Brief notes

  • Intro to GDS etc
  • Content design – GDS-style
    • Moving away from subject experts to skilled writers
    • Targeting user needs – Discovery process
      • Gives you
        • language
        • architecture
        • tone
        • style
      • Research
      • Vocabulary
        • e.g. Forums, interviews, …
      • User stories
        • Leads to very targeted material
        • Good for shared understanding
        • What is being covered
        • what is not being covered
        • Should have
          • acceptance criteria
          • format
          • performance indicators
          • archive date (or review)
      • Designing with data
        • Gives you something better than opinions
        • Perspective and distance
        • also a chance to listen
        • forms the architecture of the content
    • Tricky conversations
      • Often, we talk at, not listening to
        • giving solutions
        • making arguments
      • “Looking at each other and thinking ‘you’re an alien'”
      • Crit sessions – encourage respectful and productive sessions
        • Rule 1: Everyone did the best job possible with the information they had at the time
        • Rule 2: Talk about the product only, not the person who created it
        • Rule 3: Constructive criticism only. “That’s crap” is unhelpful and unacceptable
        • Rule 4: No one has to defend a decision
        • “How are we as a team going to make this better?”
  • Reading psychology
    • People often say e.g. “older users do this…”
    • Reading is (basically) the same, worldwide, regardless of language
    • Reasons a page may be failing
      • Eyes skip across text & 10-15% is skipping back (regressive reading)
        • New terms lead to more regressive reading
        • Makes reader feel uncomfortable
        • Reduces …
  • Working together gives you
    • a better product
    • an easier life
  • Show, don’t tell