content strategy to the rescue!
DESCRIPTION
To be successful, content creation must be part of a larger business solution that is relevant to an audience. But how do we go about identifying that solution to begin with? How can we rally support to our cause and build out a solution that will attract, engage, and convert traditionally isolated users to large-scale, sustainable, knowledge-sharing practices? \n\nThis presentation is about how Opower’s Knowledge Management team is using their content strategy powers to tackle their biggest content strategy project to date: breaking down operational knowledge silos to enable consistent knowledge sharing at scale. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Content Strategy to the Rescue!
September, 2015
Prepared for InfoDevDCTheresa RogersTechnical Writer, Opower
Transforming Content into Business Assets
2April 19, 2023
About MeHi.
Note to Deck Viewers
This deck has animations. It will make much more sense (and be a lot more fun!) if you download a copy and view it in PowerPoint.
I hope you enjoy!
Theresa
3
Opower Saves Energy! We’ve saved more than 4 terawatt-hours of energy! That is
like….
Products that Empower
Opower Operations
7
Products
Analytics Experts
Forecasting Analysts
Solution Architects
Platform Ops EngineersContent Designers
QA Engineers Technical Program Managers
Operational Engineers
Configuration AnalystsEngagement Managers
Product Engineers
Client Support Engineers
OperationsGettin’ it into your home.
ProductGetting’ it built.
Behavioral Marketing Analyst
Unpack the Problem
Meet client specifications
How To…
Maintain internal tools
DIAGNOSE AND TREAT PROGRAM PROBLEMS
Deliver programs on
time
Use systems for supporting software
VERIFY PROGRAM DESIGN ASSUMPTIONS MEET SAVINGS GOALSManage vendors
Transfer data
Ensure program functionality
Conduct ownership hand-off
Use internal tools
Make program design decisions
Troubleshoot
Answer client questions
Design program contentCreate program content
Generate and deliver products
MEASURE PROGRAM IMPACT
Test software
Test codeMeet client specifications
Handle PII
Localize programs
Handle client requests
Capture historical knowledge
● Make stuff up as you go● Tribal knowledge is the official knowledge
● Teams want to fix things but are so overloaded that they don’t have the time
to document their own processes, let alone work together to solve larger
issues.
Our technical operations took back seat to our outward hotness
How can we enable our teams deliver high-quality products consistently and at scale, and in a shorter amount of time?
We need….Let’s Think About This
Unicorn (n.): An unattainable, absolutely terrifyingly, magical, bedazzled, and unachievable answer to all of the business woes.
• Define a real knowledge management strategyA deliberate and systematic approach to cultivate and share information
• Break down team information silosOrganize content into a single, centralized resource with standard organization
• Reduce duplicationConsolidation and content reuse
• Reduce the learning curveIntuitive navigation and wide accessibility (E.g., Templates, user guides, and training)
• Enable dissemination of knowledgeMake it easy for users to self-serve and circulate information among themselves
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Doppelgangers
Knowledge Management
Content Strategy
Content Strategy is the purposeful curation of sustainable content to solve business problems and maximize return on investment.
A Knowledge Scape
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We’re driving behavioral change.
We have to tell a knowledge story so well that each user unknowingly becomes an active partner in the solution.
Knowledge Management Crusaders
Hold for image of many, many, super heroes
Resist the urge to throw people at an ill-defined content strategy problem – bodies don’t bounce.
RR T
Attack a content strategy solution like you would any other major business decision.
Content is a prerequisite for a desired behavioral change that will ultimately address the problem.
Thinking about how docs aren’t the solution places things in an
interesting light.
Collect the Substance
● What operations cause your
team the most pain?
● What systems of record do
you use to do your job?
● What are the most
important things your
team needs?
• Talk to your experts.
• Explicitly state what you are solving.
• Gather diverse user stories.
• What patterns do you see?
Collect the Substance: Method
Low Priority
High Priority
Medium Priority
Launch / Deploy
Operate / Maintain
Troubleshooting
Boards: One for each topic
Categories: 16 topic boards
Stickers: • One stack for each team representative• Red: High priority• Yellow: Medium priority• Green: Low priority
Collect the Substance: Rank Priority
Launch / Deploy
Operate / Maintain
Hulk
Hulk
Catwoman
Hulk
Troubleshooting
WW
Cat
Wolv.
Wolv.
Wolv.
Wolv.
Cat
WW
WW
Collect the Substance: Distill the Data
Champions, Assemble!
. SOP
Fixed instructions for carrying out routine operations
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A Collaborative Solution
The Deliverable: The Mechanisms
Wiki knowledge baseWorkflow tracking
How do we…● Efficiently extract process from 18+ teams spread
over three continents?● Distill the existing 5,000+ pages of wiki notes?● Agree on the best design and organization?● Prioritize what should be worked on first?● Measure success?● Know where to stop or when good is good enough?● Establish ownership long-term? ● Get enough resources to make an impact?● Maintain what we have moving forward?● Balance accessibility with technical detail?● Distribute the content?● Create a reasonable schedule for a project that will
take years?● Manage changes that will occur while we are
working?● Enable teams to self-serve?● Free technical teams to provide expertise while
meeting client objectives?● Dovetail into internal tooling?● Keep processes in sync with each other across the
organization?● Build accountability into our lean workflow?● How do we keep KM from being a process roadblock?● Keep users posted of our incremental process?
The Deliverable: Logistics
The Deliverable: Figuring it Out
The Deliverable: Work It Out
The Deliverable: Framework
Design: Wiki Guide Outline
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Design: Wiki NUG Outline
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NUG TitleOverview
Role(s)• Primary Role• Secondary Role(s)
Related Ticket(s)• <Link>
Dependencies• Domestic• International
Workflow
See Also<link>
SOP Primary Role Supporting Role
<link> [data-field] [data-field]
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Design: Wiki SOP Outline
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SOP TitleOverview
Related Ticket(s)• <Link>
Role(s)• Primary Role• Secondary Role(s)
Dependencies• Domestic• International
Task(s)Task A
Task OwnerTo do Task A…
Task BTask OwnerTo do Task B…
See Also<link>
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Design: Template Design (Front)
Design: Wiki Template Outline (Back)
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SOP Title[Anchor Macro][TOC macro][Standard Warning / Multi-excerpt]
Overview[Hidden Macro – Instructions & Example][Insert text prompt]
Role(s)• Primary Role[Hidden Macro – Instructions & Example][Data-Text Macro]
• Secondary Role(s)[Hidden Macro – Instructions & Example][Data-Text Macro]
Task(s)[Hidden Macro – Instructions & Example][Insert text prompt]
Task A[Hidden Macro – Instructions & Example][Insert text prompt][Return to Top – Anchor]
See Also[Label macro]
Enable Self-Service: Templates
Design: Prototype Your Heart Out
Enable Self-Service: User Guidance
Plan for Governance: Workflow
Design: User Testing
• Provide something to react against• Test each user story• Observe reactions• Gather feedback
Deliverable: Roadmap
Plan for Governance: Live Dashboard
Roll Out!
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• Cash-in SME support• Demo and Q&A• Unveil with style• Provide support• Train users
User Reactions
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“His [SOP] documentation kicks-ass so it [i.e., data migration] was pretty easy.” – An Engineer
“Can I hear some applause? This is f***ing awesome!” – A Senior Executive
“They [SOP templates] are intuitive, simple, and they have given us tons of stuff [i.e., User Guides]. You have no excuse not to document.” – An Operations Engineer
“There is an SOP for that! Seriously, I wrote it.” – Overheard in the kitchen
What’s Next?
Write SOPs, implement feedback, and keep solving problems!
Thank you!