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Book Review: The Web Content Strategist's Bible
When Kristina Halvorson (@halvorson) tweeted about Richard Sheffield’s book, The Web Content Strategist’s Bible, I had to investigate. Between the book’s great introduction to Web content strategy, its walk-through of a complete content strategy project, and the documents ready for use in your own content strategy endeavor, it gets you up to speed on the topic of content strategy quickly. Above all, the book is very encouraging, and in the very introduction Richard makes a good case for content strategy as an alternate career path for technical writers.
The Web Content Strategist’s Bible is practical from beginning to end, which is very appealing to a newcomer like me. The beginning and end of the book describe the field and suggest how to transition to a content strategist job. Richard’s introduction is very down-to-earth and his coverage of the job description is so thorough that I felt he was speaking to me personally and saying, “yes, you can master this job”.
A Project Walk-through
As Sheffield introduces and describes the various phases of a Web content strategy project, he is always practical and constructive by pointing out the weak areas and proposing actual solutions. Examples include realistic time frames (with a little formula), comprehension of the editorial process, and real contingency plans for each milestone. In other words, when Sheffield meets the typical annoyance points for someone in technical communication, he reacts with a practical plan.
The heart of the book is the discussion of the phases in a Web content strategy project. You could call this part the cookbook because each phase is described along with the tools you need or may need in that phase. Those tools are documents, which Sheffield describes in great detail. (Thank you!)
The Content Strategy Documents
After introducing the what and the why of content strategy, the book then provides the how. For example for the evaluation phase, or Discovery Phase as Sheffield calls it, there are suggestions for document deliverables. He describes a workshop that you can hold during this phase. When I read about the workshop, I immediately began to think of how I could apply his ideas to my department’s current retrospective and planning meeting (we do agile development). I think it is doable. See? The practical approach means you can start using the book right away.
When you have finished all the preparation and analysis, you are ready for the most important document in the book — the Content Matrix. The parameters of the matrix are described in detail in the book, but the actual spreadsheet of the matrix is — oh joy! — bonus material with your book purchase.
Sheffield reminds you of the importance of maintaining your matrix during the build phase when a not-updated matrix can destroy all you have done so far. I like the fact that he goes beyond the delivery of the project and discusses maintenance. Of course he has a content strategy for this phase, with tips that include what to look for and how to archive. Sheffield has the done-done approach, and walks you through the processes you need to cover.
Getting a spreadsheet with the book is like finding the little gifts inside a box of cereal. Only this is not some cheap toy. The worksheets provided are excellent. I will never knock worksheets and checklists. After using them for the fiftieth time, you think “I know this by heart,” and then you miss a crucial checkpoint. Those checkpoints are necessary for the newbies, and they are necessary for the experienced who can become too sure of themselves. After all, what seems trivial to you will probably be news to the other stakeholders in your entire project. Content strategy is probably a “huh?” to them, so repeating the questions and steps in the documents from the book help to educate the others about the importance of the holistic strategy for your content. Questioning, always questioning, is how we progress and develop in our work.
Additional Goodies
Additional chapters in the book cover translations, search engine optimization (SEO), and Web content management systems, which are all important aspects of the overall content strategy. It is a bible, after all, so each relevant area needs to be mentioned. They are not here as filler. In the Web Content Management Systems chapter, Sheffield points out: “[There] are very, very few writers who know anything at all about Web content management systems, and the ones who have this knowledge earn a higher rate of pay and are rarely without work.” Take heed!
In addition to the Content Matrix spreadsheet, you will receive a shiny style guide template. I like it so much that I am thinking of re-doing my existing style guides with this template.
Conclusion
The detailed descriptions of an entire Web content strategy project, along with the job description and job hunting tips, make this a very practical and sensible book to add to your bookshelf. I have a feeling that it will have a long shelf life, supporting you as you develop your skills.
I am working only on documentation in my current project, but I still found value here. Everything was adaptable — for use now and for planning for the future. For example, his description of the Web site development process relates easily to the process used for documentation. The beauty of his description is his presentation, which helps you make sense of your own situation.
As Sheffield says in the translation chapter, “As a content strategist, it is much more important to be able to ask the right questions at the right time than it is to have all the answers and try to dictate a solution.” I think Richard Sheffield provides us with a good foundation for always asking the right questions.
Additional Reading
For more about Richard and his book you might visit these locations:
- The Web Content Strategist’s Bible official website
- Richard Sheffield’s blog
- Richard Sheffield on Twitter (@richardlol)
Destry Wion · 1 September 2009, 08:38
Richard’s book is not currently available via Amazon France or Amazon UK, but I believe he’s looking into changing that. You can order it directly from the book’s official website, however.