Slide 1

Slide 1 text

Project Discovery for content websites

Slide 2

Slide 2 text

@souvikdg

Slide 3

Slide 3 text

Miranj We architect information and 
 design radically simple, future-proof websites

Slide 4

Slide 4 text

Content-driven Websites Represent an organisation or a business Publishing platform (stories, articles, news, etc.) Facilitate e-commerce

Slide 5

Slide 5 text

“We want our new website to be modern,
 mobile-optimised, easy to change
 and good looking.”
 
 “And oh, SEO-friendly as well.”

Slide 6

Slide 6 text

No content

Slide 7

Slide 7 text

The problem usually doesn’t lie in what they’re sharing, but rather on what they’re not sharing.

Slide 8

Slide 8 text

Problem Space Solution Space vs

Slide 9

Slide 9 text

Doctor by Hamza Butt on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/149902454@N08/35081927460

Slide 10

Slide 10 text

Doctor by Hamza Butt on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/149902454@N08/35081927460 Problem Space I have fever I feel dizzy My stomach is paining My cut is bleeding Solution Space vs I’ve got typhoid I need MRI Scan Prescribe me aspirin

Slide 11

Slide 11 text

Problem Space Feels old Difficult to browse on phones Pain to modify Dislike the design Doesn’t show on Google Solution Space vs Modern Mobile-optimised Easy to edit Good looking SEO-friendly

Slide 12

Slide 12 text

Typically briefs are unclear or inadequate because they try to communicate the solutions rather than the problems.

Slide 13

Slide 13 text

So, discovering project needs becomes a necessary part of our work.

Slide 14

Slide 14 text

5 Stages of Discovery

Slide 15

Slide 15 text

1. Listen
 2. Probe 3. Prioritise 4. Strategise 5. Align 5 Stages of Discovery

Slide 16

Slide 16 text

No content

Slide 17

Slide 17 text

Who?

Slide 18

Slide 18 text

All stakeholders

Slide 19

Slide 19 text

Web Team Designer Developer / Technologist Content Strategist Information Architect Copywriter

Slide 20

Slide 20 text

Client “Website manager” or “Product owner” Management (decision maker)

Slide 21

Slide 21 text

Ongoing Roles Marketing and Communication Content-writer / authors Editor Digital Marketer

Slide 22

Slide 22 text

Anyone else who may 
 either have a say, 
 or simply, have good ideas.

Slide 23

Slide 23 text

Listen Stage 1

Slide 24

Slide 24 text

Domain Get familiar with the business, stakeholders, processes and terminologies

Slide 25

Slide 25 text

Wishlist Goals, Wishes, Content, Demand, 
 Outcome, Impact, Quality, Analytics, 
 Features, Functionality, etc…

Slide 26

Slide 26 text

No content

Slide 27

Slide 27 text

No content

Slide 28

Slide 28 text

No “thought” or “idea” is discarded at this stage

Slide 29

Slide 29 text

1 “thought” or “idea” goes on 1 sticky note

Slide 30

Slide 30 text

No content

Slide 31

Slide 31 text

Synthesise Add to the “thoughts” and move them around to achieve a structured understanding of the client’s domain

Slide 32

Slide 32 text

Identify the various stakeholders, business priorities and potential content inventory

Slide 33

Slide 33 text

Align with the client’s vocabulary

Slide 34

Slide 34 text

Landscape Peers, Competitors or Superstars

Slide 35

Slide 35 text

Probe Stage 2

Slide 36

Slide 36 text

Constraints Timelines, Budgets, Life Expectancy (ROI)

Slide 37

Slide 37 text

How long should this
 new website last?

Slide 38

Slide 38 text

Goals Features, Functionalities or important Outcomes

Slide 39

Slide 39 text

Goals Hygiene vs

Slide 40

Slide 40 text

Goals Flexibility in page layout and content Evolution in brand positioning Higher time on site Low bounce rate Increase repeat visitors Hygiene vs Easy to use Easy to edit Good looking Mobile friendly SEO optimised

Slide 41

Slide 41 text

No content

Slide 42

Slide 42 text

Audience Identify the distinct groups that are likely to land on our website and for each type map out their context and motivations, current solutions and their problems.

Slide 43

Slide 43 text

No content

Slide 44

Slide 44 text

The often-missing Audience Internal team members, content author / manager, partners, future hires, search bots, etc.

