What did you read or watch that surprised, delighted or disappointed you, Why?
I found the overall steps for developing a content strategy and starting an audit to be interesting, especially when talking about agile and waterfall methods of project management and organization. In my undergraduate program, I studied computer science, and we talked extensively about different ways to complete projects. Agile and waterfall were the two main strategies we used when creating software, but we also learned quite a bit about the software development lifecycle–which reminds me of the stages of developing a content strategy. At the time, I didn’t really think that these methodologies would be used outside of software development, but now that I’m hearing them being used in a different context, it makes complete sense.
Being proactive in the beginning of a project is incredibly important, as we’ve read and watched these past two modules–whether it’s learning about stakeholder goals, researching the company’s current content, or planning the audit. We have a tendency to jump right into projects without having all of the information, but planning the projects weeks or months ahead can help us allocate our time wisely and keep us on track. In the context of this class, planning out our time in advance is integral to creating a successful product considering the time limitations and scope of the project with our client. Setting up the Kanban board in Trello, along with assigning tasks to each team member, will be vital in starting the project on the right foot. This week, our team will set up the Kanban board, which I’m spearheading, so I’m excited to put what we’ve learned these past two modules to the test!
What was most meaningful for your own career goals? Why?
I was delighted to read how important technical writers are in the process of content creation. To me, it seems like a technical writer acts as a project manager while coming up with a content plan for a company. As we learned in these two modules, the technical writer has to work with a wide variety of people in order to inventory, audit, and create content. I’m not exactly sure where I want to go in my career, but I do know that I’d like to work with a variety of people on a variety of subjects. I love that I’ll be able to work with software developers, lawyers, accountants, and people in other careers while working as a technical writer. I look forward to working with a diverse group of people in my future career.
As I stated before, I have a background in frontend software development, so my strengths might be more suited to working with UX or website content, but I’d really like to branch out and learn more about other sides of businesses as well. I’ve always struggled a bit in trying to figure out what kind of career I’d fit into, but I always knew that one of my main strengths is in writing. I’m excited to take more classes and really try out different types of writing, starting with content strategies in this course. I’d love to have a different piece to put in my portfolio at the end of each semester, and I’m hoping that our work with the client in this course can be the first addition!