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Lessons Learned: Findings and Recommendations from the SWXML Project

Lessons Learned: Findings and Recommendations from the SWXML Project. Mike Shatzkin, Laura Dawson, Ted Hill and Brian O’Leary February 10, 2009. Overview of today’s discussion. Project background and rationale Selected survey results ROI drivers How publishers are using XML

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Lessons Learned: Findings and Recommendations from the SWXML Project

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  1. Lessons Learned:Findings and Recommendations from the SWXML Project Mike Shatzkin, Laura Dawson, Ted Hill and Brian O’Leary February 10, 2009

  2. Overview of today’s discussion • Project background and rationale • Selected survey results • ROI drivers • How publishers are using XML • Lessons learned: recommendations checklists

  3. A changing environment • Old channels atrophying or dying • New channels rising • A Copernican shift with IP at the center • New requirements • Content agility • Lower transaction costs • Cost-effective digital marketing • B2C sales

  4. The promise of XML workflows • Far lower transform costs for varied outputs • Web-ready content to drive broader and more targeted marketing efforts • Tagged content that can be combined or chunked to create new products • The opportunity to link rights and IP, lowering costs and unlocking new revenue

  5. From complexity to agility Starting point – XML transition Relative process complexity “Write once, read once” (single-format delivery) Relative content agility “Write once, read many” (supporting multiple formats and uses)

  6. The XML transition challenge • An investment in new workflows • Requires changes in processes, technologies and organizational structures and roles • Requires advance planning • Can somewhat constrain design flexibility (may be overstated, but not everything goes) • Tool sets to create and deliver XML are still in development

  7. That’s why we started “SWXML” • A survey to understand pain points • Research to identify trends, key players and best practices • A hosted blog to foster discussion of the challenges and opportunities • And a recent, one-day forum All of this work was made possible through the support of our sponsors: codeMantra, Klopotek NA, Publishing Dimensions/Jouve and the Book Industry Study Group.

  8. Survey overview • Conducted in concert with BISG • An extended survey (41 questions) • In the field for four weeks (Sep – Oct 2008) • Asked about current digital practices, current production practices and the use of XML • 165 participants (100 completed all questions)

  9. Overview of survey participants

  10. Weighted toward management

  11. The importance of digital workflows

  12. Current uses of XML

  13. Downstream re-use of content

  14. Expanded editions

  15. Repurposing content

  16. Re-using old content: a nuisance

  17. Publishers see an ROI in XML

  18. ROI drivers • The investment: Shifting from process complexity to content agility • The return: Both cost management and revenue growth • Different models for different kinds of books

  19. Making the business case Business case components taken from “StartWithXML: Why and How” research paper, section 2.1)

  20. Digital marketing Custom publishing Content aggregation

  21. Estimating XML’s potential benefits Many Cookbooks Religion (esp Bibles) STM Education Business Travel and tourism Author or annotated editions Reference Tests “Chunks” Fictional series Travelogues Historical fiction (opportunity to capture people, places, events) Scholarly monographs Novels Few or none Low Frequency of or potential for reuse High

  22. Estimating XML’s potential benefits Many Cookbooks Religion (esp Bibles) STM Education Business Travel and tourism Author or annotated editions Reference Tests “Chunks” Fictional series Travelogues Historical fiction (opportunity to capture people, places, events) Scholarly monographs Novels Few or none Low Frequency of or potential for reuse High

  23. Estimating XML’s potential benefits Many Cookbooks Religion (esp Bibles) STM Education Business Travel and tourism Author or annotated editions Reference Tests “Chunks” Fictional series Travelogues Historical fiction (opportunity to capture people, places, events) Scholarly monographs Novels Few or none Low Frequency of or potential for reuse High

  24. How publishers are using XML Tagging – what it is and how to do it What changes in a content-centric workflow Migrating to XML: best practices

  25. Types of Tags

  26. Who Tags What When

  27. How to Tag

  28. What Is Chunking?

  29. How Low Can You Go?

  30. When Do You Stop? Military History Book Chapter Description of Battle Capsule Bio of General Description of General’s Shrewish Aristocratic Wife Mention of G.S.A.W.’s Best Friend Mathilde Lengthy Digression on Mathilde’s Fashion Sense and Literary Salon Mention of Viscomte Bruno Heffendorf, interloper and troublemaker

  31. Structure Design Content Tagging separates content from design Three LinkedElements Traditional Print-Centric Approach Content Structure Design Content and Structure are Linked Content-Centric Approach Design is Separate Adapted from work by David Young and Phil Madans, Hachette Books

  32. Structure Design Content Disengaging design increases flexibility Structural components of the work are identified Book Using style sheets, any number of designs can be applied to the content. PDF eBook and connected to the content Large print Adapted from work by David Young and Phil Madans, Hachette Books

  33. Style sheets are applied in many ways XML Document XSL Stylesheet XSLT Processor XSL-FO HTML EPUB XSL-FO Processor .Mobi Web PDF Print PDF Adapted from work by Andrew Savikas, O’Reilly Media

  34. Style sheets lower per-page costs Stylesheets Simple = $550 Moderate = $1500 Complex = $2500 Highly complex = $5K - $10K Composition $.50 - $4.25 Adapted from work by Rebecca Goldthwaite, Cengage Learning

  35. The payoff is volume-related Adapted from work by Rebecca Goldthwaite, Cengage Learning

  36. XML also introduces new tools Adapted from work by Steve Waldron, Klopotek NA

  37. Solution providers can help here Various solution providers offer consulting services in all three areas.

  38. Migrating to XML: Best practices

  39. Publisher lessons learned • Begin with the end in mind • Commit to sustained change • Vision, purpose, execution, refinement • It’s not (just) about XML

  40. Begin with the end in mind …

  41. Commit to sustained change …

  42. It’s not (just) about XML …

  43. Steps for getting started • Needs analysis: establish your current capabilities, needs and long-term goals • Gap analysis: identify the gaps between where you are and where you want to be • Vendor evaluation: Review the various products and services on offer and map to your needs • Request for information: Solicit more detailed information about vendor capabilities and costs necessary to accurately determine the scope and budget of your StartWithXML project

  44. Useful Links http://startwithxml.com http://www.bisg.org mike@idealog.com laura@ljndawson.com ted.hill@thaconsulting.com brian.oleary@magellanmediapartners.com

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