Content design for internal communicators

1. Webinar Content design for internal communicators

2. We will try to answer some questions during the webinar (use the Q&A panel), and a few more at the end. We will email you the recording within 24 hours (so you won’t miss it!). You can listen via your computer or by dialling the phone number in the email you received today. Any problems, use the chat panel. Housekeeping

3. Wedge and ClearBox ClearBox Consulting is a specialist independent consultancy that believes in making the workplace a better and more productive experience.We understand technology, but we approach it from the people side first. clearbox.co.uk | @ClearBox Wedge is an intranet consultant after many years as an intranet manager, with an interest in internal communications. Wedge Black Intranet Consultant @Wedge

4. Topics  Content and content design intro  Discovering needs  Defining and meeting needs  Start with skeletons  Actually writing!  Crits

5. Humble hopes The content design approach complements your comms skills, adding an awareness of context, user interface, and user experience to your skillset.

6. Content and content design intro

7. What content design is about An evidence-based approach to creating content to give the audience what they need in a way they expect and can use. Content design is a movement, an approach, a grouping of practices, and becoming a discipline. While layout is important, content design is not merely about placing text on a page.

8. Sarah Richards and GDS Government websites, and many government intranets, have moved to a content design approach under Government Digital Service (GDS) guidance. Sarah Richards, formally of GDS, has written the book on content design: contentdesign.london/book/

9. “I hate the word ‘content’…”  Yes, ‘content’ c0uld be almost anything  Reminds us to consider alternatives to text, alternative channels and media  Young people literally refer to ‘content creation’ for their social network channels – the word is endemic and accepted  Sure, if you need text, say “I need 3 to 5 paragraphs” but if planning an intranet / web page with multiple elements (text, graphics, photos, video, audio, animation, interaction etc.) then ‘content’ is a fine word.

10. Additional skills and practices  Comms people already have tactics to consider how messages land, engagement levels, and listening for responses  Content design is even more ‘user centred’ than good, solid employee comms  Content design adds several additional practices around up-front planning and reviews to ensure content performs as needed  Content design is becoming a discipline (a set of practices, a recognisable approach), that can be promulgated rolled out across your primary comms / publishing team and guide your extended teams and department publishers.

11. Ugh Content design practices can avoid things like this! https://twitter.com/LZats/status/1214212604811460608 / https://d.pr/ZxiEgC

12. Discovering needs

13. Smash assumptions with research “I want them to know…” “I think people will need…” “Obviously, everyone’s number one priority will be…” Most assumptions need testing; some need smashing.

14. Research methods The crux of content design, is that evidence comes first. No creation without research. 1. desk research 2. usability research 3. expert research 4. user research 5. discussion on specifics.

15. ‘Must know’ We need to discover what people ‘must know’ to satisfy their needs. Research will help you split the ‘must know’ away from the ‘nice to know’. Specifically, user stories and job stories will define the ‘must know’ items, and the good ol’ inverted pyramid will help you consider context and ‘nice to know’.

16. A discovery day It’s often about having an open, fluid discussion in a big room with all the right people. Invite anyone who can directly input and who might block your progress later. But this workshop is a fairly-heavy commitment and so won’t be your tactic for every reference article.

17. Satisfactory results After discussions, you’ll likely have and an understanding of: • the audiences • the various levels of existing knowledge • people’s needs • the problem to be solved / the job to be done • subject-matter experts’ guidance • what the organisation / stakeholder thinks is needed • what the organisation / stakeholder really needs • when to publish • where to publish • channel use (notify, promote, and share). You’ve done good research when you know the problem and are ready to write user stories and job stories.

18. Tools Research •Discover needs User stories •Define audience needs Job stories •Define need Story acceptance •Agree shape of solution Skeleton •Bullet points Skeleton review •Agree substance Content draft •Solid first draft •Pair writing? Crit •Does the content meet the needs of the audience? You can still be a good content designer even if you change when you review your stories, and even if you change when you do a crit. Be adaptable and focus on what works. Discovery day •Everyone in the room

19. Defining and meeting needs

20. User stories Do not start drafting! First, write the user story: As a [colleague in a role / dept] I want to [know or do something] so I can [achieve a goal].

21. User story examples As a [colleague in a role / dept] I want to [know or do something] so I can [achieve a goal]. As a new starter I want to know if I’m eligible for a car park space so I can apply if I am. As a colleague who drives to work every day I want to know where to park now and next month so I can park easily and get to work on time. As a middle-manager I want to know security details in advance of my team so I can brief my team appropriately.

22. Job stories, job-to-be-done Second, write the job story: When [specific situation] I want to [know or do something] so I can [achieve a goal]. A job story is for a specific task for a specific audience, so just as you may need several user stories, you may need several job stories.

23. Job story examples When [specific situation] I want to [know or do something] so I can [achieve a goal]. When approaching the office in my car I want to know which carpark to head for, and how to get in so I can park without additional help and get to work on time. When people hear there will be a new car park I want to know if / how the security arrangements changes so I can brief my team head with all parking details.

24. Job stories Come back to your job story (often and) after you’ve drafted your bullet-point skeleton and your first draft. If your content meets and satisfies the job story, you can say it’s reached its acceptance criteria.

25. Acceptance criteria Assuming we’re to write an article or a reference page, we need to meet the acceptance criteria of the job story and meet the needs in the user story. “This job story is accepted when I know how to XXXX and complete the XXXXX task directly online with no offline assistance.”

26. Discovery reduces review pain The traditional review cycle is a vicious circle without agreed process or shared objectives. Defining actual needs means we already know what the article must cover.Writers can write to the need, and reviewers ensure we keep the audiences in mind, rather than debating punctuation.

