Defining the content strategy is the easy part. But how do you actually make it work? Not just today, but tomorrow, and next year, and the year after that? How can you continually evolve and mature your content practices, create rock-star content teams, and produce better content faster? Sound magical? Nope, it’s just good content governance.
In this introductory workshop, we’ll use group discussions and debates, thought-provoking exercises, and real-world client stories to build your knowledge and awareness of content governance.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
How to identify where your organization fits in the content maturity model, and how to progress
Different options for content governance within an organization
The five pillars on which you need to build your content governance
How to advocate and influence for content governance changes
The steps to take to get you started towards better governance
5. 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.
6. 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.
9. And what about you?
• 72% work in a company
• 10% work in an agency
• 10% work in government
• 8% work in higher education
10. 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.
11. • Personal intro
• One thing you love
• What’s important to
you about content
governance and
why?
Small Group Introductions
17. 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
18. 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.”
19. True story…
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
25. At your table:
Discuss at your
table.
Where is your
department?
Where are you as
an organization?
Content
governance
environment
Where are
you in the
maturity
model?
How can you
progress to
the next
level?
Why is it
important to
progress?
38. As content specialists, we often prefer the
idea of a centralized model.
It allows for maximum control over content
strategy, quality, and functionality.
BUT…
39. “A hybrid model works
best for us.”
What do we hear
from clients?
45. At your table…
Debate
• Which governance model works
best for your situation?
Or, Discuss:
1. What are the barriers to changing
your content governance models?
2. What are the benefits of changing
your content governance models
57. 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.”
62. Business success:
• Align with business strategies
• Reduce costs and time to publication
• Improve consistency of customer experience
Employeessuccess:
• Do good work and grow their skills
• Feel ownership over their work
• Understand the bigger picture
72. 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.”
75. Brainstorm
As a group, write as many content
support tools as you can think of.
Use 1 stickie per idea.
Post the stickies on the wall on your way
to break.
78. 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
84. 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.”
90. 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
92. A workflowis how the workmoves
within and between information
systems.
This includes both human/technology
interactions and automated processes.
Eg: CMS authoring workflow
95. What do we hear
from clients?
“Email is our primary
communication tool.”
“Our systems don’t speak to
each other.”
“Our CMS is designed for
developers, not authors.”
102. 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
112. 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!
114. 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
125. Things to do next week
1. Review these slides and your notes.
2. Identify one small step forward.
3. Take action!
4. Join our mailing list:
www.ContentStrategyInc.com
5. OR email me:
Melissa@contentstrategyinc.com