Content Strategy a la Halvorson

Content Strategy

Content Strategist.  Wow! That's what I have been for about 16 years and I didn't know it?  Oh! I said I was an information architect, but honestly, if I were to look at what I have been doing, and compared that to the information in Kristina Halvorson's new book "Content Strategy (for the Web)" — I would have to say that I am a content strategist.

This is a great book for both the expert and the novice — and that kind of writing is hard to pull-off, particularly for a first time author.  I think that this book's promise is summed up by the following quote:

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are a few."
- Shunryu Suzuk  (taken from Garr Reynolds Book PresentationZEN Design).

I first saw Ms. Halvorson at "Boston's 2009 An Event Apart" and I thought her presentation was beyond brilliant.  I was so in awe of her that I didn't even approach her afterwards. My loss.  I have used her presentation in my information architecture class to get across the complexity of content analysis, and now I am sure that I will be using her tome in that class as well. You cannot separate information architecture from content strategy.

To my students I say that her first chapter should convince you of her sincerity as an instructor.  She gives away all the good stuff right then and there.  When it comes to content she says:

1. Do less, not more.
2. Figure out what you have and where it is coming from
3. Learn how to listen
4. Put someone in charge 
5. Start asking "why?" 

 Now, obviously, I have simplified things here a bit.  And that is because I encourage you to buy the book.  It will not be wasted dollars.  And it is coming from that ever-gushing font of information = New Riders Press, which I think the last four of five books I bought are from that press — what are they drinking over there?

I am going to end with another quote I took from Garr Reynolds text:

"Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend upon simplicity." ~ Plato

And believe it or not — this is something that Garr Reynolds, Kristina Halvorson and Plato can all agree on, and so do I, as a new found content strategist.