28. Start with skeletons

29. Bullet-point skeleton Rely on your research results and your job stories and keep your user stories in mind. 1. Lay out bullet points to cover everything 2. Rework the list to order it from ‘must know’ to ‘nice to know’ / context 3. Consider breaking the list up with sub-headings to chunk the list 4. Sure, draft a title but don’t set your heart on it.

30. Bullet-point skeleton (1) • New carpark to open (date) • Old carpark available until (date) • Location • Entry system • Restrictions • No changes to parking privileges • Parking space entitlement criteria • How to request a parking space • Request a parking space [action] • Contact Job story When approaching the office location in my car I want to know where the carpark is and how to get in for free so I can park my car without needing additional help.

31. Bullet-point skeleton (2) • New carpark to open (date) • Location • Entry system • Restrictions • Old carpark available until (date) • How to request a parking space • No changes to parking privileges • Parking space entitlement criteria • Request a parking space [action] • Contact Job story When approaching the office location in my car I want to know where the carpark is and how to get in for free so I can park my car without needing additional help. User story As a colleague who drives to work every day I want to know how to get into the carpark so I can park easily park and get to work on time.

32. Bullet-point skeleton (3) Title: New carpark • New carpark to open (date) • Location and directions • Entry system • Restrictions Sub-head: Old carpark • Old carpark available until (date) Sub-head: No changes to parking privileges • No changes to parking privileges Sub-head: Request a new parking space • N.B. No need if you already have an allocation! • How to request a parking space • Parking space entitlement criteria • Request a parking space [action] • Contact Job story When approaching the office location in my car I want to know where the carpark is and how to get in for free so I can park my car without needing additional help. User story As a colleague who drives to work every day I want to know how to get into the carpark so I can park easily park and get to work on time.

33. Skeletal approval Circulate the job story and skeleton around your project teammates, subject-matter experts, and stakeholders. Explain that the bullet-points demonstrate what the article will express. Explain that the bullet points should meet the needs expressed in the job story. Ask for input and approval to proceed.

35. Actually writing!

36. Write for your audience, not for your boss. Write to meet the expectations expressed in the user stories, for your several different audiences. This is not about grammars; this is about your house style guide, and a tone and vocabulary suitable for the topics and the audiences. Tone and style

37. Good comms 'Good’ does not mean ‘good grammar’. Write in the vocabulary of the audience. Not quite like Patrick here! But still, Mr. Martin is not offended by the voice or grammar, as the tone is fine.

38. Drafting Once colleagues and stakeholders agree with the job stories and skeletons, writing becomes simply about meeting the expectations appropriately. Now’s the time to bring your comms chops!

40. Reviews Crits

41. Crits Content designers call formal content reviews ‘crits’. It’s critique not criticism.

42. Crits Respect that everyone did their best work possible considering the time and resources allotted. Focus specifically on the content, and only the content in front of you; not the process, not the creator. Constructive. Decisions don’t have to be defended. Suggestions don’t have to be taken on board.

43. Substance and style Separate the substance from the style. I suggest reviewers should focus on the substance. ■ Respect subject-matter experts for their subject-matter expertise. ■ Respect content designers for their understanding of the audiences. ■ Respect writers for their understanding of grammars and tone.

44. WordVs. published page You may want content approved inWord… People experience content in context. People will have a different experience in Word than in your intranet / digital workplace. Consider in-situ draft reviews, or at least be prepared for a re-review after publishing.

45. Review Help reviewers understand the job stories, the user stories, and the acceptance criteria. Stick to the house style guide, and use the appropriate tone for the topic. Steer reviewers away from expressing personal preferences around grammar! Be open to terminology changes and notes about anything you’ve missed from subject-matter experts.

47. Final thoughts

48. A good turn of phrase Content design is about meeting a defined need. Some content design experts might optimise, simplify, and hone text to such an extent that it loses flavour. But content design does not dictate that communications must be anodyne!

49. Maintenance Everyone loves creation; few love maintenance. Whatever you create has a lifecycle. Plan for it. Create less content; ensure it’s valuable with need discovery, and then analytics.

50. Maintenance Ideally, there will be the right amount of content to support colleagues as they need, considering the resources allotted. In reality, some departments consider digital content to be cheap, and so create and publish too much. When content amount exceeds resources, you get content debt.

51. Be the internal content hero Content designers are frequently employed to optimise websites. ■ Optimising dense sites (e.g. government) to better serve people, or ■ Optimising commercial websites to better explain services and products (and increase sales) in a crowded market.

52. Get it right (relevant, appropriate) Match the message to the audience to the channel. Or as content designers say: 1. In the audience’s vocabulary 2. In the best format for the audience 3. Providing what the audience needs from us 4. Designed with data / research results.

53. Books Communicating the User Experience Richard Caddick and Steve Cable Designing for the Digital Age Kim Goodwin Successful Employee Communications Sue Dewhurst and Liam Fitzpatrick Graphic Design Rules Sean Adams et al. Designing Connected Content Mike Atherton and Carrie Hane Content Design Sarah Richards

54. Terms and practices • Discovery day • User stories • Job stories • Acceptance criteria • Skeleton • Crits

55. Q&A

56. SharePoint intranets in-a-box 10% off ContentDesign clearbox.co.uk 30+ intranet products reviewed 600+ pages Immediate download Our expert assessments of products that transform SharePoint into a useful and useable intranet.

57. Connect ClearBox Consulting clearbox.co.uk @ClearBox hello@clearbox.co.uk +44 (0) 1224 458746 Treliske House, Queens Park Road, Chester, CH4 7AD, UK Wedge clearbox.co.uk/about-us @Wedge Wedge@clearbox.co.uk All images used here are copyright permitted / free-to- use from Unsplash.com

Content design for internal communicators

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Content design for internal communicators