Synopsis
Here I propose content production objectives for The InterPlex through the remainder of the year, organized by publication format, including InterPods, InterArticles, InterDialogues, and newsletters. I also consider the practical time and labor requirements associated with content creation, editing, communications, contributor management, and other ongoing responsibilities. While the objectives outlined here may be referenced as a roadmap for content production, we should also discuss how to prioritize these and other tasks while optimizing workflow and realistically allocating available labor time. These targets should be understood as working goals that may be refined in response to evolving needs and constraints.
1. Objectives by content type
1.1 InterPods
- Publish inaugural InterPod by July 15
- Produce subsequent InterPod episodes bimonthly, for at least 3 by end of year
- Create or source new audiovisual assets for the InterPod format
1.2 InterArticles
- Publish 1–2 InterArticles from the contributor network per month, totaling 6–12 by end of year
- Rowan to deliver at least one original InterArticle every six weeks, totaling 4–5 by end of year
- Consider creating visual templates for InterArticles and related social media posts, such as thumbnails or quote cards
1.3 InterDialogues
- Publish all previously recorded InterDialogues, namely those from India, Europe, and Boston, as well as Brandon Barker, at the rate of 2–3 per month, for a total of 12–18 by end of year
- Create new thumbnail template for InterDialogue clips and retroactively apply to existing Instagram reels and YouTube shorts
- Further standardize audiovisual assets for InterDialogues and short clips
- Standardize metadata and SEO procedures for existing and new YouTube videos
1.4 Newsletters
- Publish next newsletter by July 1
- Produce subsequent newsletters bimonthly, for at least 3 by end of year
2. Timeline considerations
The preceding objectives are based upon both stipulations in my contract and considerations drawn from the overall content strategy outlined in this document. Together these objectives constitute the bulk of new content I will be working on this year.
Behind each specific task is a certain amount of logistical time and labor required for organizing, ideating, research, reading, communications, etc. For example, the work of writing an original article involves a significant amount of research and data analysis (e.g., processing interviews, selecting and reading relevant sources, selecting and editing photos, etc.) before the actual organization and writing of the text can begin.
These tasks center on content objectives and do not include my other duties, such as fundraising research, contributor recruitment, institutional outreach, and administration. The time requirements in each of these categories may vary over time. For instance, if we switch to Asana as my recommended task management program, the process of onboarding and setting up new workflows there will require an initial time sink but will save time on administration in the long run. Similarly, hiring an additional team member to handle time-intensive tasks like InterDialogue editing and social media management would allow me to redistribute the time I spend on those tasks to other areas.
Based on the wide variety of tasks identified here and the varying amounts of time that each requires, as well as my commitments in other categories, we should discuss how to best allocate my 15 weekly hours of InterPlex work to different tasks. While I believe we can develop an efficient workflow and list of priorities to maximize efficient use of my time, we should also remain open to modifying timeline expectations in line with what is possible at 15 hours per week.
Related
2.2 InterPod production checklist
2.3 InterArticle production checklist
2.4 InterDialogue production checklist
2.5 Newsletter production checklist
2.7 Social media post checklist