Identify content tasks and skills

Explore the content tasks that are involved in each stage of the content lifecycle. Then match the skills you need to execute those tasks in your agency.

Why identify tasks and skills?

Research has uncovered the problems Australian Government agencies face throughout the stages of the content lifecycle. Use this activity to:

  • discover where there are gaps in applying tasks and skills
  • improve your workflow and the quality of your content
  • raise awareness of the content tasks and skills you need for content production
  • know what missing skills you have, and be better placed to address those gaps.
Prep time People Run time
1 hour 4 to 6 2.5 hours

Preparation

Materials
  • Allocate 2 hours for your activity
  • Invite people from your immediate team or from across your agency. Involve those who request, plan, write, check and review, produce and publish content
  • Write 2 sets of content lifecycle stage headings across a wall. Break participants into 2 groups of 3 to 6 people
  • You will need to assign: a facilitator to each lifecycle stage group someone to keep time for each exercises a note taker to capture participants’ subtext during share back. The notes will be useful in defining your next steps.
  • Wall space or 1-2
  • Post-it notes in 3 different light colours (roles, tasks, skills)
  • Red dots to call out any gaps
  • Sharpies

How to identify content tasks and skills

Content tasks and skills workshop

Download the content tasks and skills workshop activity (1.4MB PPTX) to use with your immediate or broader teams. Invite a mix of people who plan, create, check, test and remove content. Ideally, run this workshop during the planning content stage.

Use the power point presentation to work through the following activities.

Roles

Keep the list of role ideas visible on a screen during the exercise to help kick-start the activity. It’s best not to use job titles.

Tasks

Keep the list of tasks visible on a screen during the exercise to help with thinking.

Skills

Articulate all the possible scenarios. For example, we need these skills in this content lifecycle stage. You can apply several skills for each lifecycle stage.

Gaps

Identify gaps using red dots. At the end of the exercises, ask the participants to add red dots to any of the post-it notes to identify any gaps.

Putting it together

  • Merge post-its into categories
  • Define a user story that sums up the need for each category group, for example: As a … (who) we need to (what)… so that we can (why)…
  • Define an overarching problem statement

Follow up

Now you know what missing skills you have, you're better placed to address those gaps.

  • Identify available agency skills
  • Identify any training for skill gaps
  • Resource skill gaps
L&D Groups
Develop your strategy
L&D Categories
Content Strategy Guide
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Content tasks and skills workshop activity