5 reasons why content creation/development vendors have it wrong
Note: Since I wrote this, I’ve discovered 2 other blog posts on this subject: Mark Baker JoAnn Hackos Clearly, this is an issue. [update added 11/14/14] I’ve spent the last few months getting new content development tools set up or helping to change the workflow. And (in my opinion), no content development vendor has it right yet. Here’s my top 5 reasons why: 5. You have to be an expert in the tool The vendors assume people will become expert in the tools. This is dumb for many situations. For example, in the oil and gas...
read moreNeither your content nor your product are Jimmy Buffett
Recently, I saw a vendor advertising a webinar on Twitter, which at the time, was about 10 days away. It looked interesting so I clicked the link to sign up. The description looked even more interesting but I didn’t sign up. Why? Because the sign up link is “Check back soon for registration details!”. Today, Just under Less than a week before the webinar, there’s still no finally a signup link. I assume some time before the webinar, there will be a sign up link but I have no idea when. At this point, I’m I was...
read moreAre you communicating to your audience? Or with them?
I was browsing several vendor websites over the weekend and wound up laughing at the content marketing strategy, which, in this case, was not good. As I was reading one vendor’s site, it occurred to me the reading level was very high. I copied the content into Word and ran the Reading Level scan. I was not at all surprised to find the Flesch score was 8 and the Flesch-Kincaid was 18. (I didn’t have the SMOG on, but I bet that was really high, too.) Scores aren’t everything but they’re a lot So what do those scores...
read moreFlare 10 – or one of the best ways to support topic-based authoring
(Full disclosure – I was an evangelist for Madcap Software from late 2007 to 2009. Still one of my favorite jobs ever.)I’ve been using Flare since about version 3 and watched it grow and become more robust over the years. I often recommend it to clients as the solution they’re looking for because it does what’s needed in a solid sort of way. If you are working in a topic-based environment, or want to, this is the Best In Class tool. The new version of Flare came out about 4 weeks ago and I thought I’d write up a...
read moreGetting what you want webinar recording is ready!
In case you missed it, the webinar went super well and people really liked it. The recording is available here: http://youtu.be/ECnW4pYorTE The supporting files that were promised are available here. And finally, if you’d like the slides, go here. To see all the educational webinar recordings available, go here.
read moreFlare v9: it’s a good thing
In case you’ve not heard, a new version of Madcap Flare/MadPak has been released. Full disclosure: I worked for them as product manager/product evangelist before the economy tanked. One of my favorite jobs ever. This is not a feature by feature review – I’m just focusing on things my clients typically care about. For a complete list of what’s included in this new release, see the Madcap software description available here. This is all my thoughts and opinion. (As we go, click the images to see them bigger) Flare Most...
read moreGetting control over your content
The last week of the year is time for me to clean out my home office. Over the course of the year, it becomes a mess. I have stuff I thought I needed (that I don’t), stuff I thought I needed (that I do), and general leftovers from projects, teaching, students, and all the other things I do all year long. By the end of the year, there is barely room for me! So, the annual purge starts. Do your content and processes look like this? Your content and processes are similar to my office, except they don’t get cleaned out once a year....
read moreBusiness issues – predicting the cost of content
I’m interested in the business issues around creating content. I find those problems the most interesting to think about, to identify, and to solve. It’s an intersection between my background as a technical writer, a business owner, and my graduate anthropology work. Towards that end, I’ve been thinking about how do we know it’s time to invest in a new tools/new processes? How do we know that’s coming and when will it happen? When does it make sense financially to start looking for new tools and processes? Is...
read moreMy first Unconference
I’ve been invited to do a thing at my first unconference and I’m excited. I don’t want to call it a presentation, because that sounds unconference-like. When and where TC CAMP Date: Sunday, 26 January 2013 Time: 9:00 to 5:30 pm Venue: Silicon Valley Cloud Center, 222 Caspian Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1014 Map It’s an entire day of content issues and discussions in an unconference structure. The list of people who are participating is impressive and I’m certain to learn new things and think new thoughts. I bet you...
read more“No you don’t” – new customer management strategies
Over the last few months, I’m noticing a trend I’m sort of in awe of. I certainly would never have thought of it. When a customer tells you they don’t like something they paid you to do or you make a change to your tool and the customers don’t like it, the new response seems to be “No you don’t. You do like/want/prefer/have to get used to it and then you’ll love it.” Astonishing I find this an amazing customer management tactic. I’m in awe – think of the hours saved because you are...
read more
Recent comments