3. 3The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
Marlowe Sarah Beckley
Manager, Content Strategy at SapientNitro
8 years in Content Strategy
5 years tech/web/print publishing
Specialize in hospitality, financial services,
online applications, content matrix development
Client projects include work for a major hotel chain,
Allstate, State Farm, Citadel, HSBC, and the Options Industry Council.
@marlowebeckley
mbeckley@sapient.com
4. 4The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SapientNitro
PASSIONATE
PEOPLE
7000+
OFFICES
GLOBALLY
CONNECTED
31
YEARS OF
CUSTOMER
INNOVATION
20
COMPANY
1
2012 AGENCY REPORT:
# 1 Largest Digital Agency US
# 3 Largest Digital Agency Worldwide
# 12 World's Largest Agency All Disciplines
LEADER:
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global
Digital Marketing Agencies
FORRESTER WAVE™:
Global Commerce Service Providers
US Digital Agencies – Mobile Marketing
6. 6The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN TODAY
A repeatable methodology to create powerful matrices to
help you and your stakeholders make better business
decisions around content
Real world examples of matrix solutions
What we’re not going to cover:
How to turn a matrix into C-suite visualizations
7. 7The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
THE BREAKDOWN
The What/Why/When of Matrices
A Matrix Methodology
Matrix Challenges & Solutions
Summary
Resources
8. 8The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
GOAL FOR THIS SESSION
The Keymaker
from The Matrix
Reloaded.
He creates
shortcuts for the
Matrix.
10. 10The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CONTENT MATRIX?
It is what we make it
ECM matrix used with permission from Wordimage.com
11. 11The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
WHY DO YOU USE A CONTENT MATRIX?
Any time you need to understand your content
Structure unstructured content
Whenever you need:
Content inventory
Audit/assessment
Gap analysis
Migration plan
Content development tracking
Capture any data about content
“A superficial understanding of content isn’t going to cut it anymore.” -
Rachel Lovinger
12. 12The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
WHEN TO USE A MATRIX BY PROJECT PHASE
Discovery: Inventory, audit, gap analysis
Design: Site map, content model
Develop: Page templates, tracking
Deploy: Migration plans
Govern: Taxonomy, metadata
13. 13The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
WHEN DON’T YOU USE A CONTENT MATRIX?
You work in a structured content environment and/or your
CMS can produce all the reports you need
Your company uses automated inventory tools
But you may still be validating these manually, which
were probably exported into Excel
16. 16The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
A MATRIX METHODOLOGY: DISCOVER
Before you build:
Plan for the handoff; consider the entire project
lifecycle’s needs
Matrix goals: audit, gap, migration, content dev. Tracking
Matrix audience(s): content owners, SMEs, legal,
developers
Client needs: offshore developers, reviewers, legal
approval, external compliance
17. 17The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
A MATRIX METHODOLOGY: DEFINE
Determine matrix requirements:
Outputs: audit findings, site map, charts, gap analysis,
keyword tracking, etc.
Required fields: page name, url, content type, reviewer,
template
Can one matrix rule them all?
18. 18The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SAMPLE MATRIX INPUTS
Content
Text, images, whole Word docs
Metadata
Structural, admin, descriptive, 508(c)
Reviewers
Legal, lines of business SMEs
Status
With business, with legal
Ratings
Brand, accessible, tagged
19. 19The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
A MATRIX METHODOLOGY: DESIGN
Add bells and whistles:
What can you automate or accelerate?
Create filters, formulas, macros, and/or pivot tables
Test your design: is it client proof?
Format for ease of use and readability
Assign numerical values to content when appropriate
20. 25The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
A MATRIX METHODOLOGY: DEPLOY
Share the matrix:
Socialize, socialize, socialize
Morph to accommodate different audiences
Content
Strategist
User
Experience
SEO Team Dev. Team
Design Team
CMS Admin
22. 27The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
CHALLENGE: MAPPING CONTENT
Auto quote content needs to map to Business
Requirements, Wireframes, and include Standard Path,
Alternate Path, plus Help copy
Content in both wireframes and copy deck
How do you map your content (in the matrix) to multiple
deliverables?
23. 28The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: COLOR CODE AND TRACK
24. 29The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
CHALLENGE: MANUAL INVENTORY
Non-profit needs a content inventory
Small project (~500 pages)
Or sample-size inventory of larger site
Can you automate it? How?
25. 30The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: Inventory with macro
Inventory matrix used with permission from Jen O’Brien.
26. 31The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: Inventory with macro
Inventory matrix used with permission from Jen O’Brien.
27. 32The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
CHALLENGE: CONTENT AUDIT
Client only responds to quantitative data
Need to evaluate content for quality
Client has politically sensitive content
Can you quantify qualitative variables?
28. 33The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: QUANTIFIED RATINGS AUDIT
Ratings matrix used with permission from Robert Atkinson.
30. 35The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
CHALLENGE: MULTIPLE AUDIENCES
Insurance company wants one matrix for the auto quote
authors, legal, developers, and marketing
Different views needed across audiences
Large volume of content
How can you accommodate everyone without every
audience seeing all content?
31. 36The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: AUDIENCE MACRO
Mega matrix zoomed out
Macros matrix used with permission from Jeff Pfaller.
32. 37The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: AUDIENCE MACRO
Macros matrix used with permission from Jeff Pfaller.
33. 38The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
CHALLENGE: MULTIPLE VERSIONS
National company’s product varies by state
due to legal requirements
How do you track the content variances?
Can you automate it?
35. 40The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
CHALLENGE: MATRIX-SHY REVIEWERS
Company stakeholders refuse to review a “regular” matrix
Many reviewers, little collaboration between them
Client won’t consolidate review feedback
How can you get good feedback and automate feedback
consolidation?
37. 42The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: “DYNAMIC PROTOTYPE” HACK
Comments matrix used with permission from Robert Atkinson.
38. 43The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: “DYNAMIC PROTOTYPE” HACK
Comments matrix used with permission from Robert Atkinson.
39. 44The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
CHALLENGE: THE DEVELOPER VERSION
Bank is handing off content to offshore developers and it
must map to the page template
Content editing and delivery must be in a matrix
Copy has long and short content blocks
Must map to other deliverables
How do you deliver this content?
40. 45The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
SOLUTION: GET GRANULAR
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48. 53The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | #stc14 | @marlowebeckley
RESOURCES: EXCEL MASTERY
Excel Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips and Tools by
David E. Hawley, O’Reilly
Excel Annoyances: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things
about Your Favorite Spreadsheet by Curtis Frye, O’Reilly
Publishers
“Become Awesome in Excel”
Count (value) formulas
Learn VBA
Excel macros video
Filter intro; Custom filters
Pivot tables video