See what I have to say

Here’s some things I’ve written, places my work is referenced, or events that I speak at.

Things I’ve written

  • Screenshot of diagrams in Miro

    Object-oriented content modeling: thoughts on similar-but-different content types

    A friend’s question inspired me to put some thoughts in an article. At the core, here is the question: “What is the correct degree of separation between types when building a content model? ”

    Click Here
  • Four colleagues put together pieces of a puzzle with design tools and technology in the background

    2023 content trends: technology (headless CMS, composable, DXC, and AI)

    The second of a two-part series of content trends, based on my own learnings and interviews I’ve done with a number of folks in the content industry. This article focuses on content and adjacent technologies.

    Read
  • Illustration of 4 colleagues looking at a computer with an organization chart in the background.

    2023 content trends: roles and specializations

    The first of a two-part series on content trends, based on my own learnings and interviews I’ve done with a number of folks in the content industry. This article focuses on emerging roles and specializations in content as it morphs and matures.

    Read
  • A painting of business people climbing on a tangle of ladders against a blue sky and white clouds

    How Atlassian builds trust through change with structured release notes

    I wrote an article for Content Science Review about how content engineering provided the structure needed to create flexible, powerful new user experiences that help users cope with product changes.

    Read
  • Diagram showing the overlapping roles of content strategy, content design, content operations, and content engineering

    The maturing content discipline

    My widely referenced blog post about how content strategy, content design, content operations, and content engineering overlap and differ. It’s also syndicated in Japanese on Kotoba UX.

    Read
  • Photo of Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing at night with pedestrians blurred by motion of a long exposure photograph

    Finding your way as a UX writer

    This blog post originally appeared on Designing Atlassian and I reshared it on LinkedIn. It’s got 4 lessons for UX writers, drawn from the inspiration of wayfinding and my experience traveling in Japan for the first time.

    Read
  • Black-and-white photo of a hand sketching next to a laptop computer

    The undercover designer

    This is blog post originally appeared on Designing Atlassian and I reshared it on LinkedIn. I wrote this to help empower technical writers to make more meaningful contributions.

    Read

Podcast appearances

  • The Content Strategy Podcast - Maturing content disciplines

    I joined Kristina Halvorson to talk about her content strategy quad and my idea of the 4 emerging roles of content. Public speaking isn’t usually hard for me, but I was nervous about hitting the prime time!

    Listen

  • Content Strategy Insights – Content Engineering

    I cited Larry Swanson in a conference talk that he attended, and he later cited that talk. After meeting for the first time at the conference, I went on Larry’s podcast to talk content engineering.

    Listen

  • HeadlessCreator – A Conversation about Content Engineering

    Nobody turns out more about headless content management than Marcelo Lewin. We did a live broadcast /podcast on content engineering and author experience. (Free login required)

    Listen

  • TechGuide – How Volunteering Can Help Land Your Next Job

    TechGuide is all about helping people break into careers in the tech industry. I talk with Ryan Atkinson about my history, tips for getting that first tech job, and specialists v. generalists.

    Listen

  • More podcasts in the works ... Will your podcast be next?

    If you’re wanting someone to nerd out on content models, content engineering, localization, authoring experience, service design, or more … be in touch.

    Book me

Places that reference me or my work

Conference and meetup speaking engagements

  • “Panel Discussion: How a Headless CMS Can Support Content Strategy” (panelist) Lavacon (Oct. 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana)

  • “How omnichannel content helps users adjust to continuous change.” Omnichannel X 2022 (June 2022; virtual)

  • Private talk series with Electronic Arts staff (March 2022; virtual)

  • Webinar with Contentful and Forrester (Dec. 2021; virtual)

  • Private “lunch and learn” with Enterprise Knowledge staff (Aug. 2021; virtual)

  • “An introduction to content engineering.” Melbourne/Canberra Content Strategy meetup (July 2021; virtual)

  • Panelist for webinar hosted by Enterprise Knowledge (Feb. 2021; virtual)

  • “Four emerging roles in content and how they can shape your career.” UX Writer conference (Feb. 2021; virtual)

  • “The 4 paths to walk to achieve content maturity.” FastForward 2020; Contentful user conference (Oct. 2020; virtual)

  • Contentful sales kickoff (Jan. 2020; Lisbon, Portugal)

  • “Turning Theory into Practice: Content Strategy Demystified.” (half-day workshop) STC Summit (May 2019; Denver, Colorado)

  • “Improve Your Content and Expand Your Influence with 5 Core Questions.” STC Summit (May 2019; Denver, Colorado)

  • “Turning Theory into Practice: Content Strategy Demystified” Write the Docs ATX meetup (March 2019; Austin, Texas)

  • Panelist for “Navigating Career Paths.” Write the Docs ATX meetup (June 2018; Austin, Texas)

  • “Localization: quality begins with you.” Atlassian Design Week; internal design conference (March 2017; Sydney, Australia)

  • “The Undercover Designer: How a Tech Writer Can Influence Product Design.” Write the Docs ATX meetup (Sept. 2016; Austin, Texas)

  • “Building Quality Experiences for Users in Any Language.” STC Summit (May 2016; Anaheim, California)

  • “Building Quality Experiences for Users in Any Language.” Atlassian Design Week; internal design conference (April 2016; Sydney, Australia)

  • “Wireframing, mockups, and prototyping made easy.” (workshop) Lavacon (Oct. 2015; New Orleans, Louisiana)

  • “Wireframing, mockups, and prototyping made easy.” (workshop) STC Summit (June 2015; Columbus, Ohio)

  • “Putting Out Fires with Content Strategy.” InfoDev DC meetup (Dec. 2014, Reston, Virginia)

  • “Strategies for Friendly English and Successful Localization.” Information Development World (Oct. 2014; San Jose, California)

  • “Putting Out Fires with Content Strategy.” (pre-conference session) STC Academic Special Interest Group conference (Sept. 2014; virtual)

  • “Strategies for Friendly English and Successful Localization.” STC Summit (May 2014; Phoenix, Arizona)

  • “A Content Strategist’s Guide to Mobile Ecosystems.” STC Summit (May 2014; Phoenix, Arizona)

  • “A Content Strategist’s Guide to the iOS Ecosystem.” WritersUA West; (March 2014; Palm Springs, California)

Available online

Slide decks from some of the presentations listed here can be found at my Slideshare:

www.slideshare.net/JohnCollins22

A seated man gestures while holding a microphone on a stage with 5 other panel participants.

Want me to speak at your event?

Experienced as a speaker, workshop host, facilitator, and panelist, I love to talk about content strategy, content engineering, content design, content management, localization, and more.

Get in touch so we can talk about what it would be like for me to speak at your event.