Gorgeous Pixie friend, today it is that, as the sun turns towards summer we find ourselves preparing for the short, fast descent towards Christmas/summer holidays.
We don’t often think about it, but controlling the flow of time is a mark of the power of a ruler. I wonder if it is a coincidence that there was a long and detailed essay about the nature of power in 2018, in this weekend’s Australian Financial Review?
It comes at a time in which power is being assessed in all kinds of ways. It’s almost the order of the day. You only have to see that latest call for the Big Four accounting firms to face their own royal commission to see that.
What is it about power that fascinates us? We can talk forever and a day about the moralities of power, but Gene Simmons was right on when he said,
You must be in a position of power if you are going to make a difference to those without power. ~ Gene Simmons, On Power (2017).
Which is why today’s set of five articles give us some insight into power and governance.
As content professionals, we are at the controlling edge of power. We determine how messages are presented to others. We persuade, sell-without-selling, ‘tell stories’ that change how you think. We enable user flows in apps to work so well that you barely notice what you do when you use them. We shape the flow of information inside platforms and organisations, determine how well your search function works, lighten your workflow.
Content runs the world. Really. How would you do anything without it?
~ Leticia Mooney
Queen Pixie at Brutal Pixie
Tip of the Week
Risk-based thinking is the key to unlocking continuous improvement, particularly in content. If you are in a powerful position now, think of all the ways your content could be used against you. Your car comes with five wheels, not four, because at some point you will get a flat tyre. Note well.
The Sunday Five
Here are the best articles we’ve found from the past week. If you find any gems during your week and would like to see them included, email them to hello@brutalpixie.com.
[ CONTENT ] 1. The Psychology of Design
In this article at A List Apart we learn a bunch of important laws, including Hick’s Law, Miller’s Law, Jakob’s Law. Each one tells us something fundamental about the nature of humans and how our cognition works. The article goes on to describe how you can apply the laws to your websites, content, and designs. Even if you’re a non-designer, it’s essential reading. Get it here.
Key takeaway: Designing content experiences in line with psychological principles allows you to create content that works more quickly.
[ IP ] 2. Copyright monetisation: Does technology help or hinder?
Many people assume, in considering copyright and content, that we are thinking about issues of piracy. In this summation of a panel that convened at IP Week in Singapore this week, we learn that the critical issue facing content creators right now is market concentration. With only a few companies controlling much of the world’s content and who can see it, is market concentration a good thing or a bad thing? Read this and find out.
Key takeaway: As business creators, how you monetise copyright is how you monetise your intellectual property. Giving this serious thought may enable you to leverage the market place more effectively.
[ TOOLS ] 3. How to create simple, powerful, project plans
This is a really back-to-basics kind of piece, but it’s the sort of work we need to revisit even when we do them a lot. Great project plans are the key to amazing projects; and in this piece the Atlassian team break down the process from the top to the bottom. It’s a great read - highly recommended.
Key takeaway: Do your thrashing up-front so that your project plan will withstand all kinds of weathers, and still get you to your destination.
[ TECH ] 4. Should you entrust chatbots with B2B customer communication?
This is a high level overview of some of the ways in which chatbots may prove beneficial to your business, even in B2B situations. It reads like a sponsored piece, so be prepared to be persuaded that yes they’re a fabulous idea. Many of the points are very good, though, so if you’re thinking about chatbots, go have a look.
Key takeaway: Adding technology like chatbots still comes down to knowing your customers. In this example, time is a critical factor and one reason why chatbots come out in front.
[ TEAM ] 5. Is your corporate culture conducive to content success?
Isn’t the alliteration beautiful? This article is 100% marketing focused, so it misses a whole lot of great material about content cultures that benefit organisations as a whole. Rather than addressing the holistic nature of a great corporate culture, it’s singularly ‘marketing team’ focused. Having said that, there are some fabulous pointers about positivity, collaboration, and agility in the face of customer demands. Read this here.
Key takeaway: To create powerful teams, you need to have an enabling and agile culture. If you don’t, organising around the customer is impossible.