1. How many users will the content impact? 2. How does the content support our culture? 3. Is it an improvement/correction to content that maintains its value? 4. How critical is the content to the organization? 5. How confidential or proprietary is the content? 6. How is the content related to achieving business goals? 7. Does the communication influence business processes? How ? One of the greatest challenges to a corporate intranet is too much unnecessary, inaccurate, untimely and disconnected content. 2 Content Development Basics User Behavior Providing interactive web pages Readability Basics Using PDF Files Body Text Basics Tagging Consistent look & feel Content Development 3 Content Development User Behavior Moving from attaching docs to providing interactive web pages Readability Basics Using PDF Files Body Text Basics Tagging Consistent look & feel throughout ER Content Development 4 Content Development Users read only about 20% of the words on a web page 90% wont scroll to full length of page Novice users dont hunt for clickable items, wont search patiently using navigation Majority of users will scan rather than read page content Eyes are drawn by visuals and movement User Behavior 5 User Behavior Know Your Readers Are they torn between many different distractions? How do they read? Intentional Reader or Scanner? Do they want to interact with you? 6 Ensuring Relevant Content 1. How many users will the content impact? 2. How does the content support our culture? 3. Is it an improvement/correction to content that maintains its value? 4. How critical is the content to the organization? 5. How confidential or proprietary is the content? 6. How is the content related to achieving business goals? 7. Does the communication influence business processes? How ? One of the greatest challenges to a corporate intranet is too much unnecessary, inaccurate, untimely and disconnected content. 7 Ensuring Relevant Content 8 Providing Interactive Web Pages Providing Interactive Web Pages Moving from simply attaching docs to providing interactive web pages User experience needs to be more web page driven If you do attach docs: Should be forms, legal documents (in pdf format), etc 9 Readability Basics Avoid ALL CAPS changes word shape Underlining cuts off bottom of words, indicates links Long sentences/paragraphs created fatigue and abandonment Jargon frustrates, confuses readers Long, uncommon words slows readers, reduces comprehension 10 Readability Basics Do: Write for the user Follow established style and standards Use visuals appropriately Be strategic and proactive When using numbers: Use digits, not letters Use a combination for very large numbers (17 billion) Spell out numbers not representing specific facts 11 Readability Basics First 2-3 words count most Use subject and verb - Active voice whenever possible Few than ten words - No more than two lines Specific and highly descriptive words Applies to subtitles too Great Headlines (titles) 12 Easing User Fatigue Bullets Fragments rather than whole sentences First 2-3 words matter most No more than 2 lines per bullet Only one new idea per bullet 13 Easing User Fatigue Visuals Help Photographs Illustrations Icons Video Eliminate / Reduce use of animation
Why animation is a no-no When animation is used on a view with content, the users eye is continuously distracted, reducing readability dramatically. 14 Using Visuals Do: Use only visuals that contribute to comprehension Eyes draw and guide attention Use visuals sparingly and strategically Use only approved images Optimize for the web 15 Using Visuals
Dont:
Use continuous animations Use images that dont add value to the text Misrepresent yourself or someone else in a visual Use images that might conflict with policy or the Code of Conduct 16 Doing Great Video Audio is most important Keep it short: 2-3 minutes Use one landing page for each video to: Include related links, transcript of audio and a place to rate/comment on the video Incorporate call to action in video Keep it simple 17 Links First 2-3 words count most Distinctive, descriptive words Use words that set an expectation Never use click here in text Avoid creating too many links in one block of text
General Rules 18 Using PDF Files
Security of text or images is required Content intended to be printed rather than used on screen Content requires interactivity, but wont be put into web format Use PDF Files when: 19 PDF vs Web Part or Page PDF Web Page, Web Part , CMS Secure Easily repurposed Better for printing Easily tailored Some searching & linking Requires good security Requires app launch Easy to tag Too much scrolling Quicker to update Harder to update Navigation aids use Large file size Automated workflow 20 Body Text Basics Page templates Text Styles Headers Text Size Spacing Paste text only Bullets Body Text Basics 21 Tagging Business Keyword Search at the Page Level. Keyword tags are keywords and phrases that your customers are likely to use when they search for your page. A keyword phrase can be between 5 and 10 words. Commas or spaces must separate words and phrases. Note It is important that you create meta tags that are unique to each page of your site. Keyword Tags 22 Consistent Look & Feel Ensuring that our sites and pages have a consistent look and feel Plain text Fonts Headers Banners/Boarders Spacing Menu Ribbons* 23 Wrap Up Wrap Up Thanks for attending! 25
Joaquin Marro, Ronald Dickman-Nonequilibrium Phase Transitions in Lattice Models (Collection Alea-Saclay - Monographs and Texts in Statistical Physics) (2005) PDF