How does content strategy fit into the agile methodology? Tips and tricks for adapting content strategy processes to the scrum framework.

1. PRESENTED BY
Karen Semone and Melinda Belcher,
Directors of Content Strategy
An Interactive Overview
November 13, 2014
Agile Content Strategy

2. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Agenda
• What is Agile?
• Defining Agile Content Strategy
• Try it yourself
• Q & A
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3. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Does this look familiar?
3
Research Content Audit/
Gap Analysis
Develop a
Site-wide
Content Plan
Gather and
Create Content
Review with
clients
(3 rounds)
Package and
handoff to dev

4. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
What is Agile?
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5. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
What is Agile?
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Survival = Adaptation
“It is not the strongest of the species
that survives, nor the most intelligent
that survives. It is the one that
is the most adaptable to change.”
– Charles Darwin

6. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
A quick metaphor: Waterfall
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7. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
A quick metaphor: Agile
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8. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
“We are uncovering better ways of developing software
by doing it and helping other do it.
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Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over Processes and tools
Working deliverables over Comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over Contract negotiation
Responding to change over Following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right,
we value the items on the left more.”

9. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL 9
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over Processes and tools
Working deliverables over Comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over Contract negotiation
Responding to change over Following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right,
we value the items on the left more.
“But…content strategists LOVE these things!!!”

10. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL 10
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over Processes and tools
Working deliverables over Comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over Contract negotiation
Responding to change over Following a plan
“…While there is value in the items on the right,
we value the items on the left MORE.”
Or, in other words...

11. Photo: Disney and Impala99-d740 / Deviant Art

14. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Defining Agile Content Strategy
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15. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL 15
Content Strategy
The planning of effective digital content,
in terms of:
People Work
Workflow Structure
Governance Substance

16. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Agile
A development methodology where
emphasis is placed on:
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People Work
Content Strategy
The planning of effective digital content,
in terms of:
People Work
Collaboration Iteration Workflow Structure
Governance Substance

17. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
A working* definition of Agile Content Strategy
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To create effective content experiences through a more iterative, highly
collaborative process.
*until someone can create a better one!

18. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Principles of the Agile Manifesto
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1. Our highest priority is to satisfy
the customer through early and
continuous delivery of valuable
software.
2. Welcome changing requirements,
even late in development. Agile
processes harness change for the
customer’s competitive
advantage.
3. Deliver working software
frequently, from a couple of weeks
to a couple of months, with a
preference to the shorter
timescale.
4. Business people and developers
must work together daily
throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated
individuals. Give them the
environment and support they
need, and trust them to get the
job done.
6. The most efficient and effective
method of conveying information
to and within a development team
is face-to-face conversation.
7. Working software is the primary
measure of progress.
8. Agile processes promote
sustainable development. The
sponsors, developers, and users
should be able to maintain a
constant pace indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical
excellence and good design
enhances agility.
10. Simplicity, the art of maximizing
the amount of work not done, is
essential.
11. The best architectures,
requirements, and designs
emerge from self-organizing
teams.

19. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL 19
1. Our highest priority is to satisfy
the customer through early and
continuous delivery of valuable
software content.
2. Welcome changing requirements,
even late in development. Agile
processes harness change for the
customer’s competitive
advantage.
3. Deliver working software
frequently, from a couple of weeks
to a couple of months, with a
preference to the shorter
timescale.
4. Business content people and
developers must work together
daily throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated
individuals content strategists.
Give them the environment and
support they need, and trust them
to get the job done.
6. The most efficient and effective
method of conveying information
to and within a development team
is face-to-face conversation.
7. Working software is the primary
measure of content progress.
8. Agile processes promote
sustainable development. The
sponsors, developers, and users
should be able to maintain a
constant pace indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical
excellence and good design
enhances content agility.
10. Simplicity, the art of maximizing
the amount of content work not
done, is essential.
11. The best architectures,
requirements, and designs
emerge from self-organizing
teams.
Principles of Agile Content Strategy
content.
content
content
content strategists.
content
content
content

20. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Four steps to a continuously evolving content strategy:
Agile Content Strategy is living content strategy
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Connect Improve Connect Improve
Release Release Release
RESEARCH
Research Release Connect Improve

21. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
It takes a special kind of content strategist.
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22. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
It takes a special kind of content strategist.
22

23. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
It takes a special kind of content strategist.
23

24. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
It takes a special kind of content strategist.
24

25. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
It takes a special kind of content strategist.
25

26. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Try it Yourself!
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27. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Got ten minutes? Let’s create a content strategy!
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• Name/URL for site
• Intent statement
• Top-level content buckets
• Home page carousel copy
• Calls-to-action

29. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
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30. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
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31. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
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32. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
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33. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thanx
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34. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Than
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35. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thank
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36. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thank
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37. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thank y
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38. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thank yo
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39. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thank you
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40. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thank you!
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41. AGILE CONTENT STRATEGY AN INTERACTIVE OVERVIEW NOVEMBER 13, 2014 © 2014 VSA PARTNERS CONFIDENTIAL
Thank you!
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