Presented at DocTrain East 2007 Conference by joe Gollner, Stilo International -- This presentation will introduce practical strategies for getting the most out of content component management. While it may seem that the management of content components is a recent phenomenon, there is a significant body of implementation experience, both good and bad, that stretches back over 20 years. This experience showcases what typically works well and what is a recipe for certain disaster. A general framework will be provided that sketches out the range of considerations that should be factored into a complete solution and recommendations will shared on how implementations can be structured to provide the highest chance of success. In order to make the topic as tangible as possible, the presentation will include real-world examples where some of the key challenges associated with deploying DITA have been successfully addressed.

1. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Practical Content Management:
DocTrain East 2007
What Really Works Joe Gollner
18 October 2007
jgollner@stilo.com
Copyright © Stilo International plc 2007
Practical Content Management
What does really work?
Context & History of
Content Management
Practical Strategies for
Making Content Management
Effective
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2. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Content is Everywhere
Content is the physical form of
our communication
Content populates an ecosystem where people receive, internalize,
modify, create and share that content. Content connects everything.
Implications for Managing Content
We are faced with:
Massively expanding content volumes
Diversifying venues for content delivery
Proliferating format varieties
Rising expectations of users
Escalating specialization of content
Evolving interconnectedness of content
Multiplying problems related to content security
Emerging lifecycle challenges (permanent accrual)
Increasing complexity of content
(reintegration of data & documents)
Growing recognition of the central importance of content
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3. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
The Content Management Market so far
Given the magnitude of the challenge
It is no surprise that Content Management has under-performed
The Content Management Market
Estimated as reaching $1.7 billion by 2007 (WinterGreen Research)
Incremental growth (<20% per year)
Continues to struggle with weak “ROI” metrics
Still lacks a “killer app”
The growth in the importance of content will bring change
Globalization
Cost-competitiveness
Escalating demand for information
requires that Content Management becomes effective…
Practical Strategies for Content Management
No Royal Road to Success
Key elements include:
Appreciation for the challenges
surrounding content
Framework for understanding the
whole range of challenges
Seeing each challenge as unique
Deploying appropriate responses
Evaluating alternatives rigorously
Technologies
Standards
Maintaining an enterprise focus
Keep options open…
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4. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Content Engineering
Working Definition
The application of
rigorous engineering discipline
to the design, development
and deployment of
content management and
processing solutions
Distinguishing Features
Systematic approach
Progressive use of technology
Awareness of
Lifecycle considerations
Total cost of ownership
Solution scalability
Content Engineering
Content Engineering
Governing discipline
Goal-directed
Content Processing
Enhance Value
Content Management
Protect Value
People
Create Value
Planning
Designing
Authoring
Editing
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5. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Content Management Components
Content Management
Control
Organize resources, access
and lifecycle
Change
Facilitate the evolution of
content and the associated
services
Deploy
Enable the services
the content makes
possible
Content Management & Content Processing
A Close Relationship
CM cannot exist without
content processing services
Expanding CM services
demands more processing
The sophistication of the
processing functions
increases more rapidly
Many CMS solutions are
constrained by weak
processing capabilities
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6. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Content Processing Components
Content Processing
Convert
Transform
Publish
Key Focus in
Content
Engineering
Content Processing Components
Content Processing
Convert
Transform
Publish
Transformation
Breaks down into
Refactor
Relate
Collect
Resolve
Compile
Emphasis on leveraging
efficient automation
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7. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
The Content Processing Roadmap
Convert Content
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8. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Conversion Process Template
Facilitating Migration
Two key criteria
for success
Interactive automation
Guided with simple
web interface
Governed by
user-defined
migration rules
Efficient engagement of
Subject Matter Experts
Making the most
of their interventions
Retaining inputs so that
the process “learns”
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9. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Refactor Content
Refactoring Strategies
Strategy needed to ensure adequate returns on investment
Refactor content that undergoes the highest rates of change first
Refactoring includes
bursting & normalizing
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10. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Collect Metadata
The Storage of Metadata
Proven Design Pattern: Detachable Metadata
Key metadata clustered into a document sub-component
Shareable amongst many uses
Incorporated into document
when important to do so &
only then
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11. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Establish Relationships
Link Management
Increasingly
important
Sustains context
