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.
Interaction design
The concept for the interaction design defines the accessibility and thus the usability of the information product.
An essential prerequisite for the effective and efficient use of an information product and its content is easy and fast accessibility by the user. Therefore, before the creation of an information product begins, it must be determined how this accessibility will be made possible and which methods and technical options will be used. It must also be ensured that the information product and its content can be assigned to the respective product or product function without errors.
- Navigation and search functions depending on media and output devices (e.g. full-text search, faceted search, directories, indices, glossaries, reference structures)
- Reference structures (e.g. where are references created, where do references point to, footnotes, internal links, external links)
- Principles of referencing and linking information (e.g. linking versus redundancy, reference labels)
- Optimization of texts for better findability in search engines (e.g. keywords, headings, use of synonyms)
- Personalization of content in navigation or delivery to dynamically tailor user information to the user's needs or profile
- Scenarios of information use: skimming and scanning, continuous reading, didactic methods of learning, e-learning and blended learning, legal protection, emotional reinforcement
- Media aspects, sensory appeal and media integration, interaction, media formats, consideration of suitable physical output media
- Requirements as to which information, e.g. from a legal perspective, must be made available to the user and how (e.g. print, online)
- Aspects that must be taken into account when providing the information products (e.g. the usability of information products, e.g. whether or not the target group can use the information product under the given conditions)
- Security requirements (e.g. access, access rights, copy and revision protection)
- Assignment of information products to products depending on media and devices
- (Physical and logical, e.g. through QR codes, embedded help, context-sensitive help)
- Assignment of information and content to product functions (e.g. augmented, context-sensitive), decision criteria for implementation (e.g. according to information product, information type or communicative function)
- Specification of which information is made available in which medium (e.g. print or electronic, augmented, embedded, data carrier, online) and decision criteria for implementation (e.g. according to information product, information type or communicative function)
- Categories of accessibility (e.g. technical accessibility, linguistic accessibility for the target group)
- Cognitive barriers and obstacles to information processing (e.g. users with reading and spelling difficulties (dyslexia), functional illiteracy, other learning disabilities)
- Main areas of accessibility (e.g. presentation, content, structure and navigation)
- Effects of various barriers, when, where and for whom barriers affect the reception of information products
- Guidelines for accessible understanding and guidelines for optimization (e.g. Principles of Plain Language, for German/English; Guidelines of the Network for Plain Language; European guidelines for the creation of easy-to-read information for people with intellectual disabilities; Mencap's guidelines for accessible writing; Barrierefreie-Informationstechnik-Verordnung - BITV 2.0; Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 (EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03)); standard "ISO 14289-1. Document management applications - Electronic document file format enhancement for accessibility - Part 1: Use of ISO 32000-1 (PDF/UA-1)"; PDF 1.7 (ISO 32000-1:2008)
- Relevant laws and regulations (Germany: Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz – BGG; Barrierefreie-Informationstechnik-Verordnung - BITV 2.0; Austria: Federal Disability Equality Act – BGStG; Switzerland: Disability Equality Act, BehiG; Disability Equality Ordinance, BehiV; Federal guidelines for the design of accessible websites (P028); Europe: EU Mandate 376; European Accessibility Act; Disability Equality Act – BGG; Accessible Information Technology Ordinance – BITV 2.0); International: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – UNCRPD; Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA): Rehabilitation Act, Section 508)
- Methods to achieve accessibility (e.g. simplified language, images, Braille, font size, magnification, voice output)