One Page Schedule

January 13

Topic: Definitions and introduction

Read for Class:

  • Intro from Erin Kissane’s text (see course policies for the text name and how to access it)
  • Reality section (Now, Problem, Solution) from Halvorson & Rach

Do for class:

Read the introduction to Kissane’s book and  The Reality Section (Now, Problem, Solution) in Halvorson and Rach. Write a short reaction in which you compare and contrast the material you’ve read from these two books and end this reaction with three questions that you have. Bring this to class with you. (and please don’t ask me how long it should be. You are in grad school. You don’t need to write a treatise, but it needs to be thoughtful and show engagement. My guess is that most of you will hit at least a page or so of single typed prose some of you will be a little longer and some may be a little shorter.)

In class:

  • group discussion about expectations of the course
    • setting assignment dates
  • discussion of readings
    • users
    • content
    • business objectives
  • small groups researching alternate definitions for content strategy and content management
    • read this origin story and read this one
    • mini-presentations on findings from exercise

January 20 – snow day, class online

Topic: More on Content Management and Project Management

Read for Class:

Content Management Readings

Project Management readings (skim these)

Do for class:

  • Confirm that you can FTP following these instructions
  • Come to class with 3 questions related to project management
  • Be prepared to discuss the content readings, paying particular attention to how they intersect with what you read last week. For the McCarthy reading, be ready to ask specific questions and discuss it as it relates to the more industry focused readings we’ve read.

In class:

  • Business writing 101 – particularly emails will do on 1/27
  • Overview of the Internet and the WWW will do on 1/27
  • Concept Presentation: Emily on content management systems will do on 1/27
  • Discussion of project management readings
    • Complete a work break down schedule and modified gantt
  • Discuss content management readings

January 27

Topic: Diving deeper into content management

Read for Class:

Content Management Readings

Online Readings about Business strategy

Do for class:

  • pick 3-5 of these short definitions on the Language of Content Strategy website that you do not see on the schedule or on our concept presentation page. Be prepared to talk about the ones you read and why you chose them.
  • Bring questions that you have about the readings or other questions you may have about content management and strategy more specifically.

In class:

  • Business communication – how to write an email
  • Difference between the Internet and WWW
  • Concept Presentations: Emily  (content management systems)
  • Big questions on PM
  • Discuss the readings
  • Talk about the Content strategy terms (performance exercise)
    • Business strategy discussion
  • Think through the first assignment and work on mini-example
    • Questions on the content analysis assignment

February 3

Topic: Moving from theory to practice

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • LyScreen Shot 2014-08-28 at 8.44.39 AMnda.com Tutorial on Content Strategy
    Lynda.com can be found on the home page of Canopy.  As a student, you have free access to thousands of software related tutorials. This is one all told is about 2 hours.
  • Do some thinking about all the readings we’ve done on content strategy. We’ve finished the two primary texts, some additional chapters and such, and then you’ve watched a tutorial. You’ve also done your first assignment where you’ve looked at content of an organization. Be prepared to present a summary of what you’ve learned and how close your understanding is to our original definitions.

In class:

  • Concept Presentation on information architecture: Ying
  • install of CMSs
  • Debrief on the analysis of content assignment
  • Discussion of the readings
    • Pitches
  • Content strategy versus content marketing

Due: Analysis of Content 3 February 2016

February 10

Topic: Preparing strategies

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • Think through how the first two readings go together.
  • Be prepared to discuss and apply the concepts from the readings.

In class:

  • Concept Presentation on open source software: Daniel
  • Reports and Information Design
  • Email and audience
  • Discuss the readings

February 17

Topic: Matching Content Strategy to UX, IA, and organization

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • think back to the concept presentation on Information architecture (and maybe skim this overview). Then consider the intersections of UX, content strategy and information architecture. Draw some sort of visual that shows your interpretation of this relationship and bring it to class with you printed out.
  • What questions do you have about the reading? Consider in particular the relationship of the modelling/organizing information to what we’ve previously discussed.
  • Complete/read this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Acrolinx-Research2016A19 and be prepared to discuss this.

In class:

February 24 SCCI (Lisa out of town)

Topic: CMS

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • Send questions if you have them about your CMS assignment. Reminder: it’s due next week.
  • Create a visually enhanced document (an infographic would be an example of this) that explains the key concepts from the readings, Emily’s presentation and the importance to a content strategist. Email this to me by the end of the day on the 24th.
  • Consider how the experience map and discussion intersects with the topic map and channel map and research from earlier in the term. The idea of the experience map and connecting the work done with it will become increasingly important as you move toward your content strategy final project. It also plays a role into the template and style guide. If you don’t see how these things fit together, then write down some questions and we’ll talk about them next week.

See Individual week page for examples of infographics created.

March 2

Topic: Writing for the Online Spaces

Read for Class:

  • Wide or Deep?
  • Skim the book Letting go of the words by Ginny Redish from Safari Books Online
  • Read Everybody writer by Ann Handley Part 5 (13 things marketers write from Safari Books Online)

Do for class:

  • Take a look at some of the infographics that y’all created last week. We’re going to discuss those in relation to the CMS assignment that is due today and the actual creation of content that you read about for today.

In class:

Due: CMS comparison March 2, 2016

March 9

Topic: Taking it Mobile

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • write a short analysis of the differences (based on the reading or your own knowledge or other source or etc.) between a standard content strategy and a mobile one

In class:

  • tell me what you know exercise
  • discussion of web writing
  • discussion of mobile strategies
  • persona exercise
  • assignment question to the class

March 16

Topic: Templates and Style Guides

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • Think through how the readings go together and be prepared to ask questions as it may relate to your assignment.

In class:

March 23: Spring Break

Nothing to do for this week except to give yourself a break.

March 30

Topic: Structured Authoring and Reusable Content

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • consider our project management readings and then the readings from CM Bible. Be prepared to discuss how they intersect and impact your own final projects.

In class:

  • Discuss the readings
    • groups and report back
  • A structured authoring exercise
    • PWRT program
    • superheroes
  • Accessibility exercise
  • Discuss schedule

Due: Template and Style guide 30 March 2016. See the Content Strategy Assignment.

April 6: ATTW/CCCCs (Lisa out of town)

Topic: Reading and Work week

Read for class:

These are the articles I mentioned that had just been published about content management. They resonate with many of the things that we’ve read and done this term.

Do this week:

  • craft three pages of content that summarize AND synthesize the articles above as a unit AND THEN how they relate to other things we’ve done this term AND in the program. These pages of content can be mocked up, created in a linked PDF portoflio, online, or whatever way you see fit. Just send them or a link to me by email on our class day.
  • Continue to work on your content strategy assignment. Please email me with questions!

DUE: Draft if content Strategy 10 April 2016

April 13 –Meeting Online

Topic: Accessibility and Making Connections

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • Perform an accessibility audit of a website
  • Write a paper that critiques and analyzes the Dush article. Some things to consider is whether you believe her argument and if so, why? if not, why? Think of her perspective in light of what we’re read and done in class. Email me this paper.

In class:

  • Discussion of accessibility
  • Discussion of Dush and how it applies to our learning objectives and your projects
  • Finish up our in-class example
  • Answer ?’s about your projects

April 20

Topic: Wrapping things up, revising our definitions and moving forward

Read for class:
Do for class:
  • be prepared to talk about your content strategy projects as they relate to the course content
In class
  • course evaluations
  • revisiting our definitions
    • debrief of content strategy assignment
  • discussion of the readings as they relate to the course and to your next steps

We often convene immediately following class for a celebratory event at a local establishment. Please consider joining in.