs)
Shape success criteria into specific,
prioritized performance goalsprioritized performance goalsprioritized performance goalsprioritized performance goals.
For example:
New content needs to be published 20%
faster than before.
Tip:Tip:Tip:Tip: Assign an owner for every KPI!
127. Metrics
Refine the KPIs into numeric, measurable
metrics.
For example:
• By year end, 80% of our content team will
be using the new processes.
• There is a 5% increase in employee
satisfaction scores from content
employees.
128. Benefits ofKPIs and metrics
They allow:
• Success to be assessed and celebrated
• ROI to be estimated
• Ongoing viability to be tracked
• Lessons to be learned
• A way to hold ourselves accountable
• A foundation for continuous improvement
151. Policies
Policies support decision making by
communicating company values or
mandates related to a specific area.
~ Dictionary.Reference.com
152. Create policies when:
• The actions of employees indicate confusion
about the most appropriate way to do things.
• Guidance is needed about the most suitable way
to handle various situations.
• Needed to protect the company legally.
• Needed to keep the company in compliance with
governmental policies and laws.
• Needed to establish consistent work standards,
rules, and regulations.
From: http://humanresources.about.com/od/policiesandsamples1/a/how_to_policy.htm
153. Policy example
All static web content needs to be
reviewed annually to ensure it
remains up-to-date, accurate, and
relevant.
156. Create decision trees when….
• You need to understand the problem, the options,
and the outcomes.
• You need to fully analyze the possible
consequences of a decision.
• You need make the best decisions on the basis of
existing information and best guesses.
157. Content types & attributes
Content types share a common structure and
purpose.
Content attributes are the chunks of content that
make up the structure.
These support editorial and design decision-
making by defining specific page constraints.
161. Define content types and attributes when:
• You want consistency across similar page
types.
• Content re-use is a current or upcoming
priority.
• You are moving towards an intelligent content
approach.
163. Use style guides when:
• You need consistency of style and usage across
multiple pages or multiple authors.
Eliminates the need for authors to constantly make
minor, often arbitrary, decisions.
BUT, make sure you have a maintenance plan!
167. What do we hear
from clients?
“The squeaky wheel gets their
content on the home page.”
“We keep inventing the wheel
again and again.”
“We have a style guide. It’s on the
shelf. It’s outdated.”
173. Group exercise: Tooltables x 2
1. Each table has a different tool.
2. Choose a table.
3. Practice creating a decision-making
support tool for your company or Oh My
Kale Smoothie Company (OMK).
4. Share and discuss with your table team.
5. When we signal 20 minute mark, move to
one more table.
174. 5 min: Personal
reflection…
Write down, or just close your
eyes and think about:
- How this can apply to work.
- Tools to investigate further.
- Questions you still have.
181. What is a businessprocess?
Process
Sub-process 1
trigger result
“A process is a collection of interrelated
activities, initiated by a triggering event,
which achieves a specific, discrete result.”
Sub-process
2
Sub-process 3 Sub-process
4
~ Alec Sharp, Workflow Modelling, 2008
183. Why formalize and standardize
processes?
To:
• Align operations with business strategy
• Improve team and cross-team communications
• Increase control and consistency
• Improve operational efficiencies
• Make training faster and easier
Basically, so that people know what they’re
supposed to do.
191. What do we hear
from clients?
“We don’t really follow any
organized process.”
(But they actually do!)
“Our team needs autonomy,
so they don’t want process.”
196. Group exercise
Complete this process:
Design & Create Content
Roles within the process:
1. Content designer
2. Writer
3. Illustrator
4. Editor
5. Publisher
197. Group exercise
We’ll assign you each a role in a content process.
Watch your team-mates, but don’t advise or consult.
That’s not your role!
When we ring the bell,When we ring the bell,When we ring the bell,When we ring the bell, the Content DesignerContent DesignerContent DesignerContent Designer will
open the secret sealed instructions.
There’s A PRIZE for the winning team!
Ready…. Set….
204. Howdo youknow which are the right
systems to use?
It depends!
On:
• Business and content goals
• Budget and resources
• Management and working style
• Use cases
206. A workflowis how the workmoves
within and between information
systems.
This includes both human/technology
interactions and automated processes.
