Designing Single Source Materials  

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.

Rockley, Ann and JoAnn T. Hackos. STC Proceedings (1999). Presentations>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Designing Wearable Performance Support: Insights from the Early Literature    

According to Gery (1991), an electronic performance support system (EPSS) is an electronic environment available to and easily accessible by employees that is structured to provide online access to all information to permit them to do their jobs with minimal intervention by others. Why do we assume that this support must be provided on a computer? If effective performance support must be 'available' and 'easily accessible,' how can designers provide support to people whose jobs require mobility? Such jobs include (but certainly are not limited to) supervising a manufacturing operation, inspecting foods, and repairing equipment. A designer for any EPSS being developed to support jobs such as these would have to take the employees' mobility into account.

Gobert, Danielle. Technical Communication Online (2002). Design>Content Management>Wireless Web

Developing a Content Management Team for Your Intranet    

What is the overall process? Who are the players? What are their best uses?

Boiko, Bob. SLA (2002). Presentations>Content Management>Collaboration

Developing a Content-Management Strategy: Implications in a Multi-Language Environment  

Why we went to a single-source CMS and how we went about it.

Douma, Barbara. ComTech Services (2001). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Case Studies

Developing a Database Publishing System: A Demonstration  

We developed a database publishing system that uses raw data from a database and produces camera ready copy using Microsoft Access, FrameMaker, and Brio Publish. This type of project requires a project plan that defines the scope of the project, a complete understanding of the various relationships in the database, selection of the right tools for the task, and a sensitivity to the needs of the users who face dramatic change in their environment. This demonstration focuses on all aspects of this effort.

Cantoni, Georgina C. and Judith L. 'Judy' Glick-Smith. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Microsoft Access

Developing and Maintaining a Large Document for Publication in Multiple Media  

This paper outlines the development of the Software Technology Reference Guide—a 500-page directory of software technologies— from the planning phase to its publication in both hard copy and HTML. It explores the problems of coordinating multiple, remotely located authors; producing frequent drafts when material is changing rapidly; managing a large documentation project; maintaining a source document for publication in multiple media; and handling the conversion of a complex hard-copy document to a usable online document.

Brune, Kimberly. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Developing Information for Multiple Formats: You Can Get There from Here  

This paper describes the experiences of SAS Institute Inc. in developing single-source software documentation for presentation in multiple formats. The project is an ongoing team effort from all areas of the Publications Division. Our main goal is to develop online and hardcopy reference documentation. Toward this end, we set goals of using single-source files, reusing information, and tracking all information chunks and the relationships among them. To accomplish these goals we had to make decisions about the tools we are going to use, what information we are going to include, how we will design and present the modular information, linking and indexing strategies, and testing. This paper discusses the choices we made in light of our goals.

Moell, Patricia G. and Helen F. Weeks. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Device Indepenence: Single Sourcing's Other Side  

Considers the possible ramifications for technical communicators of device-independent publishing.

Perlin, Neil E. Intercom (2005). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Digital Asset Management Resources

A collection of dozens of digital asset management resources available online.

IPA. Resources>Directories>Content Management

The Dilemma of Credibility vs. Speed  

CoRRs implicitly constrained but officially open acceptance policy for submitted papers raises concerns about both censorship and credibility. To avoid refereeing incoming papers yet still help readers assess their merits, CoRR could use coordinated public comments and ratings in the manner of some online auctions and booksellers.

Prekeges, James G. Journal of Computer Documentation (2002). Articles>Content Management>Online

Distributed Workgroups Employing Single-Sourcing Techniques Around the Globe  

Single sourcing, which is increasingly used at the technical writer's workplace, has now reached the classroom of Technical Communication programs. This paper examines the impact of working on an XML-based single-sourcing solution on a geographically diverse graduate student team whose partners were all singlesourcing novices. It shows that managing communication within the virtual team is superordinate to managing the publication process. The paper discusses best-practice strategies for transient start-up publication teams, which rely solely on online communication, pointing to the differences between teams in the classroom and in business organizations.

Kaempf, Charlotte. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

DITA Resources Online (Darwin Information Typing Architecture)

If you need to learn more about the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA), look no further. Links to a few of the most useful DITA resources available on the web today.

