Never Draw a Pig in Clay

Slide 1:Never Draw a Pig in Clay(and the Ticket Taker in the Tutu)

Wayne MacPhail, Web Coordinator, Centennial College October 3, 2002

Slide 2:What we�ll be doing1 hour 30 minute talkLots of questions welcomeChallenge and engage

Slide 3:The Good NewsYou already know a lot about creating online content.Why?Because you live in the real world. I hope.

Slide 4:The Bad NewsOnline content creation has been dominated by MBAs, graphic designers, and software engineers - not writers.

Slide 5:The Problem?ADDAttention Deficit Disorder

Slide 6:Attention Deficit DisorderNot enough attention paid to the:

past world user words structure audience purpose results experience lessons And too much attention paid to the wrong things

Slide 7:The State of the (Too Much) Art

Complex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good atComplex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good at

Slide 8:Medium and Memento

Complex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good atComplex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good at

Slide 9:The Selfish Medium

Complex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good atComplex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good at

Slide 10:The Ticket Takerin the Tutu

ADMIT ONE ddddddddddddddddd ddddddddddddddddd

Slide 15:�Years ago Lord Reith, director-generalof the BBC, gave the right reply to those whowould dumb down Web media today.An interviewer asked: �Will you give thepeople what they want?� �No,� he replied,�we shall give them something better.�

Martyn Perks - Create Online March, 2002 Complex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good atComplex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good at

Slide 16:When MBAs rule the WebThat�s not an org chart, that�s site architecture

Slide 18:Computers and the Beauty Myth

The Joy of Complexity

Slide 20:When MBAs Rule NewspapersCitizens, Audience,Eyeballs and Customers

Slide 21:The Dirty Truth about Online Canadian Content

Slide 22:More good news

Slide 26:What We Can Learn

Complex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good atComplex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good at

Slide 27:The Willful Web

Slide 28:Never Draw a Pig in Clay

Slide 29:Never Draw a Pig in Clay

Slide 30:Rabbis, Monks and Blind Guys with Harps

Slide 33:Book Larnin�

Slide 34:Lessons from theReal World

Slide 35:What�s Your Handle?

Slide 36:LessonsFrom Other Media

Slide 37:Tell readers where they areProvide a convenient map of the work (TOC, index)Provide a title pageLet users mark their spot and progressShow users how long the text isBreak the text into standard pieces (chapters)

From Books

Slide 38:Keep visuals interestingMake screen graphics readableTell a story with picturesOnline cannot compete as a rich media experience

From Television

Slide 39:Social relationships do not depend on bandwidthCompletion is a powerful tool for engagementTell a story with picturesKeep dialogue crispTell a human story

From Comics

Slide 40:To think of character as response to conflictFigure out whose story it isProvide tension and releaseBreak story into fractal units (acts/scenes/beats)Give the story a dramatic arc

From Movies

Slide 41:Keep the front page freshTell human storiesTell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told themKeep writing short, muscular and activeProvide surprise and a sense of discovery

From Newspapers

Slide 42:Story Space

Slide 43:Stories can have a geographyObjects can contain storiesSpace can replace time as the axis of storytellingStories, objects and memory have resonanceIn the absence of forward momentum, story dies

From Hypernarrative

Slide 44:Being Human

Slide 45:Being Human

We often experience only what we expect to experience We often miss the obvious We can be absolutely blind to data we don't expect We are creatures of paradigm We all respond to human stories Our short-term memory is fragile, limited and easily taxed Our long-term memory compresses events and is unreliable

Slide 46:Being Human

We have limited bandwidth, especially when we're busy or focussed We are easily distracted We could always use more time We understand symbols, conventions, narratives and scripts We often believe other people experience the world the same way we do

Slide 47:Being Human

We easily form social relationships, especially under stress We need feedback We tend to blame ourselves for errors when confronted with new technology We find our own uses for technology We are fragile, frightened and flawed

Slide 48:The Media Equation

Slide 49:The Media Equation

MEDIA = REAL LIFE

Slide 50:Being Human - Part Two

We are helplessly social especially when stressed We cannot tell true praise from flattery Other praise is valued higher than self-praise Expertise can be easily conferred We more easily criticize to a third party We want to be polite and expect politeness We like people most who are most like us and like people best who become more like us

Slide 51:Know Thy Usersfor They are not You

Slide 53:The Birdfeeder Lessons

Slide 56:What We Can Do

Complex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good atComplex and self-absorbed Not task-oriented Not user-oriented All about ME Over written - too long Most popular sites most uninteresting content Immature No sense of the medium or too much Hasn�t figured out what it�s good at

Slide 57:We can listen welland watchintelligently

Slide 58:We can learn that no user cares about our code, our graphics or jargon.They only care about their task.And so should we.

Slide 59:Our job is simple.Get out of our users� wayso they can achieve their goals.

Slide 60:The user as hero

Slide 61:Listening and Watching WellStakeholder inputPaper prototypingUsability testing

Slide 62:Discontent,ContentandMicrocontent

Slide 63:Create Clear Microcontent

Slide 64:HeadSubheadBylineStory SummaryPart OnePart TwoPart ThreeThe Story Begins

Slide 65:Banish Happy Talk

Slide 66:Hello. Welcome to our new, improved site about gardening in Canada. We�re sure glad to see you and hope this site provides you with the tips, message boards and catalogue guides every Canadian gardener needs! Enjoy your visit and thanks!!!NewMessage BoardsTipsCatalogues

Slide 67:Be ClearClarity of writingstarts with clarity of thought and intention

Slide 68:Write Tight

Slide 69:Say what you want to say.Cut it in half.Cut it in half again.Write it.Cut it in half, twice.Write. Cut. Twice.

Slide 70:Rewrite Exercise

Slide 71:Think of Buttons as Doors

Slide 72:You�re in a strange room full of doors.You�re rushed and searching for something.The only way you know where to go next is toread the signs on the doors.Imagine that when you�re writing the wordsfor your navigation buttons.

Slide 73:Don�t bury the user in bananas

Slide 74:Give users one task at a time.Make the task clear.

Slide 75:Use the right word(s)

Slide 76:

Useful Devices for the Disabled Workshops to Help You Succeed

Slide 81:Use Standards

Slide 82:There are few Web standards, but here�s one.The term is look for something on the Web is: SearchNot FindFind ItFind it NowGoGetLook it upetc.

Slide 83:Designing for Disability

Slide 84:Tag content for meaning, style for presentationUse style sheets, but make pages legible without themDon't rely on colour aloneImages and image maps must have ALT text labels Use concise link namesScripts must have a nonscript alternativesApplets must have alternative textAllow users to freeze moving or blinking textProvide synchronized text transcript for audio, and audioProvide text transcripts for videoGive clear titles to acronyms and abbreviationsFrames are optional and titled and contain documents, not images directlyIf all else fails, link to an alternate page and give alternate contact information

Disability Design Tips

Slide 85:Let UsersParticipate

Slide 86:SearchingTradingEducationContent Building/Issue OrientedScheduled eventsSubscriber-basedE-mail and ListserversSupportCustomer Relations ManagementMultiuser Dimensions or Dungeons (MUDS and MOOs)3D WorldsWebLogsChatSMSInstant MessagingWalled gardens

Types of Online Community

Slide 87:Planting Marigolds

Slide 88:SummaryLearn from the past and the world.Don�t get fancy.Write tight. Be clear.Use the right word(s)Listen.Tell human stories.Stay out of the way.Be helpful.

Slide 89:Wayne MacPhailwmacphail@centennialcollege.caWeb CoordinatorCentennial College