Engineering Influence: Talking to Developers about Content

Successful digital projects require a host of skills, but critical to the mix is software engineering. The most elegant, thoughtful, and pragmatic content strategy grinds to a halt when the implementation doesn’t live up to the plan.

Even when we get into so-called “maintenance” mode, we often find ourselves entirely dependent on the actions of strange beings speaking in a foreign tongue: developers.

What’s the best way to collaborate with our colleagues who come to web and mobile projects not with a focus on the content per se, but with a focus on the System?

Transcript

1. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Engineering Influence Talking to Developers About Content http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_and_Venus_(Botticelli)
2. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Q: How can you tell an extroverted engineer? A: When he talks to you, he looks at your shoes (instead of his own).
3. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU http://www.wix.com/blog/2010/11/web-designers-vs-web-developers-infographic-by-wix-com/
4. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU http://www.wix.com/blog/2010/11/web-designers-vs-web-developers-infographic-by-wix-com/
5. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU But we have to work together
6. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU –Winston Churchill “There is only one thing worse than going to war with allies . . . and that is going to war without them.” - Donald Rumsfeld “You go to war with the army you have---not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.”
7. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU #blameEthan • We had this nice workflow worked out where we didn’t have to talk to each other. • Static wireframes with Lorem Ipsum -> Static comps with Lorem Ipsum -> Built out sites with Lorem Ipsum • Now have to think about multiple devices? Yikes • Designers and developers will have to talk.
8. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU #blameKaren • Content Strategists can’t ignore how things are built. • RWD itself doesn’t really answer the underlying question. • We’ll have to talk. Developers, Designers, and Content Strategists.
9. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU #blameSaraWB • Adaptive content? That’s a whole ‘nother layer • Content strategists, designers, and developers will not only have to talk but actually agree on goals and approaches
10. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Engineers are People Too SIX WAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU: 1. Become genuinely interested in other people. 2. Smile. 3. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. 4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. 5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. 6. Make the other person feel important—and do it sincerely.
11. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Sincere Interest
12. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Interest in the Platform • How is structured content managed? Can new content types be created / extended? How? • What’s the editor experience like, and how can it be customized? • How are templates / themes created and edited? • What is the team excited about on this platform, and what are their concerns?
13. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Common Ground Shared Problems: • Lack of budget (time) • Weak/unclear strategy • Pointy-haired bosses • Shiny object syndrome • Scope creep • Migrate everything
14. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU
15. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU
16. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU http://www.superstitiousthoughts.com/news/?
17. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU 1. Eliminate all privacy. 2. Force push your own changes, without code review. 3. Interrupt people regularly for status updates. 4. Rush out software in 3 wks that needs 3 months 5. Hire a “Sr. Architect” but make architectural decisions before they show up 6. Change issue tracking software and means of communication regularly. 7. When hiring, find people that have at least a two hour drive, [then] disallow working from home. 8. One day, without notice, demand that everyone report to work an hour and a half earlier, starting the next day. 9. Make sure everything is on fire all the time. 10. Deny your team decent hardware. http://rustyrazorblade.com/2014/09/21-ways-to-minimize-employee-retention/
18. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU
19. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU http://cheezburger.com/4223955712 http://cheezburger.com/4047223552 http://imgur.com/k3qeC#.TmF8K5SyKGE.tumblr http://loremipsumfails.tumblr.com/ post/17153602389/gojugo-one- more-reason-not-to-respect-jose
20. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU
21. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Common Ground Shared Problems: • Lack of budget (time) • Weak/unclear strategy • Pointy-haired bosses • Shiny object syndrome • Scope creep • Migrate everything Shared Goals: • Project success • Clear goals, set early • Long-term stability • Ongoing usage • Mastery and flow • Focus on impact
22. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Content Models vs Data Models
23. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU http://www.sarawb.com/2011/06/30/content-first/
24. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU http://tutorial.shiksha360.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Database_Model_DiagramTitle.png
25. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU “Content is made of data in the same way music is made of notes” - me http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Autograph-Manuscript-BWV614.jpg
26. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Making it Real • No design without content - ban lorem ipsum • No implementation of a CMS without understanding the “C” - structured content • Content strategy throughout the project lifecycle, including into maintenance & optimization • We’re here to help - to ensure that what gets built gets used, populated, and thrives
27. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Enlisting Help • Avoid asking “Can the system do X?” • Instead, explore goals and desired features: • What’s the best way we could accomplish X? • What is it that makes doing X difficult on our platform? • What could we do to achieve the same goal that would be more in line with our architecture?
28. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU What’s in it for me? • Content audits help developers uncover requirements gaps • Content strategy provides leverage to push back on out of scope or irrational requests • Mediating / translating between users and developers (“I speak human and engineer”) • Nothing is more frustrating to developers than building & refining features that no one uses
29. John Eckman | @jeckman | #ConfabEDU Q & A John Eckman john.eckman@10up.com 10up.com @jeckman