As you begin to develop content, start with these steps, then review the workflow example below.

1. Use the project charter or narrative to understand the learning objectives, audience, and expected outcomes.
   • Consider how this project and content align with the early learning standards and frameworks.
   • Review the Tip and Recommendations to Support Translation chapter, if applicable.
2. Review the Content Development and Style Guide for writing guidance and keep it handy for frequent reference throughout the project.
   • Use the tools and resources referenced in the Tools and Resources for Writing and Content Production section.
   • Be sure to refer to the chapters in the Product Development Guidance section for tips on specific product development and partnering with the Resource Development team.
3. Brainstorm together with your team, including design, media, and instructional design about how you will convey the content in a meaningful way that engages the learner.
   • Consider how the content will demonstrate the five components of the Intentional Teaching Framework (ITF): Know, see, do, reflect, improve.
   • Refer to the ITF chapter for more information.
4. Consider the package of materials being delivered for the product or project. Are we delivering a PowerPoint slidedeck for in-person delivery or delivering via RISE or Canvas for online delivery? Will a workbook be created for participants? Will there be a facilitator manual?
   • Ensure content, activities being planned, and the product materials are following Universal Design for Learning practices.
5. Explore templates and resources that can help support your content writing in the Learning Design Toolkit.
   • Note: Specific project templates may be available on Webdam. Search in the Graphics > Brand Lines folders.
   • Refer also to the Partnering for Product Development chapter. 
6. Review and use the tools from the Reviewing our Work section of this guide.
7. Review the workflow example in this section.

Workflow Example

Create an Outline

• Use an outline to capture big ideas. Then, add more detail.
• Start with the learning objectives/outcomes and build the content from there.
  • Add main topics and consider who your audience is when drafting the outline.
  • Add details about how the content will align with the early learning standards and frameworks.
  • Add details about how the learner will be engaged. How will these activities be represented in any supplemental materials, like a workbook or facilitator manual?
  • Ensure the content draft demonstrates the ITF.
  • Consider Universal Design for Learning practices in your planning.
• Consider using a template. (Learning Design Toolkit)
• Review for accessibility, plain language, and readability. Use the Content Quality Check tool in the Reviewing our Work section of this guide. Apply edits.
• Engage internal teams for review.
  • Be sure to connect with the biliterate content leads at this stage for review and multilingual guidance.
  • Consider cross-unit review and feedback.
• Engage stakeholders/partners/peers for review and reflect this feedback in your writing.
• Team with media for videos, photos, and other media needs. Continue to partner about how to convey the content in an engaging way.
  • Start to populate the Multimedia Tracking Sheet (direct download)
  • To access video links, use the general account information found in the Webdam and Media Lab section.
• Team with design re: visual elements you may need: templates, graphics, etc.
• Team with instructional design, when applicable.

First Draft

• Review the Tips for Writing for Translation chapter and the Getting Started chapter.
• Use designed templates.
• Review to ensure content meets learning objectives, aligns to standards, and follows the ITF framework.
• Review for accessibility, plain language, and readability. Use the Content Quality Check tool in the Reviewing our Work section of this guide. Apply edits.
• Engage internal teams for review. Consider cross-unit review and feedback.
• Engage stakeholders/partners/peers for review and reflect this feedback in your writing.
• Continue partnering with media for videos, photos, and other media needs. Partner about how to convey the content in an engaging way.
• Continue partnering with design re: visual elements you may need: templates, graphics, etc.
• Continue partnering with instructional design, when applicable.

Second Draft

• Apply all edits from first draft reviews.
• Review to ensure content meets learning objectives, aligns to standards, and follows the ITF framework.
• Review for accessibility, plain language, and readability. Use the Content Quality Check tool in the Reviewing our Work section of this guide. Apply edits.
• Engage stakeholders/partners/peers for review and reflect this feedback in your writing.
• Continue partnering with media for videos, photos, and other media needs. Partner about how to convey the content in an engaging way.
• Continue partnering with design re: visual elements you may need: templates, graphics, etc.
• Continue partnering with instructional design, when applicable.