Slide 45

Slide 45 text

Design Run over references from the wild (including peers and competitors) that help us capture reaction from clients and understand their tastes and aspirations

Slide 46

Slide 46 text

Brand Collect the expressions and phrases that determine the 
 positioning of the organisation or the service

Slide 47

Slide 47 text

No content

Slide 48

Slide 48 text

Content Identify types and for each detail the editorial process, frequency of publishing or update and real (or representative) samples

Slide 49

Slide 49 text

What is content?

Slide 50

Slide 50 text

All current and “future” information, document, write-up, knowledge, etc.

Slide 51

Slide 51 text

Marketing collateral
 is content

Slide 52

Slide 52 text

Media is content

Slide 53

Slide 53 text

Features and functionalities have intrinsic content

Slide 54

Slide 54 text

Synthesise Goals, Audience, Content, Design, Brand

Slide 55

Slide 55 text

Audience Goal (Outcome)

Slide 56

Slide 56 text

Audience Goal (Outcome) Content

Slide 57

Slide 57 text

Audience → Content → Goal Mapping is tedious but it is 
 important for the key outcomes

Slide 58

Slide 58 text

Prioritise Stage 3

Slide 59

Slide 59 text

“Everything is important”

Slide 60

Slide 60 text

Prioritisation is about
 “focusing on impact”

Slide 61

Slide 61 text

Prioritisation is about “analysing feasibility”

Slide 62

Slide 62 text

Prioritisation is about
 “building consensus”

Slide 63

Slide 63 text

Goals, Audience and Content

Slide 64

Slide 64 text

No content

Slide 65

Slide 65 text

Card Sorting

Slide 66

Slide 66 text

Voting

Slide 67

Slide 67 text

Fist-to-five

Slide 68

Slide 68 text

Impact vs Effort

Slide 69

Slide 69 text

High Effort
 High Impact High Effort
 Low Impact Low Effort
 High Impact Low Effort
 Low Impact

Slide 70

Slide 70 text

Strategise Stage 4

Slide 71

Slide 71 text

Content-First

Slide 72

Slide 72 text

Content Strategy Choice of Content, Discoverability, Frequency of Updates, 
 Narrative and Storytelling, Page or Design Strategy, etc.

Slide 73

Slide 73 text

Information Architecture Identify the primary content models 
 and break them down into smaller components.

Slide 74

Slide 74 text

Content models can be “broken down” in two ways…

Slide 75

Slide 75 text

Semantic Style vs

Slide 76

Slide 76 text

Semantic Title Author Excerpt Body Date Topic Cover Image Style vs Text Block Image Block Video Block Gallery Block Timeline Block

Slide 77

Slide 77 text

Sitemap v2 by James Box on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/b0xman/4472627015 Sitemap and Navigation follows the information architecture

Slide 78

Slide 78 text

Technology CMS, Caching, SEO, Plugins, 
 Other 3rd Party Services, Performance Budgets

Slide 79

Slide 79 text

Work Plan For all stakeholders, including clients (fulfilling pre-requisites)

Slide 80

Slide 80 text

Align Stage 5

Slide 81

Slide 81 text

Discuss and agree on the
 Strategy, Scope and Plan

Slide 82

Slide 82 text

Responsibilities RACI matrix
 R=Responsible, A=Accountable, C=Consulted, I=Informed

Slide 83

Slide 83 text

Project Management Introduction to tool or process

Slide 84

Slide 84 text

1. Listen
 2. Probe 3. Prioritise 4. Strategise 5. Align

Slide 85

Slide 85 text

1. Listen
 2. Probe 3. Prioritise 4. Strategise 5. Align Problem Space Solution Space

Slide 86

Slide 86 text

A website is 
 not a commodity.

Slide 87

Slide 87 text

Neither is the 
 process of discovery.

Slide 88

Slide 88 text

As much as the process is about discovery, it is also about everyone aligning and being on the same page about the problems and the solutions.

Slide 89

Slide 89 text

And, helps speak the same language through the 
 project execution.

Slide 90

Slide 90 text

Not to mention, clients also gain a lot of clarity — not just about website but also their business!

Slide 91

Slide 91 text

The Challenge

Slide 92

Slide 92 text

Thanks!