Last week, the HighEdWeb annual conference landed in Buffalo, New York — known for its friendly spirit, Niagara Falls and, of course, buffalo wings. But, as much as we loved that spicy sauce, it was the wings given to higher ed content that was most satisfying. The common theme linking our favorite sessions from the conference is the importance of looking at familiar issues from fresh perspectives. From new ways of considering how we build and … [Read more...]
Clarity and Readability Checklist for Content Creators
September 24, 2013 by
Last week, Georgy talked about respecting our audiences with readable content, including options for testing readability. Wikipedia describes readability as "the ease in which text can be read and understood." In other words, do people get what you're saying? The definition of readability is straightforward enough, but how do you plan for clarity and readability? In particular, for content creators working on the front line, what … [Read more...]
Planning for Content Beyond the Web
September 19, 2013 by
The following guest post was written by Dave Olsen, a programmer and project manager at West Virginia University. Dave will be speaking at Confab Higher Ed in Atlanta, GA this November. "Get your content ready to go anywhere," says web designer Brad Frost, "because it’s going to go everywhere." For many, responsive web design has become the solution for ensuring that their content is, as Brad noted, “ready to go anywhere.” It’s a simple … [Read more...]
Respect Your Audience With Readable Content
September 16, 2013 by
Recently, I was reviewing a website and came across a page geared toward international students. Reading the copy, I realized English would not be the first language for the target audience. Immediately, I felt my brain shift into a different gear. Beyond assessing the value of the content, I began closely scrutinizing diction and syntax. How many syllables in this word? How many clauses in this sentence? Would the density and complexity of … [Read more...]
A Higher Ed Content Strategist Survival Guide
August 22, 2013 by
The following guest post was written by Lisa Maria Martin, a content strategist and information architect in higher ed. Lisa Maria will be speaking at Confab Higher Ed in Atlanta, GA this November. I’ve spent time in academia, and I’ve spent time in content strategy, but never before had I mixed the two. Then, last winter, I began working at a large, private university, handling content strategy and information architecture for websites … [Read more...]