CreatingaCommunityofSupporttoLeverageGreatContent

Credit:DocSearls,https://www.?lickr.com/photos/docsearls/5500714140/

JanellSimsHarvardLawSchool

@janellsims

HarvardLawSchool

Silos=Departments

Communica<onIsCrucialtoaStrongContentStrategy

Ini<alChallenges

CMSPains

Ini<alChallenges

CMSPains DysfunctionalStructure

Ini<alChallenges

CMSPains DysfunctionalStructure

NoCentralizedWebTeam

SiloedContentProduc<on

¤ “Inmostsituations,thedecentralizedpublishingmodelhasbeendisastrous.Thepeopletrainedtendedtoberelativelyjuniorstaff,forwhompublishingtothewebsitewasjustonemoreresponsibility.Theresultwaslotsandlotsofpoorqualitycontentthatwasneverupdatedorreviewed.”−GerryMcGovern,NewThinking

Ini<alChallenges

CMSPains DysfunctionalStructure

NoCentralizedWebTeam

BestofBothWorlds

¤ “Amixofthecentralanddecentralizedisoftenoptimal.Thecentralteamhascoreexpertiseinwebwriting,navigation,search,whilethedecentralizedteamcontainsthesubjectmatterexperts...itisessentialthattheyarehighlycollaborative.”−GerryMcGovern,NewThinking

FromaSiloedCMS…

…ToaSharablePlaIorm

Targe<ngKeyContentDevelopersandInvi<ngThemtoCollaborate

Invita<ontoCollaborate

¤ InclusiveProcess

¤ Transparency

¤ TargetingAdmins,notBig-Wigs

BuildingaCommunityofSupportAmongContentDevelopersAcrossDepartmentsandDisciplines

ACommunityofSupport

¤  CommunityGrows¤  Enthusiasmincreasedaftermigrationprojectended¤  Eagernesstolearnwebskills

ACommunityofSupport

¤  CommunityGrows¤  Enthusiasmincreasedaftermigrationprojectended¤  Eagernesstolearnwebskills

¤  MeetingStructureandTopics¤  Bestpractices,techskills¤  Guestspeakers¤  Parties!

ACommunityofSupport

¤  CommunityGrows¤  Enthusiasmincreasedaftermigrationprojectended¤  Eagernesstolearnwebskills

¤  MeetingStructureandTopics¤  Bestpractices,techskills¤  Guestspeakers¤  Parties!¤  WPWorkshops

ACommunityofSupport

¤  CommunityGrows¤  Enthusiasmincreasedaftermigrationprojectended¤  Eagernesstolearnwebskills

¤  MeetingStructureandTopics¤  Bestpractices,techskills¤  Guestspeakers¤  Parties!¤  WPWorkshops¤  Roundtableupdates

WhattheGroupIsSaying

¤ “Whendifferentof?icesknoweachother’sbigdeadlinesandbasicwaysofoperating,everyoneofuscanfarmoreeffectivelyguidestudentsthroughthemanystepstheyneedtotaketosucceedhere.ParticularlyinStudentFinancialServices,whichstrivestomakealotofcomplexpoliciesandinformationcleartoothers,wecanalwaysusehonestfeedbackandcreativeideasinseekingtoimprove.”

ACommunityofSupport

¤  CommunityGrows¤  Enthusiasmincreasedaftermigrationprojectended¤  Eagernesstolearnwebskills

¤  MeetingStructureandTopics¤  Bestpractices,techskills¤  Guestspeakers¤  Parties!¤  WPWorkshops¤  Roundtableupdates

ACommunityofSupport

¤  CommunityGrows¤  Enthusiasmincreasedaftermigrationprojectended¤  Eagernesstolearnwebskills

¤  MeetingStructureandTopics¤  Bestpractices,techskills¤  Guestspeakers¤  Parties!¤  WPWorkshops¤  Roundtableupdates

¤  Encouragingmoreparticipation

ListeningandFocusingonAccommoda<ngEachMember

ListenandAccommodate

¤ Takefeedbacktoheart

¤ Be?lexibleandreadytoshiftpriorities

¤ Slack!

Educa<ngandSuppor<ngContentDevelopersImprovestheEn<reSiteatEveryLevel

WhattheGroupIsSaying

¤ “Thewallbetweenourdepartmentandtheirshasbeendissolvedsincewe’vebeencomingtoColocation.”

Educa<onandSupportBringsChange

¤ Dissolvingdepartmentwalls

¤ Userseffectchangeupward

¤ Evangelistsadvocateforchangeandprogress

CommunityBuildsStrategy

WhattheGroupIsSaying

¤ “ColocationhasgivenmeboththetoolsandtherelationshipstounderstandsomuchmoreabouthowIcanbestshareinformationasanHLSemployee–withcolleagues,students,parents,andthegeneralpublicalike.”

WhattheGroupIsSaying

¤ “I’msogratefultohaveourweeklyColocationmeetingsforfacilitatingusefuldialogue,consistentcommunication,andongoingWordPresstraining–itallmakesadifferenceforsure!”

Credit:DocSearls,https://www.?lickr.com/photos/docsearls/5500714140/

Thankyou!JanellSims,HarvardLawSchool@janellsims