Rockley Group, The (2005). Resources>Content Management>Metadata>XML

Do Staff Make Use of Personalisation Features?

Organisations around the world have already made their first forays into personalisation, however many more organisations are questioning what to personalise and how to go about it. So who is using personalisation and how effective is it?

Grenfell, Catherine. Step Two (2007). Articles>Content Management>Adaptive>Usability

Do-It-Yourself Single-Sourcing  

In recent years, countless articles and conference workshops have touted single sourcing as the Holy Grail of technical writing. Countless articles and conference workshops have also told us that XML is our means to achieving the Grail. However, in the absence of any off-the-shelf products that facilitate XML and single sourcing in our current work environments, I suspect that most people, particularly in smaller companies, believe that implementing XML is too technically daunting, too expensive, or both.

Wersan, Fred. Intercom (2003). Design>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Document Management

A directory of online resources about document management.

Google. Resources>Directories>Online>Content Management

Document (re)Presentation: Object-orientation, Visual Language, and XML    

This article demonstrates how the combination of object-orientation and Horn's notions of visual language morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics may be used to analyze and describe the mapping of marked-up XML files onto user documents. The article also raises the question of whether—or to what extent—the coupling of object-orientation and visual language might be exploited more directly for design purposes in a document production paradigm based on XML.

Johnsen, Lars. Technical Communication Online (2001). Design>Content Management>XML>Metadata

Documentation Without Documents -- The COIL Model

A description of a Canadian content-management system from the early days of the emerging knowledge management industry. COIL is a document management system that manages the information held in documents, rather than the documents themselves. By integrating more than 1,500 hardcopy pages of legacy documentation into one on-line information resource, COIL provides chart producers with an effective way of consulting the standards and procedures for their GIS, and of managing revisions to those standards and procedures.

Thurston, John. Writer's Block. Articles>Content Management

Does Your CMS Vendor Have Product Expertise?

Choosing a content management system (CMS) is not just about finding the product with the right functionality. It's also about dealing with a vendor who can support your needs for the lifetime of the solution. This briefing explores the way most CMS vendors have evolved, what this means for the way they work, and what you should be looking for when purchasing a solution.

Robertson, James. Step Two (2007). Articles>Content Management>Assessment

Don't Start With Technology

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.

Rockley, Ann. Transform (2004). Articles>Content Management>Planning

Drug Information Association: XML Resources for Life Sciences Pro

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.

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

The Drupal Database Design is a Comedy of Errors

Drupal's database design is stupid! it sucks! it is crap! To things clearer I am talking about design errors. Yes, they do exist. Some say that design errors are the basic cause of bugs in a system. They are right. Rather than go through a bunch of queries or rather hundreds of queries, I will just say that the database design has no relational qualities that would optimize and speed up the system what so ever. This a glaring whole in the knowledge of the Development team so if you are a joiner and want to contribute to the project then think about helping them out with the database design first.

Hiveminds (2005). Articles>Content Management>Software>Drupal

Drupal Has Terrible Access Control

After a week of fighting with it I have come to the conclusion that Drupal access control modules are all inadequate and are based on some weak database design. Taxonomy access and node access are flawed from the start. This type of access control where the assets are assigning their own internal security is not scalable and suffers from very high database overhead.

Hiveminds (2005). Articles>Content Management>Software>Drupal

The DuPont Experience: Strategic Planning for Information Design and Development Organizations  

Examine the strategic planning experience of the Information Design and Development organization in DuPont's External Affairs division. It describes why they undertook a strategic planning initiative, the proces used, the logistics involved in preparing for and carrying out the process, and the results of their work. Their experience can be applied to other similar organizations.

Breuninger, Charles L. ComTech Services (1977). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Case Studies

Dynamic Content Delivery using DITA  

This whitepaper defines a new publishing paradigm, which we will call dynamic content delivery. Dynamic delivery changes the rules, putting the reader in charge of what content is important and how it should be packaged. It transforms publishing to an audience of many to publishing to an audience of one.

Severson, Eric. Flatirons Solutions (2007). Articles>Content Management>XML>DITA

Dynamic Content Management  

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.

Rockley, Ann. STC Proceedings (2002). Design>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Web Design