Is a Documentation Wiki in your Future?

If we can solicit user participation in a Web 2.0 knowledge community (a volunter wiki documentation, for example), we might have a powerful means for creating high quality content. But how should this process work?

Hackos, JoAnn T. Center for Information-Development Management (2007). Articles>Documentation>Content Management>Wikis

Is it Document Management or Content Management?

There is considerable confusion in the market between document management systems (DMS) and content management systems (CMS). This has not been helped by the vendors, who are keen to market their products as widely as possible. These two types of systems are very different, and serve complementary needs. While there is an ongoing move to merge the two together (a positive step), it is important to understand when each system is appropriate.

Robertson, James. Step Two (2003). Articles>Content Management

Is Wiki Under Your Radar?

Your staff may already be using one of the most productive collaboration tools ever built.

Dickerson, Chad. InfoWorld (2004). Articles>Collaboration>Content Management>Wikis

Learner Attitudes Towards a Tutor-Run Weblog in the EFL University Classroom

The purpose of this personal mini-research project is to investigate learner attitudes towards a weblog that I recently set-up and have been running for my classroom-based university EFL learners here in Japan. What follows will be my attempt to relate my experience as a first-time researcher: from formulating the research questions to selecting research methods and describing their deployment. I will then report on the outcomes, give a short analysis, and discuss what the entire process meant to me.

Campbell, Aaron Patric. OCN (2002). Articles>Education>Content Management>Blogging

Lessons From The Trenches: DocZone.com Is Doing It With DITA

Interviews Chris Hill of DocZone.com and explores the lessons his firm learned while implementing the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA).

Abel, Scott. Rockley Group, The (2006). Articles>Content Management>XML>DITA

Let's Learn How Not To Mess Up With Your Web Site Content

Every web site is conceived and designed keeping in view a particular purpose to serve. The aim of web site may vary: some web site intends to showcase products or services of the company it belongs to, some provides information to its target audience, or some just exposes its company on the web in a brand building exercise. This is to note that whatever be the nature of web site, web copy plays it own crucial role in furthering the interest of the site. It is imperative that web content is easy-to-read, easy-to-find, and easy-to-understand.

Azam, Rahbre. Insider Reports, The (2008). Articles>Web Design>Content Management>Usability

Leveraging Complex Content for the Support Chain  

The support chain is becoming increasingly important as we begin to understand the deep underlying economic trends of the last half-century.

Osnat, Rani. ComTech Services (2001). Articles>Content Management>Technical Writing

The Limits of Content Management Systems

The promise of content management systems as presently implemented in large corporations will never be fulfilled.

Albing, Bill. KeyContent.org (2004). Articles>Content Management

Making A Better CMS

Most open source content management software is useless. The only thing worse is every commercial CMS I've used. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Veen, Jeffrey. Adaptive Path (2004). Articles>Content Management

Making the Business Case for Single Sourcing  

Discusses ways to communicate the financial benefits, customer value, learning and growth opportunities, and internal process improvements made possible by single sourcing.

Hackos, JoAnn T. and Tina Hedlund. ComTech Services (2004). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Business Communication

Making The Move To Content Management: Five Stages Of Career Transition

Moving to content management is as large a paradigm shift as moving to the Web was during the 1990s. It's hard to remember how frustrated we were in dealing with non-linear text, the constraints of HTML, and writing in a less formal style. If the 90s was the decade of the Web, technical communication 2.0, this is the decade of content management. It's techcomm 3.0, and we're entering the field with an improved feature set. Soon we'll reflect on this time of change and say, 'I could never go back.'

Bailie, Rahel Anne. Rockley Bulletin (2006). Articles>Content Management

Making the Transition From Traditional Reference Manuals to Consumer-Oriented Alternatives  

As computers have evolved from limited-purpose, limited audience, multi-million dollar, room-sized machines to desktop machines with almost unlimited use, computer documentation has remained geared toward describing the technical attributes of software, not the use of the software. Increased competition, cost, and environmental considerations make it increasingly important to change from the paradigm of reference documentation to task-oriented documents and to consider all of the alternatives available. These include simple one-page cards, videos, online systems, and example-based user guides.

