http://tc.eserver.org/authors/Rockley,_Ann A bibliography of works by Rockley, Ann in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Rockley,_Ann http://tc.eserver.org/35335.html http://tc.eserver.org/35335.html A unified content strategy is: a repeatable method of identifying all content requirements up front; creating consistently structured content for reuse; managing that content in a definitive source; assembling content on demand to meet your needs. A unified content model is the framework that supports your strategy. http://tc.eserver.org/34979.html http://tc.eserver.org/34979.html Marketing materials are always important, and in these difficult times, they are critical to the success of the organization, and there are huge pressures to do more with less and for less money. Enter XML. XML is often perceived as complex, rigid and horrible to work with (geeky, technical) — anathema to the average marketing communications author. But this is no longer true. XML and the tools that support them have matured to the point where the XML is hidden, much in the same way RTF is hidden from the average Microsoft® Word author. Using XML for marketing materials provides considerable benefits, including consistent messaging, reduced time to create content, reduced costs to maintain content, reduced translation costs, and powerful multichannel conversion capabilities. XML is creating a profound shift in the way we create, manage, deliver and control marketing materials. It is a shift that is resulting in significant ROI and increased levels of success. http://tc.eserver.org/32098.html http://tc.eserver.org/32098.html The need for us to customize BSM solutions by integrating different software solutions, combined with the maturation of tools for XML-based authoring, make this an ideal time to implement a new information development strategy. After researching materials about content management and studying success stories from companies who have implemented structured authoring, we launched a pilot project. http://tc.eserver.org/29913.html http://tc.eserver.org/29913.html Information models are a critical component of single sourcing, enterprise content management, and dynamic content management. The information model is your blueprint for the effective writing, structuring, and delivery of reusable content. This session explains how to design information models, including information product models and element models. It also explains the role of metadata and how to effectively design it. http://tc.eserver.org/28944.html http://tc.eserver.org/28944.html The Rockley Group takes a look back at the year 2006 in review. What happened in the CMS market? How is globalization changing the content management landscape? And, what about new communication vehicles like blogs, wikis, podcasts, and RSS feeds? http://tc.eserver.org/28782.html http://tc.eserver.org/28782.html Ann Rockley shares information about an upcoming report on component content management systems her group will be releasing this summer. She also says the Rockley Group is launching a blog to provide quicker information to users in a more interactive way. She talks about the growing presence companies have in the blogosphere, and why they chose WordPress as their blogging tool. http://tc.eserver.org/28562.html http://tc.eserver.org/28562.html As other areas within organizations begin to consider structured content for the same reasons as technical communication departments, technical communicators have a golden opportunity to assist others in their move toward structured CM. http://tc.eserver.org/25827.html http://tc.eserver.org/25827.html However content is often created by authors working in isolation from other authors within the organization. Walls are erected among content areas and even within content areas, which leads to content being created, and recreated, and recreated, often with changes or differences at each iteration. This results in inconsistent information, duplication of effort, and increased costs. http://tc.eserver.org/25826.html http://tc.eserver.org/25826.html I've seen dozens of companies waste hundreds of thousands of dollars because they chose their management tools before they had a clear understanding of their business needs, information life cycle and content. http://tc.eserver.org/25824.html http://tc.eserver.org/25824.html The knowledge that we have within a corporation is valuable to internal employees to ensure that they are able to do their jobs as accurately and efficiently as possible, and our customers are requesting more and more information to enable them to use our products correctly. For years this knowledge resided in peoples’ heads and in volumes of paper. Now that information is being moved onto the Internet/intranets and extranets. http://tc.eserver.org/25825.html http://tc.eserver.org/25825.html Large paper documents can be difficult to manage and control, but large online documents and huge volumes/suites of information can be a nightmare if you do not use management software from the beginning. There are many different types of ways you can approach managing your materials. http://tc.eserver.org/25830.html http://tc.eserver.org/25830.html Today's organizational content is created by multiple content creators (marketing/communications, HR, engineering/product development, technical publications/product support, training) delivered to multiple content users (customers, suppliers, channel part-ners, and employees) and delivered through multi-channel information products (Internet, e-commerce, e-catalog, intranet, portals, marketing/communication/product materials, documentation, training, and support) in multiple media (Web, paper, wireless). Too often, content is created by authors working in isolation from other authors within the organization. Walls are erected among content areas and even within content areas, which leads to content being created, and recreated, and recreated, often with changes or differences at each iteration resulting in increased costs, reduced quality, and potentially ineffective materials. We call this the Content Silo Trap. While content migration tools can help, particularly with legacy content, planned reuse is the next step in facilitating content reuse. http://tc.eserver.org/24789.html http://tc.eserver.org/24789.html Multimedia can add another dimension of information to online documentation. This progression discusses the optimum methods of presenting information (text, graphics, multimedia) and the planning and design process. http://tc.eserver.org/24452.html http://tc.eserver.org/24452.html Putting documents