This document outlines activities from a workshop on collaborating with subject matter experts through pair writing. The workshop introduced pair writing as a technique where two people write content together from the same source material. Participants took part in activities like identifying challenges of writing alone, pair drawing, and quick-fire pair writing exercises. They also practiced pair writing by developing content for a new product from the perspective of different user personas. The goal of the workshop was to illustrate how pair writing can improve content quality by encouraging collaboration, knowledge sharing, and effective input from subject matter experts.

1. how to collaborate effectively with
subject matter experts
Pair writing:
Confab Intensive
Wednesday, 13th September
Embassy Suites Downtown Convention Center, Denver, CO

2. Richard Ingram
Content Strategist and Information
Designer
@richardjingram
geckoboard.com

3. Richard Ingram
Content Strategist and Information
Designer
@richardjingram
geckoboard.com

4. Where you are right now is perfect.
Principle 1

5. Process over product.
Principle 2

6. This is *your* workshop.
Principle 3

7. Activity 1
What are the challenges of writing
alone?

8. Activity 1
What are the challenges of writing
alone?

9. 5 minutes
Task: Briefly write down the
different challenges you face when
writing alone.
🕑

10. Time’s up!
Question: Which recurring themes
emerged?
🕓

11. 5 minutes
Task: Take your sticky notes and
chart them
🕑

12. Time’s up!
Question: Which challenges were
deemed harder than others?
🕓

13. Inspired by the agile technique of
pair programming.
What is
pair writing?

14. Designing content together with
another person from the same
source document.
What is
pair writing?

15. We need input from
subject matter experts
to ensure our content
is accurate and meets
user needs.

16. We need input from
subject matter experts
to ensure our content
is accurate and meets
user needs.

17. Subject
matter
expert

18. FINAL
Subject
matter
expert

19. Content
Designer

20. Content
Designer

21. Content
Designer
Subject
matter
expert

22. Content
Designer
Subject
matter
expert

23. Content
Designer
Subject
matter
expert

24. Pair writing
encourages
collaboration right
from the start of the
content design process.

25. Pair writing
encourages
collaboration right
from the start of the
content design process.

26. Pair writers put a positive form of
pressure on each other. They don’t
want to let their partner down.
Pair pressure

27. Pair writing encourages effective
negotiations between partners with
their own set of skills, experience,
opinions and assumptions.
Pair negotiation

28. Pair writing encourages effective
negotiations between partners with
their own set of skills, experience,
opinions and assumptions.
Pair negotiation

29. Receiving support and approval
from each another gives writing
partners the confidence to do things
they might be afraid of doing alone.
Pair courage

30. Pair writing ensures that knowledge
is constantly being passed between
writing partners. They, in effect,
take turns being the teacher and the
student.
Pair knowledge

31. When we practice pair
writing, we won’t
remember who wrote
each line. We have
shared ownership of
the content.

32. Activity 2
Pair drawing

33. 2 minutes
Task: Draw a face on the sheet of
paper provided
🕑

34. Time’s up!
Stop drawing!
🕓

35. Task: Find a partner. Each of you
should have different coloured
markers.

36. 2 minutes
Task: Draw a face on the sheet of
paper provided
🕑

37. Time’s up!
Stop drawing!
🕓

38. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What did you think of pair
drawing?

39. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What did you think of pair
drawing?

40. Activity 3
Establishing a pairing dialogue

41. Would you like to go on
holiday with me?
No…

42. Would you like to go on
holiday with me?
No…

43. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What was that like for
you?

44. Would you like to join
me for a coffee?
Yes, but…

45. Would you like to join
me for a coffee?
Yes, but…

46. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What was that like for
you?

47. Would you like to go for
a picnic with me?
Yes, and…

48. Would you like to go for
a picnic with me?
Yes, and…

49. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What was that like for
you?

50. Activity 4
Quick-fire pair writing

51. Activity 4
Quick-fire pair writing

52. •Say “I think…” to propose an
idea
•Ask “Do we agree…?” to confirm
agreement
•Say “We agree…” to discuss
progress towards goals
•Avoid saying “No, but…”; Instead
try saying, “Yes and…”

53. 2 minutes
Task: Find a partner and decide on
roles.
🕑

54. 2 minutes
Task: “Subject matter expert”
chooses a subject matter they have a
good knowledge of.
🕑

56. 5 minutes
Task: Start pair writing, with the
“Writer” at the keyboard.
🕑

57. 5 minutes
Task: Switch roles.
🕑

58. 5 minutes
Task: Switch roles back again.
🕑

59. 5 minutes
Task: Switch roles again.
🕑

60. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What did you think of
quick-fire pair writing?

61. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What did you think of
quick-fire pair writing?

62. Try to focus on content that
supports the completion of top
tasks.
Getting started with
pair writing.

63. Try to work with your allies to prove
the technique works.
Getting started with
pair writing.

64. Try to practice in an experimental
environment, where failure is seen
as part of the journey.
Getting started with
pair writing.

65. Pair writing cuts the
hours subject matter
experts will spend
alone on unedited
drafts.

66. Pair writing sessions
ensure tangible
progress.

67. Pair writing
encourages subject
matter experts to fully
take part in user
research.

68. Activity 5
Pair writing

69. Scenario:
You and your partner are
representing the content team for a
soon-to-be-launched ‘smart’ tech
product.

70. Scenario:
You and your partner are
representing the content team for a
soon-to-be-launched ‘smart’ tech
product.

71. Actor: As a… [who is the user?]
Narrative: I need/want/expect to…
[what does the user want to do?]
Goal: So that… [why does the user
want to do this?]

72. Actor: As a… [who is the user?]
Narrative: I need/want/expect to…
[what does the user want to do?]
Goal: So that… [why does the user
want to do this?]

73. Time’s up!
New task: Vote on each other’s user
stories that seem the most
interesting and relevant to you.
🕓

74. Time’s up!
New task: Single-out the user story
with the most votes.
🕓

75. • Unique selling point (USP)
★ Main headline
★ Supporting headline
★ Reinforcement statement
★ Closing argument
• Benefits of your offering
★ Bullet point list summary of benefits
★ Benefit and features in detail
★ Description of multimedia content
• Proof
★ Social proof
• Call to action

76. •Say “I think…” to propose an
idea
•Ask “Do we agree…?” to confirm
agreement
•Say “We agree…” to discuss
progress towards goals
•Avoid saying “No, but…”; Instead
try saying, “Yes and…”

77. 20 minutes
Task: Switch roles.
🕑

78. Time’s up!
New task: Offer feedback on each
other’s drafts.
🕓

79. 1. The benefits of this product for you
(or the reason you’d buy it).
2. Questions or concerns it throws up
for you (or the reason you’d hesitate to
buy it).

80. 20 minutes
Task: Write another draft based on
the feedback you’ve just received.
🕑

81. 🕓Time’s up!
Question: What did you think of pair
writing?

82. Returning to
Activity 1
What do you find difficult about
writing alone?

83. Returning to
Activity 1
What do you find difficult about
writing alone?

84. Returning to
Activity 1
What do you find difficult about
writing alone?

85. @richardjingram
Thank you,
Denver!
geckoboard.com