Third Draft

• Apply all edits from second draft reviews.
• Follow guidance and utilize the tools in the Review and Quality Assurance section.
  • Use the Content Quality Check tool in the Reviewing our Work section of this guide.
    • Review to ensure content meets learning objectives, aligns to standards, and follows the ITF framework.
    • Review for accessibility, plain language, and readability. Apply edits.
    • Review format and templates to ensure all components are in place (fonts and formatting, image credits, links, additional text boxes removed, comments deleted, etc.)
  • Consider additional internal review.
• Final media production. Add all media to the product.
• Final approvals. (Internal and external)
• Copy edit (Editing Request Form) and apply edits.

Final draft

• Apply all edits from third draft reviews.
• Final design treatment.
• Final design Form and Function Review.
• Final quality assurance check.
  • Be sure all comments are removed from materials before delivery.
• Final internal review and approval. (Director-level review)
• If the product is going to a vendor for translation complete the Captions, Transcripts, and Translation Request. Use this form when requesting any caption or translation services. The project manager and media producer will communicate how to submit video captioning and translation requests.

Deliver Product

Phases of Development

Getting started writing content can feel daunting. Consider breaking the work into phases. These phases of project development can help guide your work. Please note: some projects will follow partner determined development phases, as well. You will see elements of these embedded in our production phases. It is important to note that project teams may approach this development in a way that works well for their specific team roles. However, the tasks below will typically still need to occur even if the team determines different roles will be responsible for them.  Refer to the Project Workflow Guide.

Phase 1: Discover (Plan)

The big idea: At this phase, the project is beginning to kick-off. Project charters are written in collaboration with the project team, timelines tentatively established in relation to work scopes, and roles may be assigned. If the project lives in Asana, the content developer can expect to see invitations to the project and tasks may start to be populated. The content developer may be communicating primarily with the project manager in this phase. There may be initial meetings and planning in preparation for Phase 2.

Phase 2: Design (Prototype)

Goals, details, and resources. In this phase team planning and brainstorming begins. The content developer will:

• Write content outlines, syllabus, storyboards, and/or scripts
• Partner with resource development team members about how to convey content, multilingual considerations, various project needs (media, graphic design, instructional design, and caption/translation needs), and timelines
• Plan for accessibility and quality assurance review strategies
• Work with the project manager to establish a review and approval plan
• Prototype development, when applicable. Design, test, revise – small scale. The prototype is where you can experiment and work out all the details on a small scale before building at full scale.  This will save time and energy on making changes later. In this phase team planning and brainstorming begins. The content developer will:
  • Fully develop a prototype and help to move the prototype through the various review phases. This may include collaborating with organization partners, community focus groups, and internal teams.
  • Partner with resource development team members to convey content visually including:
    • Multimedia interactives
    • Custom graphics
    • Video and photos
  • Team with instructional design (ID). If the product will be delivered in an online format, there will be intensive partnering with the ID team.
  • Review for accessibility
  • Apply review edits to the prototype including:
    • Copy editing
    • Quality assurance
  • Participate in user testing and feedback loops with organization partners, community members, and other partners.
  • Move the product through the translation and captioning process, when applicable

Phase 4: Develop (Produce)

Build – full scale. The content developer will:

• Fully develop all content and help to move the product through the various review phases.
• Partner with resource development team members to convey content visually including:
  • Multimedia interactives
  • Custom graphics
  • Video and photos
• Team with instructional design (ID). If the product will be delivered in an online format, there will be intensive partnering with the ID team.
• Review for accessibility
• Apply review edits to the prototype including:
  • Copy editing
  • Quality assurance
• Participate in user testing and feedback loops with organization partners, community members, and other partners.
• Move the product through the translation and captioning process, when applicable
• Plan for communication and distribution
• Quality Assurance (QA) ensures that the product meets our Cultivate Learning quality standards in form and function. It applies to the product content and user experience. This happens throuhgout development and at key junctures of the project. All projects should have a final QA and leadership approval before delivery. See also the Reviewing our Work section of this guide.
  • Apply edits.
  • Participate in user testing and feedback loops with organization partners, community members, and other partners.
  • Ensure team members performing QA have updated versions and links.
  • Complete additional accessibility reviews and work with team members to ensure the product meets the grant deliverable for ADA compliance.

Phase 6: Deliver (Publish)

This phase ensures that the product is delivered in the manner required by the deliverable. Content developers will often team with the project manager and the team members in this phase to:

• Implement the distribution and communication plan.
• Deliver to the granting agency.

Phase 7: Debrief

This phase is the final close-out of the project. Content developers will partner with the project team to do final archive and documentation. There may also be a plan for gathering user feedback, planning for revision processes, etc.