A presentation I built for a research paper about Content Strategy for a Theory of Technical Communication course at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
What happens when a technical communicator is given responsibility for recommending what content is delivered based on business objectives and user needs? What happens when a technical communicator is allowed to plan the way his content will be used, changed, and retired (lifecycle)? Image from http://www.straightfrommybrain.com/
Kissane, Erin. "Content Strategy Is About Publishing." Incisive.nu. 03 Mar. 2010. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://incisive.nu/2010/content_strategy_is_publishing/>.Lovinger, Rachel. "Content Strategy: The Philosophy of Data." Boxes and Arrows: The Design behind the Design. 26 Mar. 2007. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/content-strategy-the>.Johnson, Tom. "The Increasing Momentum of Content Strategy." I'd Rather Be Writing. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/10/04/the-increasing-momentum-of-content-strategy/>.
Halvorson, Kristina. Content Strategy for the Web. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2010. Print.
McGrane, Karen. "Content Strategy for Everyone (Even You)." Interactions 17.3 (2010). ACM Digital Library. Web.
Technical communicators should become content strategists as a way to protect their content for the entire lifetime of a website.
You can edit a web site directly in your browser, while viewing the website. You can organize your site into hierarchies. You don’t have to code the site, just use a template or theme that takes care of how things look and how they work. All you have to do is focus on uploading the content.
This is great, right?
This is not always a Good Thing™.http://www.manolith.com/2009/08/25/worst-website-designs/
The visual design is the easiest way to conceptualize a site.
We at least had some idea of what the site should do and how it should be organized.
This process actually has roots in project management (5D Methodology) where it is Discover, Design, Develop, Deploy, and Debrief. http://www.coretsi.com/Project_Management.html
This forces design and development to take into account the actual, real content that will be delivered in the finished product.
Engage = narration/description
Halvorson, Kristina. Content Strategy for the Web. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2010.