online takes planning and special expertise. Making the right decisions up front can save you months of frustration later on— and help you avoid many pitfalls. This workshop provides everything you need to know about planning and managing an online project. It deals with the decision-making process, not the design process. It is intended for managers, technical communicators, and consultants responsible for putting documents online. http://tc.eserver.org/24408.html http://tc.eserver.org/24408.html Multimedia is commonplace in entertainment and the Internet is proliferating the use of multimedia in electronic materials. Online documentation has traditionally been composed of text and some graphics. The proliferation of Intranets and online documentation is pushing the acceptance of multimedia in reference and procedural materials like Help. However, there is little research on the value of multimedia in online documentation nor its effective use.This paper describes an exploratory study done for a Master of Information Science thesis to determine the impact of multimedia on online documentation. http://tc.eserver.org/23749.html http://tc.eserver.org/23749.html Tools and technologies available for single sourcing and content management have grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and indications are that they will continue to do so for some time to come. Understanding just what they do, and what kind of tools you need for your single sourcing or content management strategy can be confusing. The tools can be expensive, and a wrong decision can be costly. This session will cover authoring tools, content management tools, workflow, and delivery tools. This session will discuss a number of representative tools and provide guidelines for developing criteria for evaluating tools. http://tc.eserver.org/23750.html http://tc.eserver.org/23750.html Life sciences companies are experiencing many pressures including electronic initiatives like eSubmissions and the eCTD, regulatory controls like 21 CFR Part 11, and decreasing times to market. Life Sciences companies are looking for ways to improve the way they create and manage content. Developing reusable content (single sourcing) is one solution. This session looks at the benefits single sourcing can bring to the life sciences industry. http://tc.eserver.org/23633.html http://tc.eserver.org/23633.html Identifying Return on Investment (ROI) for your content management business case begins with a thorough analysis. This article reviews the information you need to gather to identify ROI for an effective business case for content management. http://tc.eserver.org/23637.html http://tc.eserver.org/23637.html This article describes the importance of incorporating usability into all stages of implementing content management, including assessing your needs, assessing your users (of both the content and the content management system), and assessing your content. It questions the emphasis of technology in many of the current discussions about content management, and instead, advocates looking to the field of usability to form the basis of a content management implementation. http://tc.eserver.org/23636.html http://tc.eserver.org/23636.html When people think about content management, they generally think about it from a systems perspective, focusing primarily on tools and technology. While it is true that content management usually requires a technological solution, it also requires that content be designed for reuse, retrieval, and delivery to meet your authors' and customers' needs. Content management requires that tools be configured to support authoring, reviewing, and publishing tasks, but first, those tasks must be designed. Designing content and the processes to create, review, and publish it is what information architecture is all about. The Information Architecture section of The Rockley Report will focus on the different aspects of information architecture for content management. This article introduces you to some of the components of information architecture that we will cover in The Rockley Report over time. http://tc.eserver.org/23632.html http://tc.eserver.org/23632.html One of the most common mistakes that we see is a company picking the tool first, then trying to make their content management requirements fit the functionality of the tool. However, analysis of why projects fail identifies that one of the main reasons for failure is lack of analysis and design. This article draws on recent literature to identify the main reasons for why content management projects fail and provides some possible solutions. http://tc.eserver.org/23582.html http://tc.eserver.org/23582.html We're awash in technological innovation: what used to be difficult and expensive (e.g., color printing, presentation video, display-math typesetting) has become easy, relatively cheap, and inevitable for even modest publications environments. What's a technical communicator to do when the communication tools themselves are technically . . . intriguing? Do the new technologies make technical communicators more effective or merely irrelevant? The three presentations described below assume 'more effective,' but they take different cuts at the issue, reflecting three different approaches and three levels of success in trying to get a handle on new communication tools. http://tc.eserver.org/23146.html http://tc.eserver.org/23146.html The 'information highway' and 'World Wide Web' are hot topics today. Companies are feeling that they must have a Web presence. Companies are also using Internet technology (HTML) to put technical documentation on the Net or on internal networks. Technical communicators are being asked to create Web pages and Internet documents. In this one-day seminar, you will discover what Internet publishing is all about. You’ll learn how to design effective Web pages and Internet documents. http://tc.eserver.org/22845.html http://tc.eserver.org/22845.html Multimedia can add another dimension to electronic documentation (Help and manuals) and computer-based training. The process of planning and developing a multimedia project draws on new skill sets. This workshop focusses on the key role of the technical writer as writer, designer, and project manager. http://tc.eserver.org/22622.html http://tc.eserver.org/22622.html The XML eCTD DTD (Document Type Definition) defines the overall structure of the submission. The purpose of the XML backbone is two-fold: (1) to manage meta-data for the entire submission and each document within the submission and (2) to constitute a comprehensive table of contents and