Increasingly
complex
Link Analysis
Significant
processing
Leverages
external
storage of links
& link metadata
Link generation
becoming critical
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12. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Deliver Content
The Key to Delivery: High Fidelity Automation
Delivery Processing
Assembling the inputs
Content requested
Supporting assets
Applicable stylesheets & rules
Resolve into a processable whole
Compile formattable content representations
Publish final formatted renditions
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13. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Content Processing & Validation
Validation
Essential capability
Enables consistent
processing
Streamlines
processes
Validation must be
Accurate
Manageable
Informative
Actionable
Pro-active
Continuously improving
Progressive Validation
Content Validation & Verification
Schema structural rules
Rules governing content values
Instance conformance
Content Transformation
Supporting multiple lifecycle events
Recurrent content enrichment
Manipulation of many content types
Outputs Validation & Verification
Inputs to rendition processes
HTML outputs
XML outputs
Data outputs for applications
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14. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Solution Architecture
Assembles
components
to provide
integrated
services
Standards
selection &
integration
Technology
selection &
integration
Multiple
solutions
will exist
Evaluating Standards as Potential Tools
Independence
From parochial interests, proprietary claims, external influences
Formality
Of creation, validation, approval & modification process
Stability
Of standard over time & the backward compatibility of changes
Completeness
Sufficiency for declared scope as well as availability of
useful documentation & reference implementations
Adoption
Extent of support amongst tool vendors, authorities & users
Practicality
The extent to which all, or parts, of the standard can be deployed
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15. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Evaluating an Industry Standard
Scenario
Industry
specification
Broad scope
Specialized
stakeholder
community
Continuously
changing
& expanding
Strategy
Implement where
necessary
Address risk areas
Evaluating a Cross-Industry Standard
Scenario
Addressing
widespread issues
Broad stakeholder
community
Mature
Further
capabilities
emerging
Strategy
Plan for adoption
Consider for use in
variety of areas
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16. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Technology Selection
Key Considerations
Solution context
Scored against
requirements
Scoring scale
0 – No Fit
6 – Total Fit
Results weighed
against acquisition cost
Technology Lifecycle Considerations
Solution context
includes
Urgency
Complexity
Criticality
Constraints
Projected lifecycle
Expected lifespan
Rate of change
Influencing factors
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17. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Managing Solution Risk
Integration risk represents
The potential loss of services
The potential loss of assets
Integration risk increases
with the increase in the
number of technologies
used to build a solution
Solution complexity
Can be managed
Ultimately limits solution
affordability and even viability
Addressed in Solution Architecture
Facets of a Scalable Solution Architecture
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18. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Content Architecture
Establishes
governing model
of the
knowledge
The knowledge
underlying the
content
The knowledge
being
encapsulated
in the solutions
Multiple
solutions
will exist
The Central Role of the Content Architecture
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19. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Top Ten List – Secrets for CM Success
Don’t underestimate your content or your business
Don’t underestimate the power of good automation
Chose an appropriate tool set and validate your choices
Don’t invest in expensive technology too early
Carefully plan and execute migration activities
Take a “customer service” focus in delivering tangible
benefits (new products / services) from your investments
Be demanding of your suppliers (expect quality)
Engage your stakeholders and “take control” of the solution
Leverage standards, don’t be enslaved by them
Be an active part of the community as a way to learn and as
a way to share what you have learned
Practical Content Management
The time for practical
Content Management
has arrived
Content Management
must become more effective
The centrality of content in the
global economy demands it
Both the tools & the techniques
have been established
XML as the lingua franca
Modular content architectures
Scalable content
processing technologies
Methodologies
based on experience
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20. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Where did XML come from?
Yuri Rubinsky
XML Recommendation
Stilo International
Over Twenty Years of Experience
Defense CALS Initiative
Microsoft CDROM Publishing
Wall Street Journal Interactive
European Parliament
Global 2000 Clients
Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, BAE…
Wolters Kluwer, Caterpillar…
IBM, SAP, HP, Sun, Toshiba…
Providers of OmniMark
Premiere Content Processing Platform
Providers of ways to Accelerate DITA
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21. Practical Content Management: What Really Works
Scalable & Efficient Content Processing
Where sophisticated standards, like DITA & S1000D, are involved,
the presence of an efficient, scalable and responsive content processing
capability is absolutely critical implementation success.
This is the role of OmniMark.
Advanced automation
On-Demand Online
Analyzing
Content Migration Service
Grouping
Web-based wizard guides
Mapping
migration activities
Converting
Engages subject matter experts
Validating
efficiently
Bursting
Reduces cost – improves results Testing
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