UXA2022 Day 2; Matt Fenwick - Defending design: writing to influence

What happens to your work when you leave the room? What can you do to help others understand and use what you've designed?

It's not enough to do the work — we must also communicate about the work, and do that in writing. In this presentation by content strategist, writer and TEDx speaker Matt Fenwick, you'll learn a new way of approaching writing at work.

Transcript

1. Defending design Writing to influence
2. X
4. “If you haven’t written it down, it’s ephemeral. And if it’s ephemeral, it’s a big fat waste of time.” - Donna Spencer
5. X
7. “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people” - Thomas Mann
8. Curse of knowledge Frontloading Abstraction Layering Storytelling
9. Curse of knowledge
11. Frontloading
12. Most important Less important
16. Page
17. Para
18. Sentence
19. Before…. Healthier Work Content Strategy 1. Introduction 2. Current state of your content 3. Future state of your content 4. Roadmap
20. … After Healthier Work Content Strategy 1. Introduction 2. Future state of your content 3. Roadmap 4. Research summary Healthier Work Content Strategy 1. Introduction 2. Current state of your content 3. Future state of your content 4. Roadmap
21. Let’s fix this! About Flange Flange is a 100% distributed organisation, meaning we have experience managing consultations online. Our team includes Rick Flange, Co-founder and lead strategies, Marjorie Flange, Senior researcher and Derrick Biggins, Researcher.
22. Layering information
23. Bite - snack - meal @mattmfenwick truenorthcontent.com.au
24. The bite…
25. The snack…
26. Where’s my snack? I want my snack! Bite Meal
27. Where’s my snack? I want my snack!
28. Where’s my snack? I want my snack!
29. The ladder of abstraction
30. Abstract Concrete
31. Abstract “What’s that?”
32. flange. We exist to unlock tomorrow
33. Concrete “So what?”
35. Concrete “So what?”
36. Concrete “So what?” “So what?”
37. Concrete “So what?” “So what?” “So what?”
38. Concrete “So what?” “So what?” “So what?” “So what?”
39. Concrete “So what?” “So what?” “So what?” “So what?” “So what?”
40. Let’s fix this! “Users added an item to cart in 20% of cases” So what?
41. Story
42. A good story has… 1. Character 2. Stakes 3. Movement 4. Resolution
43. ZZZZZZZZZ 1. The client asked us to do some work
44. ZZZZZZZZZ 1. The client asked us to do some work 2. We knew we’d be awesome going in, and sure enough we were
45. ZZZZZZZZZ 1. The client asked us to do some work 2. We knew we’d be awesome going in, and sure enough we were 3. Everything worked out exactly as expected
46. Which type of communicator are you? Bard Linear time Payoff at the end Steward Listing facts Others interpret Scout Pay-off upfront Progressive info
47. But what do I do?
48. Your customer’s customer journey Gathering support
49. Your customer’s customer journey Gathering support Pitching
50. Your customer’s customer journey Gathering support Pitching Negotiating scope
51. Your customer’s customer journey Gathering support Pitching Negotiating scope Discovery
52. Your customer’s customer journey Gathering support Pitching Negotiating scope Discovery Delivery
53. Your customer’s customer journey Gathering support Pitching Negotiating scope Discovery Delivery Nurturing
54. Writing is a craft
56. Writing is a team sport
57. Writing bugs? Your email Your question No spam 🤝
58. Thank you! E: matt@truenorthcontent.com.au LI: MattMfenwick Ph: 0429 850 423 Content strategy Content design Training ConteRATEG