Developing a Content Review Process

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Developing a Content Review Process

• Rachel Flagg
• Web Content Managers Workshop
• September 19, 2006

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Why is it important?

• Every single page on your website is a reflection
  on you and your agency
• Can your customers find the information they need
  to complete their task?
• Oftentimes your website is the ONLY contact
  customers have with your agency
• The words on your website MATTER

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What gets posted?

• Who creates/owns the content?
• Who decides whether or not to post?
• How is that decision made?
• Quality control
• Keeping content current
• Are there any shortcuts?

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Content creation

• Content is created by you, the Web Manager, or by
  a Subject Matter Expert (SME)
• SMEs are the people most familiar with the
  program or subject - including all related rules
  regulations
• Typically a program manager or designee (Web
  Coordinator)

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Who makes the call?

• YOU!
• Web Content Manager editor-in-chief
• Evaluate every piece of content
• Does it add value?
• Re-evaluate after posting
• There is always room for improvement!
• Use your common sense!

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To post or not to post?

• Is it mission-related?
• Is it in your lane?
• Is the purpose obvious?
• What should the reader do with this info?
• Is it written for the web?
• Is it already posted elsewhere...
• on your site, or another site to which you could
  link?
• Has it been cleared by the SME?
• Does it follow publication standards?

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OK, its posted now what?

• Dont just post it and forget it!
• Content owners are responsible for maintaining
  their information

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Quality control

• Conduct periodic reviews
• Working links
• Timeliness
• Good writing
• Adherence to policies
• Pull down out-of-date content
• Dont forget the big picture!
• Does this information still belong on the site?

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Is there an easy way to do this?

• Sorry, but NO
• Maintaining a current, accurate website is a LOT
  of work but its the RIGHT thing to do
• Government websites are held to a higher standard
  than any other, we must uphold the publics trust

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HUDs quarterly website certification process

• Once per quarter, EVERY HUD web page is reviewed
• Corrections must be posted before the end of each
  quarter
• Principal Staff certify to HUDs Deputy Secretary
  that their web content is up-to-date

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How it works

• Each Program Office is supplied with a URL list
  of all the web pages they own
• The Web Coordinator reviews all pages, submitting
  changes to the Web Manager for posting
• When review is complete changes submitted,
  Program Director certifies to Regional Director

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How it works (cont.)

• Once every program office in the Region has
  completed their review and all updates are
  posted, Regional Director certifies to Deputy
  Secretary
• All website content for which my organization is
  responsible has been reviewed and is current and
  accurate as of this date.

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Why it works

• Buy-in from the top is essential
• Certification policy was issued from the Deputy
  Secretary of HUD
• Every Program Director must report to their top
  management official
• Regional Director or Assistant Secretary
• Content owners are given a list of pages to
  review, so they dont forget

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Next-to-last tips

• Document everything
• Much of HUDs certification process is documented
  on www.hud.gov/library/bookshelf11
• Dont trust link-checkers
• Link might be working, but might have changed to
  another page
• The only way to be sure is to manually check
  EVERY link

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Last (and most important) tip

• Less is More!
• The fewer (and more concise) pages you have, the
  less youll have to review

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Thank you!

• Rachel Flagg
• HUD Regional Web Manager/
• Web Managers Advisory Council Steering Committee
• Rachel_Flagg_at_hud.gov