A Conversation about Structured Content for Content Authors
Feb 10, 2022
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Carrie Hane, a creative problem solver transforming organizations, discusses the importance and challenges of structured content. She emphasizes the need to involve content authors, shift industry focus, and connect different disciplines. Additionally, she highlights the significance of involving content authors in content modeling and the benefits of structured content for localization.
Structured content breaks down information into manageable pieces for humans and computers.
Content authors should focus on purpose and intent, involving them in the design process for successful implementation and adoption.
Deep dives
Structured Content for Content Authors
This podcast episode is centered on the importance of structured content for content authors. The guest, Carrie Hayne, is the co-author of the book 'Designing Connected Content' and Head of Content Strategy Relations at San Diego. The episode highlights how structured content breaks down information into smaller, more manageable pieces that can be easily understood by both humans and computers. It emphasizes the need for a holistic and end-to-end framework for developing content across different channels, encouraging content authors to think beyond web pages and consider the potential of structured content in AI, personalization, and faster content delivery. The episode underlines the importance of focusing on the purpose and intent of content rather than its design and layout, and advocates for involving content authors in the entire process to ensure successful implementation and adoption. It also touches on the significance of content previews, localization, and the future vision of structured content becoming ubiquitous.
The Journey to Structured Content and Content Strategy
Carrie Hayne discusses her journey into content strategy, starting as a webmaster in the late 90s and gradually specializing in strategy and content. She shares how her collaboration with Mike Atherton led to the co-authoring of the book 'Designing Connected Content.' Carrie describes the process of bringing together modeling work and content structuring to create a unique and end-to-end framework for developing not just websites, but content across various channels. She highlights the importance of considering the purpose and architecture of content apart from its appearance in any given interface. Carrie also reflects on the challenges faced in implementing structured content, including the need to educate authors and involve them in the system's design and training process. She emphasizes the importance of empathy, understanding the needs of content authors, and creating systems that support their workflows.
Content Modeling and Design Systems
The podcast explores the role of content modeling and design systems in the structured content approach. Carrie discusses the significance of content modeling, which involves breaking down content into smaller, purpose-driven pieces for effective representation and reuse. She emphasizes the need for content authors to focus on content intent rather than specific design elements, highlighting the benefits of aligning content with design systems that support various delivery channels. Carrie also emphasizes the importance of involving authors in the design process, allowing them to see the purpose behind content elements and making conscious design decisions. She explains how structured content enables localization, allowing for content to be easily adapted to different languages and contexts based on the content model's attributes and purpose.
The Future of Structured Content
Carrie Hayne shares her thoughts on the future of structured content. She envisions a world where structured content becomes more prevalent and widely adopted. Carrie believes that structured content is necessary for achieving the potential benefits of AI, personalization, and faster content delivery. She stresses the need for a mindset shift away from traditional web-focused approaches and towards a holistic, interconnected view of content. Carrie hopes to see more collaboration and overlap between different disciplines, such as developers, designers, content strategists, and product managers, to create a unified vision of structured content. She underlines the importance of educating authors and helping them understand the benefits of structured content, while also acknowledging the challenges of introducing this approach and the need for ongoing support and training.
Carrie Hane is a creative problem solver who transforms organizations by connecting people, processes, and technology for sustainable outcomes. She is the co-author of Designing Connected Content, a "primer for reckoning with the future of content." As Sanity.io's Head of Content Strategy Relations, she advocates for future-friendly structured content. When she's not working, you can find her at the pool swimming with her Master's team, at her son's baseball game, or reading with her dog.