Eg: CMS authoring workflow
207. Why formalize and standardize
workflow?
To get all the same benefits as other processes,
PLUS:
• Even greater reduction in cycle time
• Decreased human resource time, cost, and
dependency
• Reduction of risks and delays caused by
human error
• Improved and more efficient management
210. Howdo youknow if youneed a
workflow?
• Employees need to share information
• Processes are complex and dynamic
• There are urgent priority processes (events)
• Quality is the highest priority
• Processes are recurring
• Processes change over time
211. When planning IS and workflows
Think outside
of the content
team.
What other
departments or
functions need to
be included?
220. Workflowexercise in groups of3 or 4
Refer to the handout: Workflow Group Exercise
StepStepStepStep 1:1:1:1: Complete the worksheet handout.
Step 2:Step 2:Step 2:Step 2: Using a large poster paper, design a workflow
and then post it on the wall.
Reminder:Reminder:Reminder:Reminder:
A workflow is a kind of process.
Think about Trigger > Process > ResultTrigger > Process > ResultTrigger > Process > ResultTrigger > Process > Result.
228. What We Said and What We Did
WE SAIDWE SAIDWE SAIDWE SAID ACTIVITYACTIVITYACTIVITYACTIVITY DELIVEREDDELIVEREDDELIVEREDDELIVERED
Methodologies to help you discover
the best governance model
Governance models –
4 approaches
YES
How to view content creation as a
cross-functional process, regardless of
your governance model
Content Pillars
Roles
Process
YES
How to identify the information
systems, guidelines, and processes to
best support you
Workflow
Information Systems
Process
Content tools
RACI
YES
How to identify where your
organization fits in the content
maturity model, and how to progress
Content maturity model
Content Pillars
YES
229. What We Said and What We Did
WE SAIDWE SAIDWE SAIDWE SAID ACTIVITYACTIVITYACTIVITYACTIVITY DELIVEREDDELIVEREDDELIVEREDDELIVERED
The difference between process
and workflow
Process
Information Systems and
Workflow
YES
How, why, and when to articulate
and communicate content
processes and workflows through
different types of diagrams
Workflow
Information Systems
Process
Line of Visibility
RACI
YES
How to integrate the five content
support pillars above, at every
step
Governance definition
Maturity model
5 pillars
Governance models
Roles and Responsibility
Content success metrics
Decision making and support
Process
Workflow and Info Systems
YES
230. Walk around the room.
Write down the questions you still
have about:
• Content maturity model
• 5 pillars of content governance
• Content governance models
• Content roles and responsibilities
• Content governence success metrics
• Content decision-making and support
• Content processes
• Content information systems and workflows
233. “We cannot teach
people anything:
we can only help them
discover it within
themselves.”
Galileo Galilee
234. Commonchallenges
• Lack of resources
• Lack of cooperation or collaboration
• Lack of clear leadership and support
• Inability to set priorities
• Difficulty hiring skilled employees
• Lack of organizational maturity
246. 1. Practice content strategy
2. Demonstrate positive results
3. Provide tools and resources
4. Become expert content advisors
5. Advocate and educate
No controlor authority?
Influence like crazy!
249. How?
Complexity (orComplexity (orComplexity (orComplexity (or
simplicity):simplicity):simplicity):simplicity):
How easily can
people understand
the changes?
The Myths of Creativity: David Burkus
253. Tips for communicatingchange
1. Communicate in person
2. Talk about emotions
3. Be as honest as you can
4. Talk in plain language
5. Talk from the heart
6. Understand their perspective
7. Be prepared for frustration
255. What do we hear
from clients?
People don’t want to give up
control
It’s hard to make time for
change
We’ve tried before, but we slip
back to our old ways
269. What do we hear from clients?
“The end product has helped us
through content development and
approvals in a fraction of the time
that it would normally take.”
~ BC Hydro
270. What do we hear from clients?
“Thank you. We now have a regularly
scheduled content meeting where we
share a common vision for content.
We’re on the same page.”
~ CFA Institute
271. What do we hear from clients?
“Having a defined process for
content has reduced frustration
and cost.”
~ Income Access
272. Things to do next week
1. Review these slides and your notes.
2. Identify one small step forward.
3. Take action!
4. Let us know what you did:
Melissa@ContentStrategyInc.com