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Writing content for intranets

Writing content for intranets. with Phil Woodford. Getting back to fundamentals. Why have an intranet at all?. Get information to a disparate group of staff quickly and efficiently Assist staff with information they need to do their job well

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Writing content for intranets

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  1. Writing content for intranets with Phil Woodford

  2. Getting back to fundamentals Why have an intranet at all?

  3. Get information to a disparate group of staff quickly and efficiently • Assist staff with information they need to do their job well • Aid communication and collaboration among decentralised teams Source: Paper presented to Trust Board, 2007

  4. What we’ve learned through Harlequin training sessions • Editors frustrated • Feel obliged to publish poor content • No one taking overall ownership of content

  5. Common problems with intranets • Information overload – can include large volume of FOI material, for instance • “It’s on the intranet…” • Seen as a cost-free resource – no need to justify value of content

  6. Common problems with intranets (cont’d) • All content given equal status for political reasons – little or no filtering • Non-writers supplying content, but expecting it to be uploaded verbatim • Inconsistency in style and tone across the site

  7. The worst-case scenario • 11 full time specialists • IT systems costs and support • Up to 50 people part time on intranet • 20,000 pages! (but estimate 1000 useful pages) 11 x £25k £275k Estimated IT £50k 50 x (10% x £25k) £125k Total cost £450k £ Per Page £22.50

  8. What users really want • Content that can be scanned at a glance • Ease of navigation and usability • Less content, but higher quality

  9. How do you find reading on screen?

  10. User issues - Physiology • Screens vary enormously • Screens are poor devices to read from • Reading is tiring and seems boring • Poor design effects readability • According to IBM it's 37% slower

  11. User issues - Psychology • Users can't ascertain the size of the prize • Default is “this will be difficult” • No obvious way to scan pages for information • Pick up on subtle clues • Very impatient

  12. Improving usability and navigation

  13. Some fundamental principles for writing • Short “chunks” of information on navigational pages • Self-explanatory headlines • Every page, item or article to have its own clear message and raison d’être • Avoidance of long scrolling content where possible • Writing to encourage genuine two-way consultation and discussion

  14. Ideal submission and editing process • Content providers to be given ownership – they must be able to justify submissions • Editors to be given more freedom to edit • Greater consistency in style and tone • Total volume of material to be reduced

  15. And don’t forget… • Your online writing must be supported by offline promotion.

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