A Unified Content Strategy

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.

Rockley, Ann. e-Doc (2002). Articles>Content Management>Content Strategy

Use and Abuse of Reusable Learning Objects    

The term Learning Object, first popularized by Wayne Hodgins in 1994 when he named the CedMA working group 'Learning Architectures, APIs and Learning Objects,' has become the Holy Grail of content creation and aggregation in the computer-mediated learning field. The terms Learning Objects (LOs) and Reusable Learning Objects are frequently employed in uncritical ways, thereby reducing them to mere slogans. The serious lack of conceptual clarity and reflection is evident in the multitude of definitions and uses of LOs. The objectives of this paper are to assess current definitions of the term Learning Object, to articulate the foundational principles for developing a concept of LOs, and to provide a methodology and broad set of guidelines for creating LOs.

Polsani, Pithamber R. Journal of Digital Information (2003). Articles>Content Management>Instructional Design>Education

Using 6 Sigma Methodology and Tools to Design and Implement a Single Source Documentation Process  

6 Sigma is a proven strategy to improve quality, economic value, and practical utility to the company and its customers.

Eichholz, Jeannette. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Using a Database and SGML to Build Single-Source Documents  

SGML and a database can make the document building process more efficient by focusing on data instead of formatting. A database with well-designed tables, forms for data input, and queries can help put a writer’s time to better use by allowing them to focus on content. Data can be reused from project to project by simply querying for topics to change and updating the contents. SGML is used for consistency, flexibility, reliability, and reusability. One of many possible processes of creating online and print documentation using a database and SGML is: (1) Choose a Document Type Definition. (2) Design the database. (3) Export data (queries) from the database as text file. (4) Up-translate a text file to an SGML instance. (5) Down-translate the SGML instance to the desired output.

Nguyen, Tins L. and Teresa A. Sharkey. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Using a Wiki to Write About Wikis  

Academic writers are used to having their ideas encapsulated and enshrined in printed text (e.g., a journal article or a book), but publishing them in a wiki strips them of this protection. What happens when strangers change our writing? Since the traditional academic publishing paradigm has not caught up with the open-editing, peer-to-peer model, are we equipped to deal with the paradigm shift that wikis represent? These are issues we consider in this short piece.

Wilder, Hilary and Sharmila Pixy Ferris. Journal of Electronic Publishing (2007). Articles>Writing>Content Management>Wikis

Using Content Management to Realize a Competitive Advantage  

Pundits claim that the Web levels the playing field for many businesses today. And yet, few have been able to field a truly winning proposition online.

Christian, Martyn. KMworld (2001). Articles>Content Management>Management

Using Scenarios to Select a CMS

Scenarios are narrative descriptions or stories that concisely outline how something will work in practice. In the context of a content management system (CMS) project, scenarios are a very effective way of documenting key CMS requirements, and they complement the formal lists of functional requirements typically found in tender documents.

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

Using the Clustar Method for Single-Source Documentation  

Most technical communicators create materials that help users perform tasks. Such task-based manuals, help files, web pages, or training materials are often expensive and difficult to write and maintain. Frequently, this is the fault of poor structure and process. Simply Written’s Clustar Method makes it cheaper and easier to create and maintain task-based documentation by emphasizing structure and process.

Altom, Jerilynne and Tim Altom. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Using the Single-Source Wizards in RoboHELP 2000 for WinHelp

HTML Help is the Windows Help standard for 32-bit operating systems (for example, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, or Windows 2000). Your users must have Internet Explorer installed on their systems (or at least the necessary core components).

James-Tanny, Char. HelpStuff (2000). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>RoboHelp

Using WordPress to Build Websites Instead of Blogs

One of the things I like about WordPress is its versatility. WordPress isn’t just blogging software. With the right theme, you can build a website that doesn’t resemble a blog at all. Essentially, writers who become familiar with WordPress become empowered as web designers as well.

Johnson, Tom H. I'd Rather Be Writing (2008). Articles>Content Management>Software

Using XML in Databases

Today, we can find many applications to manage XML content that demonstrate the power and flexibility that can only be achieved through XML-native databases. Information intensive companies such as the airline and manufacturer described in this paper have achieved significant technical and business benefits from their use of XML standards and database technology over alternative approaches.

Waldt, Dale. Gilbane Report (2004). Articles>Content Management>Databases>XML

Using XSLT for Content Management

Introduces XM (XSLT Make), a simple and affordable Web publishing content-management solution that takes advantage of XML and XSLT. Code samples show the development of a wrapper for the XSLT to make it easy for a nonprogrammer to use. XM project code is available by link.

Marchal, Benoit. IBM (2001). Articles>Content Management>XML>XSL

Virtual Documents: The Challenges of Chunking

Beware the virtual document! It may look harmless. It certainly looks helpful. It will lure you with a siren's song of reusable content components that enhance flexibility and improve efficiency. And then, if you're not careful, it will smash you into pieces upon the rocky shores of complexity.