provide corresponding navigation aids. http://tc.eserver.org/22624.html http://tc.eserver.org/22624.html The Drug Information Association (DIA) has compiled a series of useful articles designed to help you understand XML and related technologies. Don't worry! You don't have to be an IT guru to understand XML. The resources provided are written in laymen's terms and geared towards life sciences professionals, but may prove beneficial to professionals in other industries and vertical markets. http://tc.eserver.org/22137.html http://tc.eserver.org/22137.html A content management initiative is a lot about change--changing the way people think and work. Ensure that you have a change management plan in place. If you have change management personnel in-house, get them involved in your project as soon as you make the decision to adopt a content management initiative. If you don't have change management personnel, consider hiring consultants who specialize in change management. http://tc.eserver.org/21768.html http://tc.eserver.org/21768.html Content reuse is fundamental to a successful unified content strategy.This chapter defines content reuse and the benefits ofits use.It explores how other industries have employed reuse for decades to improve their processes and the quality oftheir products. Content can be reused in many ways. The choice ofthe different methods and options for reuse are dependent upon your organization’s needs and technology.This chapter details the pros and cons ofusing each method and the associated options,and it provides the concepts that underlie the remainder ofthe book. http://tc.eserver.org/20296.html http://tc.eserver.org/20296.html The Internet created a revolution in electronic documentation. Now corporations are creating intranets (internal networks) and extranets (secured Internets for customer use) for the distribution and access of corporate documentation, manuals, and training using Internet technology. You’ll learn how to determine what should go on your intranet/extranet, how to ensure information meets users needs, and how to design effective electronic materials. http://tc.eserver.org/20088.html http://tc.eserver.org/20088.html Frequently a product has documentation associated with it. Large products may have training and documentation. However, as corporations are 'rolling out' new technology to their staff they are becoming aware that supporting the user through a unified documentation and training strategy, results in fewer problems and faster integration and usage. This paper addresses the process of determining the right solution and an effective design and development process. http://tc.eserver.org/19831.html http://tc.eserver.org/19831.html There are numerous tools that you can use to create online documentation. However, each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, and each is more appropriate for some types of information than others. This workshop explores many issues of online documentation tools: Why go beyond Windows Help? Which is better: HTML or Adobe Acrobat? What tools support cross-platform presentation? When should you use Workgroup tools such as Lotus Notes or Folio? When does SGML make sense? How to utilize a!ocument databases? When to use Management tools? Real examples developed using these tools will be given throughout the session. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the pros and cons of each. http://tc.eserver.org/19813.html http://tc.eserver.org/19813.html Cautions that failing to focus on the people in the organization may diminish the success of a single-sourcing initiative. Covers changes that need to occur in the organization to support a single-sourcing initiative and ways to address issues of change. http://tc.eserver.org/19456.html http://tc.eserver.org/19456.html Tools are a key component for the success of single sourcing. Tools should be selected to support the information model and development processes. This session reviews the types of single source tools (authoring, content management, publishing, and dynamic content (personalization) engines) that are available to you today. The session presentation will review the available tools. http://tc.eserver.org/19373.html http://tc.eserver.org/19373.html Until recently, technical communicators created static content--content that is created in a specific way for a specific purpose (e.g., user guides and help) and that remains the same until the technical communicator deliberately changes it. As single sourcing has made it possible to write information once and use it many times, technical communicators have begun to create static customized content, which is designed to meet the specific needs of the user, the materials to be developed (such as user guides, reference guides, and training), and the delivery media (paper or online). The content is customized for a particular requirement at a particular time but cannot be changed without being regenerated by the author. Now, the ability to create dynamic content will change the way technical communicators envision, create, and distribute information. http://tc.eserver.org/19372.html http://tc.eserver.org/19372.html E-learning is a highly effective way of providing training to widely dispersed audiences. Single sourcing (information reuse) provides the facility to create and store reusable content from a single source, and delivers that content to multi-channel information products for learners. SCORM is the Sharable Content Object Reference Model; it’s an initiative of the ADL (Advanced Distributed Learning Network). This session provides an understanding of how you can create effective e-learning materials using single sourcing or SCORM. http://tc.eserver.org/18985.html http://tc.eserver.org/18985.html Information models are a critical component of single-sourcing, enterprise content management, and dynamic content management. This session explains how to design information models, including information product models and element models. It also explains the role of metadata and how to effectively design it. http://tc.eserver.org/18894.html http://tc.eserver.org/18894.html Tools are a key component for the success of single sourcing. Tools should be selected to support the information model and development processes. This session reviews the types of single source tools (authoring, XML, content management, output, and dynamic content engines) that are available to you today. The session presentation will review the available tools Note that the tools mentioned in this paper may change by the time of the presentation. http://tc.eserver.org/18805.html