Communication is hard. And when you think about higher ed, where we’ve got both central- and unit-level communications staff—each with their own stories, platforms, priorities, and staffing—it is really hard. The oft-invoked analogy is “herding cats,” and it certainly applies in this instance. So, we organize an editorial meeting, inviting all the top cats. Finally, we’ll bring order to the editorial chaos! But it’s not that simple. Our feline … [Read more...]
Content Rocks at HighEdWeb Arkansas
July 30, 2012 by
Last week, higher ed web professionals from the South, the Midwest and points beyond gathered in Little Rock, Arkansas, for the third annual HighEdWeb Arkansas regional conference. And the event, well, rocked. In particular, there were several sessions covering topics where content plays a vital role. We sat down with some of these speakers and asked them to share highlights from their talks. Community Engagement FTW Robin Smail, … [Read more...]
Managing Content Workflow for Faculty
July 17, 2012 by
You’ve done it! You’ve captured the intricacies and practical applications of Professor Mumblemore’s groundbreaking work on glottochronology (or electrophysiology, or perhaps paleoentomology) in crisp, engaging, easy to comprehend prose (or a minute-thirty of video, if you prefer). Good work! All that’s left is to get his A-OK and we can get this puppy published. Wait… what’s this? Professor Mumblemore returned your piece with notes—lots of … [Read more...]
Higher Ed Responsive Web Design Trail Blazers say ‘Content-First’
June 21, 2012 by
Over the past couple of years, the advent of responsive web design has changed the way we think about websites. We no longer need to feel compelled to plan around countless devices. Rather, we can plan for a single web experience that works in unpredictable contexts. More often than not, that comes down to the content. Responsive web design, within the larger school of thought around creating adaptive content, gives content folks a lot to … [Read more...]
Guidelines for Smart Content Curation
June 5, 2012 by
On May 8, I delivered a Meet Content webinar about effective content curation for higher ed. This post captures many of the insights I shared in that session. I love this “Dilbert” cartoon where the “digital media curation” professional at a meeting says, in response to someone asking what he does, “Ha ha! I look down on you for not understanding my trendy jargon!” But in the end, even he can’t explain his work. Curation is hip, which … [Read more...]