Like many professionals only a few years removed from the world of post-secondary education, my writing style still contains elements derived from an ecosystem where it is expected that every written word be read. With the speed that our industry moves at today this is no longer effective in practice. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you all to the concept of Information Mapping® as a technique to write more efficiently, after a business writing seminar last week introduced it to me.
Blog Post Content
This blog post will briefly touch on the following:
- What is Information Mapping®?
- Key Tasks to Communicate Effectively
- How Does It Apply to Me?
- Information Mapping® in Practise
- Where Can I Learn More?
What is Information Mapping®?
Information Mapping® is a business communications writing technique centered around two principles:
- Ensuring that your target audience can quickly access the information they are looking for - and avoid the information they are not - through research-based principles that guide written communication grouping of content and layout
- Presenting different types of information in the most efficient way possible to facilitate ease of access to the data
Key Tasks to Communicate Effectively
The table below indicates the three primary high-level tasks that must be considered when looking to write an effective communication/document using the Information Mapping® technique.
| Task: | Description |
| Analyze: | Look at the:
|
| Organize: | Break the information down into manageable sections, using the research-based principles laid out through the Information Mapping® writing technique. |
| Present: | Layout the information so it can easily be viewed and absorbed, taking advantage of the best ways to display the information for greatest accessibility as noted through information type analysis. |
How Does It Apply to Me?
It applies because our industry revolves around quick, concise communications. Think about:
- the emails you send,
- the blog posts that you write, and
- the website content that you create.
Can your target audience access the information that is relevant to them in a matter of seconds?
- If Yes; that’s great! But with a few small tweaks to the content layout, I would bet that your writing would engage with even more clients/prospects.
- If No; many of your clients/prospects have likely already lost interest and have found another go-to blog post or website. If it’s an email communication, your seller may have missed that you are coming by to show their house tomorrow at 10 AM, and you are going to be greeted by their bulldog Barney.
Information Mapping in Practise®
Take a minute to reflect on the structure of this blog post. Notice that:
- Content has been separated into small, manageable relevant chunks
- You can quickly determine what you want to read because of the post structure provided up front
- Information throughout the post has been made accessible by the use of
- a table (complete with an introductory stem sentence)
- even a Yes/No question
Where Can I Learn More?
I recommend starting with the Information Mapping® Website, www.informationmapping.com. They have a list of the Training & Certification programs offered, as well as a list of their Worldwide public training courses. Personally, I received my training through Global Knowledge Canada (www.globalknowledge.ca) in Toronto, Ontario, and would highly recommend their services to anyone in the Greater Toronto Area.