Leetham, Judith. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Managing Content Hypergrowth  

To cope with a flood of assets, site owners turn to content management software. As they outgrow their “home brew” solutions, they buy packaged applications -- even though today’s products are immature.

Dalton, John P., Harley Manning and Katharine M. Gardiner. Forrester Research (2001). Articles>Content Management>Workflow

Managing Content: Version Control in a Collaborative Workplace  

The increasingly collaborative nature of the workplace--including writing teams and documentation groups--heightens the need for sophisticated document management solutions. Written for managers of workgroups and writing/editorial leads, this paper examines some common issues, including version control, document lifecycle management, and support for collaborative authoring and review. This paper also presents a model for finding and implementing a technology solution that makes sense for your team, as well as a case study of a successful implementation.

Angier, Jenny and Paul Foy. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Content Management>Collaboration

Managing Life Sciences Content

Life sciences have been called the least automated industry in the world, but some pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare-related organizations are working to dispel that image by implementing targeted content management solutions aimed at shortening the amount of time it takes to get new products to market.

Rockley Group, The (2004). Articles>Content Management>Scientific Communication>Workflow

Managing Valuable Chapter Content

One of the ways that STC chapters can improve their value proposition to present and prospective members is to make available some of the best content that is created by and owned by the chapter members.

Kinder, Meredith and Sheila Loring. Carolina Communique (2006). Articles>Content Management>Community Building>STC

Managing Virtual Teams: Getting the Most from Wikis, Blogs, and Other Collaborative Tools--Interview with the Authors

I talk with Katherine (Kit) Brown, Brenda Huettner, and Char James-Tanny about their latest book, Managing Virtual Teams: Getting the Most from Wikis, Blogs, and Other Collaborative Tools.

Brown, M. Katherine 'Kit', Brenda P. Huettner, Char James-Tanny and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Content Management>Podcasts

Managing Your Information

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.

Rockley, Ann. Rockley Bulletin (1998). Articles>Knowledge Management>Content Management

Maximizing Corporate Bandwidth Utilization and User Satisfaction ... at the Same Time!  

We are drowning in a sea of information. The challenge is to learn to swim in that sea, rather than drown in it.

Warner, Scott. KMworld (2001). Articles>Knowledge Management>Content Management

MCMS Connector for SharePoint Technologies Review

Review of MCMS Connector for SharePoint Technologies.

Huen, Stephen. Code Project, The (2005). Articles>Content Management>Server Side Includes>Microsoft SharePoint

MCMS Manager

A tool which can be used to do common tasks which Microsoft Content Management Server API provides.

Ragel, Chester. Code Project, The (2005). Articles>Content Management>Server Side Includes>ASP

The Meaning of Knowledge Management

We hear the term knowledge management bandied about. It sounds suspiciously like a trendy new phrase for what we used to call 'documentation.' In truth, knowledge management is more than documentation. It encompasses documentation, data management, library management, and information design. Knowledge management is increasingly important; as the amount of content has increased, the task of locating the information in the content has become more difficult. You see, information is different from content. And knowledge is something that derives from information.

HyperWrite (2004). Articles>Knowledge Management>Information Design>Content Management

Meaningful Microcontent

Microcontent refers to small, granular, and possibly representative (that can provide a summary of or a navigation to a larger set of information) bits of information, typically available on the Web. An example in the domain of journalism might be headlines and news summaries, small bits of content that can be used on a front page of the news with links to more in-depth articles. The definition has grown in scope as much as in its application.

Albing, Bill. KeyContent.org (2006). Articles>Documentation>Content Management>Technical Writing

Metrics for Knowledge Management and Content Management

Metrics are a concrete way of defining what a knowledge management or content management project will achieve, and whether it met those goals. In an environment of tight budgets and high expectations, metrics are an appropriate next step for an industry that prides itself on delivering big benefits. Defining metrics is not easy, however, and much study and further practical experience will be needed before implementing such measures becomes simple or commonplace. This article reviews the benefits of metrics, outlines some commonly used measures, and presents some practical tips and tricks. It is hoped that this article will further stimulate the current discussions on the use of metrics in the knowledge management and content management communities.

Robertson, James. Step Two (2003). Articles>Content Management>Knowledge Management