In the book A Project Guide to UX Design by Ross Unger and Carolyn Chandler there is a chapter that id dedicated to content strategy and goes into great detail in relation to it. There is also another chapter that does a similar thing but this time about personas. As I have just started learning about content strategy and personas I thought it would be a good idea to read this book in order to gain better insight and expand my knowledge
Here is what I learned:-
Content Strategy
Content strategy does not mean copy alone, it is not just text and words but all the other wonderful things that we may see online such as videos, images, PDFs etc. These all count as content and that is something that can sometimes easily be forgotten.
(In relations to my own project I realised that content is not just the writing but everything that goes into the site or application so when planning content I should consider images, text, videos, etc. as well)
Content strategy is needed in every project. Content strategy helps provide structing to the project so that the end goal can be reached. The content is going to be the first thing that users will see and interact with therefore it should not be the last thing on your mind. Content strategy needs to be given the proper attention and planning so that it can work for you instead of against you. Content strategy should be one of the first things considered when beginning a project, it should not be an afterthought.
(In relation to my own project I realised that content strategy needs to be one of the first things that I consider and plan before anything else ands its better to have at the start to help me get my project the exact way I want it to be)
You don’t need to hire a content strategist to g=have a good content strategy. You can do it all on your own with the many resources available to help….like this book for example.
Something that is very important to remember is that:
- Content Strategy is not Information Architecture – Content strategy focuses on the delivery, governance and planning content creation. Information Architecture deals with the design of an information space and to ensure that users can easily find what they’re looking for. Although there may be areas of overlap, they are not the same thing.
- Content Strategy is not Copy Writing – Copy writers write and generate the copy for brands ensuring that it matches their tone of voice then content strategist use what the copywriters provided and figures out how it works best for the project.
The roles can be similar to varying degrees and that means that sometimes they can actually end up intertwining.
(I had previously thought about content strategy as where everything is placed but now I know it refers to so much more)
There can be a lot that goes into content strategy and sometimes it feels like it can be left to the end but when done at the beginning it drastically helps the brand strategy and ensures that goals are met.
Personas
Personas can be very useful to designers, project team, stakeholders and clients as they can help predict who will be using the site or application and in some instances they may even be able to say how it will be used. In a way personas are almost a practice of empathy as it makes you aske how would this user deal with this situation or how would this user preform this task. This almost reminds me of the saying walk a mile in someone’s shoes as it forces the designer to consider the user as if they are them.
There are two type of personas that can be made:
- Interactive Personas – modelled towards usage behaviours
- Marketing Personas – target personas that market purchase motivations
(In relation to my Elements project, interactive personas are what I will personally be working with so it’s what will be focused on)
The realness of a persona can change depending on the project and the project team. some may be happy enough with a single document detailing the personas life while others might even create a online presence for them.
(In relation to my project as it is just me, I think that a single document should suffice)
When creating a persona the first thing to do is select a photo, one that looks natural and not posed. A name, age, occupation, location and biography can then be added. Other informational items such as education level, personal quote, hobbies, motivation, salary and user goals are all optional.
Personas help the designer focus on the real behaviours of the real people. They can be a constant reminder of the user and who the designer is actually designing for.
This book really helped me to gain a better understanding of content strategy and personas. I now feel better quipped to create my own content strategy and personas for my project