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tekom.eu Technical Writing Education and Training Professional Competences in Technical Communication Content strategy Concept development for content presentation (User Experience Design XD)

Content strategy

In addition to aligning content to the needs of the user, content strategy is also understood as the integration of content into the business strategy and goals of a company.

Cross-information product concepts are defined in the concept development process phase. This includes, for example, which information products are created with which function and which information architecture.

A concept should ensure the consistency and consistent quality of the information products. This is particularly important if several people are involved in the creation of the information products.

The concepts must be reviewed routinely at suitable intervals. A review is also necessary on special occasions, such as the introduction of new products, new variants or new media.

The concepts have a direct impact on content creation and the subsequent process phases.

Concept development for content presentation (User Experience Design XD)

The comprehensibility, acceptance, and usability of information products depend to a large extent on how the content is presented. A consistent appearance and the uniform structure of the information product have a positive effect on users on the one hand and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of information development on the other.

Information products can contain different types of media, e.g. graphics or audio.

A concept for the design and use of each media type must be drawn up in which the central framework conditions and specifications are defined. These specifications usually apply to several information products. A common form is an editorial guideline.

The concept of content presentation defines the media design of the information product.

Text design concept
  • Fonts and font families (e.g. depending on publication media and output devices, information-conveying function, legibility, readability)
  • Micro- and macrotypographical design options (e.g. type area, font size, line width, line spacing, kerning, e.g. depending on publication media and output devices, information-conveying function, legibility)
  • Optical and graphic means of marking up text (e.g. color)
  • Methods of visualizing text structures (e.g. lists) and markup conventions (e.g. presentation of links), e.g. depending on publication media and output devices, information-conveying function, readability
Table concept
  • Table types
  • Creation and integration of tables: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on output devices, information-conveying function, readability)
Graphic concept
  • Types of graphics (e.g. 2D and 3D graphics, illustrations, dimensional drawings, grids, exploded views, vector graphics, pixel images, pictograms, symbols, icons)
  • Creation and integration of graphics: Design principles (e.g. image complexity, visual organization, spatial representation, control of attention and visual evaluation, visual representation of action, text-image relationship, alphanumeric references (e.g. legends), labeling), design elements (e.g. use of color, color design, line thickness, visibility of parts), conception and structure (e.g. image density, level of detail), e.g. depending on publication media and output devices, function, comprehensibility
  • Possibilities for graphic representation of information (e.g. using diagrams, charts, plans, symbols) and different types (e.g. chart types)
  • Creation and integration of graphic representation of information: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on output devices, function, comprehensibility, readability)
  • Options for displaying data (e.g. tables, diagrams) and different types (e.g. diagram types)
  • Creation and integration of the presentation of data (e.g. tables, diagrams): Design principles, design elements and conception and structure, e.g. depending on output devices, function, comprehensibility, readability
  • Visual sign systems (e.g. pictograms, iconic signs, indexical signs, symbolic signs, mixed forms)
  • Creation and integration of visual sign systems: design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on culture-specific factors, function, comprehensibility, legibility)
  • Media-dependent file formats for graphics and images and conversion of formats
  • Possible communicative function of a graphic (e.g. reference, showing an action, schematic representation of technology (e.g. circuit diagram))
Image concept
  • Image types (e.g. photos, screenshots)
  • Creation and integration of images: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on output devices, function, comprehensibility, readability)
Layout concept
  • Layout types (e.g. depending on publication media and output devices)
  • Structure of pages and page layout: design features, design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on publication media and output devices)
  • Technical production aspects that must be taken into account in the layout
Concepts for safety and warning notices
  • Differentiation between safety instructions and warnings
  • Creation and integration of safety and warning notices: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure
  • Prohibition, warning and mandatory signs
  • Standards for safety and warning notices (e.g. ANSI Z535, tekom guidelines for safety and warning notices)
  • Hazard levels and signal words for hazard levels, international standardization of signal words and hazard levels, pictograms for hazard levels according to certain standards (e.g. DIN EN 82079-1, ANSI series of standards)
Characteristics of a media concept
  • Selection of the media type (e.g. depending on the content and restrictions due to technical formats, publication media and output devices as well as due to requirements for the creation of content resulting from the media type)
  • Selection of the publication medium and the output device (e.g. depending on the content, restrictions due to technical formats, content requirements resulting from the publication medium or output device, and the target group or target group characteristics)
  • Requirements for information and data for integration into products and output devices (e.g. texts for software interfaces, apps, user interfaces, mouseover information, tooltips), displays and other electronic displays (e.g. online help)
  • Requirements for the combination and integration of media types in the publication medium
Basics of media design
  • Involve users; iterate based on usability evaluation; address the overall user experience
  • Fundamentals of information processing, cognitive psychology and perceptual psychology as a basis for design principles for display and interactive media types and for the presentation of information products
  • Design principles and design elements for the presentation of information products (e.g. for screen design: typography for the screen, screen layout, arrangements, color scheme, integration of graphics, film, animations)
  • Principles of the interaction of different media types (e.g. basic rules and aspects of text-image relationships, voice/text assistants, videos in an app)
  • Presentation and integration of different media types (e.g. text, graphics, images, film, animation, audio) in publication media and output devices
Concepts for interaction and navigation
  • Interaction models and ways to create interactivity
  • Interactive elements
  • Creation and integration of interactive elements (e.g. operating elements or buttons): Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on function, usability and navigation)
  • Navigation concepts (e.g. linking, topic structures)
  • Creation and integration of navigation concepts: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on function, usability and navigation)
  • Navigation elements
  • Creation and integration of navigation elements: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on function, usability and navigation)
Concepts for animations
  • Animation types and techniques (e.g. 3D vs. 2D, animated PDF, vector graphics vs. raster graphics, animation techniques)
  • Development of animations: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on function or comprehensibility)
  • Script development for the production of animations and their content (script)
  • Technical aspects of creating animations
  • File formats for animations (e.g. HTML5, UDF)
Concepts for film
  • Film types (e.g. videos, utility films, screen recordings)
  • Script development for the production of films
  • Creation of film: Design principles, design elements (e.g. cinematic design elements, degree of abstraction, choice of perspective, time sequence, cuts, image sequences, aspects of the visual credibility of individual representations), conception and structure (e.g. depending on function or comprehensibility)
Concepts for audio and sensor technology
  • Acoustic and sensory media (e.g. voice output, sound, vibration, haptics (Braille))
  • Creation of acoustic and sensory media: Design principles, design elements, conception and structure (e.g. depending on function, output device or usage environment)
Concepts for augmented reality, virtual reality; mixed reality
  • Understanding of technology for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR); mixed reality
  • (MR)
  • Fields of application for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR); mixed reality (MR)
  • Storytelling and storyboarding in three-dimensional spaces