http://tc.eserver.org/18805.html Organizations frequently fall into the content silo trap, multiple authors creating similar information, in many areas of the organization. Authors rarely share their information (they work in silos) or are even aware that this information already exists elsewhere in the organization. Technical communicators have been single sourcing for years, this session looks at how to move beyond technical publications to assist your organization with enterprise content management. This session includes a case study from Eli Lilly. http://tc.eserver.org/15121.html http://tc.eserver.org/15121.html Introduces dynamic content, a method of single sourcing that 'meets individual users' needs by assembling a series of information objects in response to the userís requests or requirements.' She walks readers through a mock project involving the creation and delivery of dynamic content. http://tc.eserver.org/13820.html http://tc.eserver.org/13820.html Today's businesses are overwhelmed with the need to create more content, more quickly, customized for more customers and for more media than ever before. Combine this with decreasing resources, time, and budgets and you have a stressful situation for organizations and their content creators. To reduce the costs of creating, managing, and distributing content and to ensure content effectively supports your organizational and customer needs, organizations can benefit from a unified content strategy. A unified content strategy is a repeatable method of identifying all content requirements up front, creating consistently structured content for reuse, managing that content in a definitive source, and assembling content on demand to meet your customers' needs. http://tc.eserver.org/13679.html http://tc.eserver.org/13679.html Timelines for developing documentation are getting shorter and budgets are getting smaller. This means that we have to find more efficient ways of developing documentation. One way is to consider single-sourcing your information for multiple media (paper, online), multiple types of documentation (user documentation, Help, training), multiple users and reuse of information for multiple products. While this process takes a lot of up-front planning it can significantly decrease your costs and development times. This session looks at the process for designing and creating single-source materials for multiple media, users, or types of documentation. http://tc.eserver.org/13387.html http://tc.eserver.org/13387.html Large documents are among the most suitable documents for online viewing. This paper will look at the process of converting large printed documents to online documents. It will discuss the role of hypertext, SGML, and other technologies in their creation, This paper will then look at the process of designing large online documents from the traditional analyses of audience, task, and information to implementation concerns such as determining the design requirements, evaluating electronic publishing software and prototyping the design. http://tc.eserver.org/13300.html http://tc.eserver.org/13300.html People often have to create documents for different audiences and for different media, (e.g. web, Help, training). However, timelines and budgets for developing information are often tight. This means we have to find more efficient ways to develop information. One way is to consider single sourcing information for multiple users and media. While single sourcing does take more up-front planning, it can significantly decrease costs and development times once implemented. http://tc.eserver.org/13218.html http://tc.eserver.org/13218.html Tools are a key component for the success of single sourcing. Tools should be selected to support the information model and development processes. Selecting the technology first, without a clear understanding of your information needs, may significantly restrict your ability to produce effective single source materials. This paper reviews the types of single source tools that are available to you today. The session presentation will review the available tools and provide their pros and cons. http://tc.eserver.org/13210.html http://tc.eserver.org/13210.html XML is one of the hot topics in Web technology. More and more XML sites are being developed every day. You've probably seen XML without realizing it. It's also showing up in specific tools for technical writers: Sun's JavaHelp uses XML components. But when you try to learn about this exciting new technology, when you review the many books that are appearing on shelves, or sites popping up on the Web, you'll find that the information that is available is mostly aimed at developers. This session cuts through the technical detail to the core of XML, to the value that it brings to technical writers and their users. Unlike HTML, which is based on a specific set of tags, XML allows you to define your own tags. This means you have the ability to tag information based on content rather than format structure. http://tc.eserver.org/13153.html http://tc.eserver.org/13153.html Single sourcing your information enables you to create materials for multiple media (paper, online), multiple types of documentation (user documentation, Help, training), multiple users and multiple products. XML is a new information format that supports the creation of single source materials. This session looks at how XML enables you to create single source materials, it is not an XML 'how to.' http://tc.eserver.org/13107.html http://tc.eserver.org/13107.html Content management is becoming a critical component of single sourcing. It provides a method for managing our single source materials and ensuring that information can be easily retrieved for reuse. This session explains what a content management system will do for you and how to use it effectively. http://tc.eserver.org/10430.html http://tc.eserver.org/10430.html Design of information tends to be controlled by the functionality of the tools and technology. The last decade has seen a powerful move to online materials and a move away from paper. The next 5 years will see a move to new ways of structuring information for multiple media, multiple audiences, and multiple types information. The use of document databases, single sourcing, and knowledge webs will redefine 'writing.' As we move into the next millennium, information developers need to take control of the technology to support information design. This article addresses the changing face of technology, information design, and skills required to ensure effective information development in support of user needs.