My presentation at #ConfabEU - Confab Europe - 2014. In short - it doesn't matter how great your web site or your marketing collateral are, if the product customers buy from you is not on message. Here's how to do it.

1. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Good Content, Good Strategy,
Good Business
Put
it
all
into
your
software
Ray
Gallon
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

2. A Content Strateg y in the product could prevent this
…In
the
city
of
Epinal,
France,
between
1987
and
2006,
according
to
the
then
minister
of
health.
24
victims,
between
2004
and
2006
received
massive
overdoses,
during
prostate
cancer
treatment.
Five
died.
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
5500 Radiation Overdoses…
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

3. Major Causes of the Epinal Incident
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
http://www.revenuexl.com/Portals/62006/images//worried%20Doctor-resized-600.jpg
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
SOURCE: Wack, G., Lalande, F., & Seligman, M.-D. (2007). Résumé du
rapport ASN n° 2006 ENSTR019-IGASn°RM2007-015P sur l'accident de
radiothérapie d'Epinal. Paris, France: Inspection Générale des Affaires
Sociales.
Retrieved from http://lesrapports.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/BRP/
074000198/0000.pdf
Human
Error
Poor
Interface
No
French
manual

4. Major Causes of the Epinal Incident
Human
Error
Poor
Interface
No
French
manual
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
http://www.revenuexl.com/Portals/62006/images//worried%20Doctor-resized-600.jpg
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
How
could
a
well-­‐structured
intelligent
content
strategy
help
avoid
these
problems?
SOURCE: Wack, G., Lalande, F., & Seligman, M.-D. (2007). Résumé du
rapport ASN n° 2006 ENSTR019-IGASn°RM2007-015P sur l'accident de
radiothérapie d'Epinal. Paris, France: Inspection Générale des Affaires
Sociales.
Retrieved from http://lesrapports.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/BRP/
074000198/0000.pdf

5. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Create
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
information
Design
that
customers
empowers
to
better
make
decisions
Learn
from
structured
customers
information
that
is
findable,
reusable,
accessible,
and
understandable
They
will
reward
you
immensely!

6. THIS
IS
What
message
does
it
give
your
customer
about
you?
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Is this a formula for
customer loyalty?
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
CONTENT!

7. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
What If It Were Your Web Site?
It’s probably your fault, after all, we’re coders
"
Call technical support and mention"
code 07X67P57912VTOXIRO0O021N74"
and then maybe we’ll let you see our marketing
pap so you can buy something
PS the number for technical support is on the server that you can’t reach
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

8. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
After they buy
your product,
what is your customers’
main communications
channel with you?
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

9. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
After they buy
your product,
what is your customers’
main communications
channel with you?
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

10. Users get angry when waste their time looking for
information that isn’t there!
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
you
http://longforsuccess.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/frustrated-300x200.jpg
Language,
Emotions,
Culture,
Communication
http://xc0re.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Frustrated-User.jpg
they

11. Everyone in the Organization is 100% Responsible for the
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
End-to-End Customer Journey
Management
Finance
Human
Resources
Pre-­‐sales
Warehouse
management
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
Marketing
Product
Management
R&D
Support
Sales
It
doesn’t
matter
if
you’re
from:
http://engagementstrategy.com/files/customer_journey.jpg

12. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
They
way
you
design
content
strategy
into
your
product
determines
the
customer
experience
http://spartinaconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/strategy.jpg

13. Content Strategy in Your Product?
Clear
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Why Do You Need
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
standards
and
goals
for
all
business
critical
communications
Manage
content
complexity
User
workflow
–
minimize
error
Governance
and
obsolescence
control
Regulatory
and
safety
Structure
Tracking
and
traceability
Archiving
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jaIA7c7EPy0/UT4_m1sq5YI/AAAAAAAACKk/eN6trFdM3rU/s640/EPE+CONSISTENCY.jpeg
You’ll
save
money,
too

14. Why Do You Want a Content Strategy?
consistent,
message
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
content
Aligns
with
goals
business
Reduces
creation
costs
Reduces
localization
costs
Moves
content
from
cost
to
business
asset
Ensures
coherent
Improves
user
(customer)
experience
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQi7ckrZQa5XXSJUjJTLelKxIRyvXqKMUoVaIlxchi_Ey7pZNqwxMRgH751Ig

15. Why Do You Want a Content Strategy?
consistent,
message
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
content
Aligns
with
goals
business
Reduces
creation
costs
Reduces
localization
costs
Ensures
coherent
Improves
user
(customer)
experience
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQi7ckrZQa5XXSJUjJTLelKxIRyvXqKMUoVaIlxchi_Ey7pZNqwxMRgH751Ig
Moves
content
from
cost
to
business
asset

16. Presentation
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Your User Interface Has Content
Content
is
hard
to
get
at
in
this
interface
Information
provided
gives
negative
image
But
it’s
very
honest,
which
gives
positive
image
What’s
the
most
important
business
value
to
communicate?

17. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Your Software IS Content
Changed
Relationships
"
Different
Contexts
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

18. The Call for Values
(Millenials as Customers)
“No
one
may
speak
in
my
name
–
not
politicians,
not
companies,
not
advertisers”
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
“Values”
means
“respect”
–
implies
recognizing
the
singularity
of
the
individual
The
purely
economic
model
of
happiness
has
gone
too
far

19. “No
one
may
speak
in
my
name
–
not
politicians,
not
companies,
not
advertisers”
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
The Call for Values
(Millenials as Customers)
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
Develop
new
ideas
and
ideals
in
a
small
circle
of
similarly
minded
people
Not
individualist,
but
want
quick
results:
actions
formed
around
communities
of
interest
BUT: Universal values are no longer enough to create social cohesion

20. Is
your
product
on
message?
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VtodsGXX30/UQqMaBxKpmI/AAAAAAAAANM/7kqi4AOoB0w/s1600/Message+in+Bottle.jpg

21. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
-Andrea Ames, IBM
“If
my
customers
know
this
content
comes
from
the
training
department,
we’ve
failed.”
Ditto if it was obviously written by an engineer
-RG

22. Generates
50%+
of
viable
sales
leads
[Forbes]
Encompasses
55%+
of
sales
cycle
time
(vs.
21%
spent
talking
to
sales
people)
[Marketing
Interactions]
2nd
most
important
pre-­‐sales
activity
for
technology
buyers
[IDC]
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Technical and On-Board Content
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

23. The
average
shopper
now
uses
10.7
sources
of
information
before
making
a
purchase
[Google
research]
84%
of
respondents
said
that
online
feedback
and
research
helped
to
influence
their
purchase
decisions
[Google
research]
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Technical and On-Board Content
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

24. Would you ask your web programmer
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Why do we force engineers to
Society
to write your web content?
create product content?
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

25. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Information Experience (IX)
Adapted from Paul Perrotta, Juniper Networks
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
Not
content
authoring
or
developing,
but
architected
Information
Experience
Paradigm
shift:
from
a
content
creation
organisation
to
a
content
generation
&
knowledge
curation
organisation
Not
static
release
cycles,
but
continuous
updating
Quality
and
metrics
driven

26. IX is Part of UX!
Architected
Information
Experience
(IX)
provides:
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
User-­‐focused
content
based
on
solutions
Language
and
voice
appropriate
to
local
culture
Empowered
customers
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
Current,
accurate
information
on
demand
Dynamic
delivery,
innovative
methods
Coherent
with
product
profile

27. Cross-product solutions content
increases value of your product
Reduction in service calls saves
costs and improves customer
satisfaction
High-quality content is integral to
your product and your image
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
IX is Part of UX!
portfolio
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

28. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Coherent UX, Look and Feel
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

29. Your Customers Don’t Give A Fig About Your Org Char t!
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Product Development Silos
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
Interaction
Design
Marketing
Training
Support/Service
Product Mgmt
Technical
Documentation
http://www.wired.com/insights/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/silo_6601.jpg
Adapted from Noz Urbina

30. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
-Andrea Ames, IBM
“If
my
customers
know
this
content
comes
from
the
training
department,
we’ve
failed.”
Did I say something about breaking down silos?
-RG

31. Presentation
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Integrated Stakeholder Communities
Not
user
groups
or
user
forums
Not
a
Facebook
Page
Integrated
communities
Everyone
is
a
stakeholder:
Internal
–
everyone,
100%
External
-­‐
consultants,
customers…

32. Presentation
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Integrated Stakeholder Communities
Not Just Your Usual
Favorite Beta Testers!

33. Presentation
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Integrated Stakeholder Communities
Primary objective:
Integrated,
collaborative
community
Creates
value
Re-­‐injects
value
into
the
system

34. Integrated Stakeholder Communities
Presentation
“Create More Value Than You Capture”
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
-Tim O’Reilly
“And Capture a Lot!”
-RG

35. Presentation
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Accept Uncertainty!
Users
are
sure
to
say
unexpected
things,
and
you
won’t
like
some
of
them!

36. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Some Implications of
Integrated Stakeholder Communities
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
The hole in the wall:
Sugata Mitra
Co-­‐operation
builds
the
community’s
self
image.
It
learns
what
to
ask
It
learns
how
to
design
without
asking

37. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
http://www.susanneblomberg.com/en/news/
http://fitnessstudiomarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/youtube-logo.jpg
Thinking
goes
beyond
contingent
need,
for
example:
“What
I
do
can
be
useful
for
others”
“What
others
do
has
an
effect
on
what
I
can
use”
Some Implications of
Integrated Stakeholder Communities

38. Some Implications of
Integrated Stakeholder Communities
Value from community is captured and fed back to system
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
feel
They
contributed
development.
they’ve
design
to
and
Customer
adherence
to
product
&
company
grows

