One word that always causes me to shudder: 'Content.' This is now
apparently the standard word that people in the software industry use
to refer to that which is created and owned by their users.
To me it's just the latest horrible, bland, meaningless MBA
word. Except it's not. Like all words, 'content' implies something
about that which it refers to: that it's irrelevant and doesn't
matter, that anything would do in its place. Content is what you put
in a box so that the box is no longer empty, it doesn't matter what it
is, it's just there to fill the box.
Sure, as software people you're all very proud of your box. You've put
a lot of effort into making your box very pretty, and emergent, and
Web 2.0, and now you just need something to fill it up. When all you
do is build boxes it's very easy to only see boxes.
Well, guess what? Your users don't even notice the box. That content
that you regard as interchangeable filling is all they care
about. That's what they've spent time, effort and emotion in
creating. They don't want to just dump it in some box somewhere, they
want it treated specially and with respect. Referring to it with some
bland management-speak term is not showing respect.
Words matter. The words you use to refer to something shape your
perception of it. If you're in the business of building something
where users can display their creations you need to remember that
those creative works are the entire purpose of your web site. So don't
refer to it as 'content' and then focus on the box. Remember the box
don't exist, and treat your user's works with respect.
Don't call it 'content.'
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2 comments:
Think outside the box!
Hehe, my new role as a producer in an interactive ad agency, my whole world is now about content. The sites are simple, clients don't care at all about the technologies used, they care about the presentation, the message and most of all, the "call to action" and conversion.
These days the real sad thing is that we have the best technology delivering text, video and sound at a very high quality. Unfortunately "the content" is mostly rubbish. Give me "Monkey Magic" on an old mono CRT TV anytime of the week.
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