@nozurbina @LavaCon

Adaptive Content: Architecture Plus Process

Minus a Healthy Dose of Reality

Noz Urbinanoz.urbina@mekon.com@nozurbinalessworkmoreflow.blogspot.com

Julian Murfittjulian.murfitt@mekon.com

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Noz Urbina• Consultant/Trainer for Mekon Ltd.

– Content strategy, Technical Communications– 10 years in content and mark-up– Author– Chairperson for Congility Events

(congility.com)

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Julian Murfitt• CEO & Founder, Mekon Ltd.

– Experience with publishing, high/tech, manufacturing and aerospace defence businesses

– Small-to-medium-to-very-large enterprises

– More understanding = better solutions

@nozurbina @LavaCon

In a nutshell• We’re all talking about multi-device,

multi-channel delivery

• Adaptive content is a great answer

• But it’s really hard and expensive to do

• Here’s how to do it in a feasible, progressive way

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Steps to adaptive content1) Audience

2) Modularity

3) Taxonomy

4) Semantic Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

The challenge - The Right List

• Right content• Right format• Right language• Right time

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Reality time• Achieving multichannel delivery is time

consuming and complex

• It can be a long, multiphase journey

• Some authors struggle badly to adapt

• It affects all of your editorial and publishing processes directly or indirectly

@nozurbina @LavaCon

DEFINING OUR TERMS

Responsive DesignAdaptive DesignEmbedded UA Adaptive Content

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Responsive designAll content is delivered. Appearance, layouts and features are adjusted for device client-side

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Adaptive designDevice and other context is detected, then server-side logic sends only appropriate layouts & features

LinkedIn

@nozurbina @LavaCon

App

Mobile Site

LinkedIn

@nozurbina @LavaCon

EMBEDDED USER ASSISTANCE

Because they never wanted a manual in the first place!

@nozurbina @LavaCon

eUA• Brings the manual content to the

user ...Delivers help content directly inside

hardware or software user interfaces

...At the location and time it’s most relevant.

@nozurbina @LavaCon

eUA, EmHelp, UAP, mini-help• Terminology seems to be evolving• Integral part of the application

– Still owned by the authors• Minimalism is King

– Limited real estate– Consumed at a glance (then back to work)

• Pop-ups are evil(?) – Scratching the surface of eUA– It’s NOT Clippy

@nozurbina @LavaCon

@nozurbina @LavaCon

@nozurbina @LavaCon

@nozurbina @LavaCon

AutoCAD

@nozurbina @LavaCon

AutoCAD

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Benefits of eUAWhy is it better than PDF, Tri-pane or Context sensitive Help?• Doesn’t break user context

– Proactive in giving help– Not waiting for frustrated user

• Speed– Your software or device is to help them do what they’re

trying to do• Learning tool

– For users and for you! Monitor their usage of content.• Could replace (or at least reuse) from the manual

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Reality time• Easier with new applications• Mobile devices can have very little space• Yet another destination for your content

– Increased pressure to re-use• Writing challenge

– Minimalism– Architecture (maintain right context and make

it all fit together)

@nozurbina @LavaCon

And more...

@nozurbina @LavaCon

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CONTENT?

The stuff that the people are actually looking for?

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Content and User Experience• The more diverse the

interaction contexts, the more stretched content will become

• Square peg, round hole, bad experience

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Adaptive Content• Content designed

to adapt to multi-channel multi-format

• Can be: – Transformed– Filtered

• Because it’s got:– No presentation

information!– Structure– Rich metadata– Built-in, in-line

semantics

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Adaptive Content• Adaptive Content

Enables Contextually-Appropriate Experiences

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Steps1) Audience

2) Modularity

3) Taxonomy

4) Semantic Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

WHO ARE YOUR USERS?Audience analysis to persona and user stories

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Example CustomersExternal• Future customer• Existing customers

– End users– Developers

• Registered user• General public

Internal• Engineers -

Service/Field/Support• Consultants• Developers• Trainer• Authors• SMEs• Sales• Marketing

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Current Situation?

• Who are you?• What is your experience

level?• What are the

physical/environmental conditions

• What content consumption method are you using?

• What are you doing?• Where are you?• What did you do?• What version are you

using?• What language do you

prefer?

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

User StoriesI’m an end user. How do I install the PrintJet2050 on Windows 8?

I’m a service engineer onsite at St. Heliers Hospital trying to repair an MRI scanner but can’t find the answer I need in my iPad documentation. I’ve called into a support technician to help.

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Reality time• Take time and resource• TechComm often not given client access easily

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

MODULARITY & TYPED CONTENT

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

ModularityOriginal Flow New

ScenarioNew Audience

NewPlatform

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Module TypesJust to get you started...• Concepts• Tasks• References• Glossaries

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Benefits• Reuse across deliverables• Focus on minimalism increases consumption• Easier to manage content for translation• Send only changed blocks for review• Clear guidelines about what should go in

certain types of module

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Reality time• Writing for reuse is not easy• Writers must collaborate more• “Ownership” is changed

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

TAXONOMY

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Taxonomy• Extend labelling systems for modules

– Document naming conventions– Module naming conventions– Keyword labels to improve SEO

• Facetted search• Basis for content exchange with

other departments/system

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

TaxonomyAudience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Facetted SearchAudience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Facetted SearchAudience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Personas and Stories to TaxonomyI’m a diabetic. What is the meaning of error code 7 on my OneTouch blood glucose meter?

– Error codes

I’m a potential customer researching what GPS chipsets meet the XYZ standard?

– Stages in product development or sales cycle– Industry standards– Technical specifications

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Benefits• Speak with a common language• Increase quality of translations• Improve online search-ability

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Reality time• Politically difficult to establish• Management often don’t “get it”

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

METADATA (SEMANTIC CONTENT MODELLING)

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Metadata & SemanticsMetadata• Defined as – data about other data• Provides a way of further describing an object

Semantics• Gives meaning to content

<step>Press the <uicontrol>Print</uicontrol> button<clause>The <act>Food Safety Act 1990</act> states that … </clause>

The basis for Adaptive Content

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Reality time• Letting go of formatting is hard for some

authors– Team roles become more specialised

• Legacy migration needs careful consideration• Project scoping and roll-out is essential• Going without a CCMS is risky for larger or

complex projects

Audience Modularity Taxonomy Content Modelling

@nozurbina @LavaCon

IT’S WORTH IT!

Adaptive content is the most scalable future-proof approach going

@nozurbina @LavaCon

Q&A...and book give-away!

noz.urbina@mekon.com@nozurbina / @thecsbook

lessworkmoreflow.blogspot.com