39. Presentation
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
A Community Needs Animation
In
many
Romance
languages,
the
word
for
“moderator”
is
“animator.”
Moderation
implies
damping.
Animation
implies
stimulation.
The
animator
helps
guide
the
community
toward
finding
its
common
vision.
The
animator
is
a
catalyst
to
vectorise
the
community.
http://www.coursepark.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/iStock_000007302205XSmall.jpg
https://tinylittlestars.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/feminista.jpg?w=560

40. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
Capturing Value from your
Integrated Stakeholder Community
Foster
and
encourage
creativity.
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
Use
your
animators
to
enable
participants.
Encourage
open
structures
that
facilitate
a
variety
of
interactions
Use
your
own
judgment,
but
first
listen
carefully
Provide
multiple
venues
http://www.ihdwal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/dslr-camera-lens-camera-photo-lens-vector-royalty-free-cliparts-vectors-and.jpg

41. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
The
top
level
of
user
feedback
integration
is
simply
to
integrate
questions.
Questions
tell
you
what
a
person
wants
to
know,
but
also
what
s/he
already
knows.
Example:
Society
Learn from Users:
Data Mine the Questions
in
a
webinar,
someone
asked,
It
strikes
me
that
there's
similarities
with
the
Lean
methodology:
particularly
Kanban,
progressive
disclosure,
the
Neme's
Why?
questioning
and
a
focus
on
interruptions.
Is
this
something
Ray
has
looked
at?
If
so,
does
he
think
there
are
similarities? http://www.lowmanlawfirm.com/Portals/57735/images/auto
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
%20accident%20question.jpg

42. The
questioner
has
already
looked
at
the
ideas
of
Lean
Information
Flow,
and
has
some
understanding
of
them.
S/he
attended
the
first
webinar
in
the
series,
where
I
talked
about
progressive
disclosure.
Her/his
understanding
of
the
ideas
presented
in
session
2
are
functioning
at
a
high
cognitive
level,
as
he
s/has
been
able
to
Integrate
them
Reflect
and
evaluate
them
Frame
a
question
that
goes
beyond
session
content.
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
What the Question Tells Us1/2
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

43. In
asking
the
question,
the
participant
is
also
sharing
–
with
those
attending
the
session,
and
those
who
will
watch
the
recording.
Attendees
might
be
motivated
to
look
into
Lean
Information
Flow
and
make
their
own
conclusions.
If
we
had
an
appropriate
integrated
learning
community,
they
also
might
be
motivated
to
discuss
their
conclusions
with
the
community.
Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
What the Question Tells Us 2/2
@RayGallon @TransformSoc

44. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
A Few Guidelines
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
Can
it
be
generalised
to
other
clients
or
situations?
Does
it
have
implications
for
a
regulated
environment,
health,
or
safety
(if
applicable)?
Is
it
robust
–
does
it
have
legs?
Always
ask
for
input
Never
promise
to
use
it
Do
promise
to
take
it
seriously
–
and
follow
up
on
that
promise.
When
deciding,
take
into
account:
Use
good
ideas,
wherever
they
come
from
–
With
attribution
Be
a
good
curator
Know
when
to
stop

45. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Be a
Change
Agent
Make Connections
Transformation
The
Society
seemingly
unrelated
between
@RayGallon @TransformSoc
things

46. Research
collaborator
and
principal,
The
Transformation
Society,
a
new
research
and
training
institute
in
Barcelona,
Spain
Presentation
Owner/Consultant,
Culturecom
–
specialist
in
business
process
improvement
through
communication
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Society
I’m Ray Gallon - The Humanist Nerd
20
years
in
technical
communication
with
major
companies
such
as
G.E.
Healthcare,
IBM,
etc.
Member,
board
of
directors,
Society
for
Technical
Communication
(STC)
Past
president,
STC
France
Award-­‐winning
radio
producer
and
journalist
–
CBC,
NPR,
France
Culture,
etc.
and
former
programme
manager,
WNYC-­‐FM,
New
York
Public
Radio

47. Presentation
@TransformSoc
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Transformation
The
Transformation
Society
What We Can Help You Do
Analyse
needs
and
get
a
jump
on
complexity
Design
and
architect
a
content
strategy,
user
information
systems,
communication
Work
with
you
to
capture
value
from
your
users
Workshops,
webinars,
or
training
to
help
manage
and
adapt
to
change
The
Society

48. Presentation
©
2014
Ray
Gallon
Thank
You
Email:
infodesign@culturecom.net
Google
Plus:
+Ray
Gallon
Twitter:
@RayGallon
LinkedIn:
Ray
Gallon
@TransformSoc
Transformation
The
Society
Pass
me
your
business
card
Let’s
talk!
Portions of this presentation based on research by
the Transformation Society Research group.
Rant
of
a
Humanist
Nerd
Blog:
http://humanistnerd.culturecom.net