Developing a Multi-Channel Publishing Strategy

1. Developing a Multi-Channel Publishing Strategy Ann Rockley President, The Rockley Group Inc. rockley@rockley.com

2. The Rockley Group Inc. Summer 2007

3. The Rockley Group sample clients

4. Requirements • Internet • Intranet • Paper • In person (service desks) • Helpdesks and 1-800 numbers manned by individuals • Automated systems such as kiosks and 1-800 numbers • Mobile

5. Multiple content creators • Employees • Information specialists • Legal • External consultants • Individuals • Firms

6. The Content Silo TrapTM • Content is created by multiple authors working in isolation • Walls are erected among content areas • Content is created, recreated, and recreated

7. The effects of silos • Results in uncertainty as to what is the appropriate, official and/or up-to-date version of information • Wrong versions get used and re-used • Lack of standardization makes it impossible to share information between departments or between different levels of the organization/government • Lack of consistency results in • Incorrectly informed officials • Customer/public complaints that can have serious ramifications

8. Channel complexities

9. Web as a primary vehicle for content • Marketing • Product/Service support • Self serve • Customer interaction

10. Print • Complexity of content • Safety regulations • Customer desire • Portable medium • No/poor access to the web

11. Other • Call centers • Kiosks • Mobile devices

12. It’s not about channel • It’s about content • Content separate from channel • Content is created and “pushed” to the appropriate channel with little or no hand manipulation • Well managed content from a central source • Clear strategy, underlying framework and strategy to support a unified content strategy

13. The levels of multi-channel publishing • Level 1: Identical content, multiple channels Content written for one media (e.g., paper) is repurposed with no change for another channel (e.g., paper to HTML for the web) • Level 2: Static customized content This type of reuse is customized to meet the needs of the user, the type of materials to be developed, and the channel. • Level 3: Dynamic customized content On demand customized content to meet users needs.

14. Requirements Level 1: Straight-forward content conversion tools Level 2: Component-oriented structured content (XML) Level 3: Component-oriented structured content, dynamic delivery engine

15. The role of structure “Unstructured content is stupid and old-fashioned. It's costly, complex, and does not generate a competitive advantage.” Anne Mulcahy, Xerox Chairman and CEO

16. The role of XML • XML is fast becoming the new Internet standard for information exchange. • With the advent of DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) it is fast becoming the preferred method for creating, managing, and publishing content • For complex information reuse and publishing, XML is the technology of choice.

17. Importance of XML • Structured content • Separation of content and format • Built-in metadata • Database orientation • XSL style sheets • Personalization

18. Structured content • Clear identifiable semantic structure • When structure can be identified content can be manipulated (e.g., key summary can be inline in print, sidebar online, single screen in mobile device) • Content can be reused (e.g., product/service statement can be used in multiple content types)

19. Separation of content and format • The separation of content and format offers immense flexibility.

20. Built-in metadata • The tag names become metadata.

21. Database orientation • XML provides a structural format that can be stored very easily in databases. • It can be stored as a series of elements rather than a whole document, and those elements can be extracted and assembled in any order, based on your needs.

22. Use of XSL • Format content for online display or for paper-based delivery • Add constant text or graphics • Filter content • Sort or reorder text

23. Supporting multi-channel publishing • Clear well structured information architecture • Technology

24. Information architecture roadmap

25. Taxonomy • Taxonomies simplify the storage and retrieval process by providing a simplified controlled set of terms that can be used to classify content. This controlled set of terms is known as a controlled vocabulary. • Taxonomies enable us to: • create structures for the logical storage of content • enable users to navigate these structures to access a particular subject of interest

26. For example • The Reo Auto Company is preparing for the annual auto show and launch of its new vehicles. • Launching their first sports utility vehicle (SUV)—the Tsai. • Requires a press release to announce their new line-up; brochures to hand out at the show and dealer showrooms; updates to the web site; and a show catalog. • Three media; paper (show catalog, press release, brochure), web (web site, press release), email (press release)

27. Plan • Show catalog for the entire line-up (photo, short description, and key features, three cars to a page) • Brochure for the Tsai only (photo, long description with all the features and benefits) • Press release for the Tsai only (no photo, short description, features and benefits) • Web site for entire line-up (home page for each car with photos, list of full features combined with a pricing calculator)

28. Content Modeling

29. Content development

30. The finished product • Show catalog • Brochure • Press release • Web site

35. Reuse architecture • Structural reuse map • Models are made up of content structures (e.g., Description) that can be reused in multiple content models. A structural reuse map identifies where structural elements can be reused • Content reuse map • Specific content is reused in multiple places. A content reuse map identifies where content is reused

36. Structural reuse map

37. Content reuse map

38. Repository structure Level of granularity

39. Reuse management • The rules governing reuse: what happens when… • An author creates a content object which is approved • A second author reuses the content and creates a derivative of the source object and has the derivative approved in the context they are using it in • A third author wants to reuse the content. Which object should they reuse; source or derivative?

40. The technology • Authoring • CCM • Publishing

41. Authoring • Structured forms • XML-native editors • Enhanced Word

42. Content Component Management (CCM) • Content Component Management systems manage content at a granular level (component) of content rather than at the document level. CCM are typically XML-based. • Each component represents a single topic, concept or asset (e.g., image, table). • Components are assembled into multiple content assemblies (content types) and can be viewed as components or as traditional “documents”. • Each component has its own lifecycle (owner, version, approval, use) and can be tracked individually or as part of an assembly. CCM is typically used for multichannel customer-facing content (marketing, usage, learning, support). CCM can be a separate system or be a functionality of another content management type (e.g., ECM or WCM).

43. Publishing • XSL • DITA Toolkit • XSL FO tools (PDF) • DTP

44. Conclusion • Its not just about the web its about print, web, mobile and more • Multi-channel publishing requires: • Content strategy • Underlying content framework (Information Architecture) • Appropriate tools and technology

45. Questions?