Morville, Peter. Semantic Studios (1999). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Waarom CMS-Systemen Overbodig Zijn

Ik heb mij altijd verbaasd hoe partijen als Vignette, Broadvision en Tridion zo veel geld konden verdienen. Ik was niet echt onder de indruk van de software, en tal van implementaties toonde aan dat er vaak problemen mee gemoeid zijn. Het gaat slecht in de markt van de standaard content management systemen. Kees van Mourik van OoipTech legt zijn vinger op de zere wonde en kijkt vooruit.

van Mourik, Door Kees. de Lijst (2002). (Dutch) Articles>Content Management>Professionalism

We Neurotic Amateurs: A Commentary on Edmond H. Weiss's "Egoless Writing: Improving Quality by Replacing Artistic Impulse with Engineering Discipline"    

The assertion that technical communicators tend to be 'amateurs'--that is, lovers of our own work--is a claim with little foundation. Arguments toward regimentation and systematization of documentation writing are not calls to professionalize a currently-immature field, but rather attempts to emulate the hierarchy we have seen implemented in microprocessor engineering in the 1970s, software development in the 1980s, and content management in the 1990s. Such 'egoless' methods may offer advantages to employers, but should not necessarily be considered 'progress.'

Sauer, Geoffrey. Journal of Computer Documentation (2002). Articles>Content Management>Documentation

Web Books: Publishing Large Scientific and Technical Documents Simultaneously on the World Wide Web and on Paper  

That we need to write separate documents for on-line display and the printed page is a technical writers’ axiom, but using a single source has practical advantages. Tools that enable you to write and print with a desktop-publishing program and automatically convert to an on-line format make writing and maintenance easier and keep information consistent. FrameMaker serves as a useful and widely-used desktop-publishing package and WebMaker converts FrameMaker sources to HTML for the World Wide Web.

Jackson, Ken and Sonya E. Keene. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing

Web Content Meets Records Management

While the Web has forever changed the way we gather information, communicate and conduct business, it's the highly dynamic and personalized Web content and the transactions performed on the Web that present records managers with the greatest challenge.

Marsili, Diane. E-Doc (2002). Design>Content Management

Web Two-Point Uh-Oh  

The problem with many Web 2.0 applications is the assumption that the community's motives are good, or at least neutral. Perlin's column explores how one of the drawbacks of Web 2.0--potential loss of control over information--has manifested itself.

Perlin, Neil E. Intercom (2007). Articles>Web Design>Community Building>Content Management

Website Automation: or, How I Saved My Sanity at the Last Minute

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's maintaining a website. The design is the fun part— solving problems, incorporating a brand, meeting user needs. That's what we live for. But maintenance? Yuck. So I surveyed the technologies available; what could I automate to ease the burden on myself and other volunteers? This article presents the results of this undertaking. It focuses mainly on the processes and their results. I discuss details of the tools and technologies where relevant, but this is not a tutorial on any tools or technologies; I'll provide resources for further information.

Hendry, Michael. MetroVoice (2002). Design>Web Design>Content Management

The WebWord Content Management System

The WebWord content management system is not technical, it is human. In fact, the technology is minimal and the web site works because a human understands and maintains the content using very simple tools. While this approach consumes a lot of time, it is simple and cost effective. Small and medium web sites can get along without using content management systems.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2001). Design>Content Management>Case Studies>Web Design

WebWorks Publisher In Action: A Project Management Perspective  

From October 2001 through August 2002, a team of two technical authors converted the documentation for a Web Content Management System from a series of static manuals to a single-sourced, dynamically delivered context-sensitive online help/print manual combination. This paper covers the challenges encountered and overcome when resources became more scarce and demands rose. It offers some technical insight in the application of Adobe FrameMaker and WebWorks Publisher Professional to achieve the goal of manageable documentation.

Gill, Harold B., III and John Swymer. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Content Management>Project Management>Case Studies

Webworks Publisher Tutorial: Better Jumps to Topic Titles  

By default Webworks Publisher uses file names and paragraph numbers as hyperlink targets, e. g. <a href='filename.html#55555'>. Most web browsers try to position the paragraph with the corresponding name anchor <a name='55555'> at the top of the screen if possible. If you jump to the top of a scrollable topic, any content above the title line (e.g. navigation graphics) is hidden. There are a few easy countermeasures.

Muller-Hillebrand, Michael. InFrame (2002). Design>Content Management>Web Design>Adobe FrameMaker

WebWorks Publisher Tutorial: Useful Meta Tags  

If you are using Webworks Publisher to create HTML pages which will be published for the WWW, you may want to place additional useful meta tags in your pages to be found and indexed by search engines and thus be found by interested persons.

Muller-Hillebrand, Michael. InFrame (2002). Design>Content Management>Web Design>Adobe FrameMaker