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Successful Single-Source Content Development
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Transcript of Successful Single-Source Content Development
© 2011 Xyleme - All rights reserved
Successful Single-source Content DevelopmentStructured Writing for Reusability
Comtech ▪ Xyleme, Inc.
© 2011 Xyleme - All rights reserved
Our Presenters
Dawn StevensSenior ConsultantComtech Services
Stuart GrossmanVP of Client ServicesXyleme, Inc.
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During the Webinar
Use your Q&A pane to type any questions you may have for our speakers.
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Agenda
What is single-source content development?
Assessing management, personnel and process readiness.
Best practices for structured writing.
Delivery readiness for documentation and training
Selecting a pilot project and use case
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Poll
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Multiple Languages
Instructor/Student Guides, Slides,
Handouts, Exams
Web Courses, Assessments, Certifications
Job Aids, Help Files, Reference
Manuals
Tablets, Smartphones, eBook readers
Multiple Outputs
Word, PowerPoint, FrameMaker
Articulate, Captivate, Lectora
DreamWeaver, RoboHelp, Word
Objective C, HTML, Proprietary
ToolsMultiple Tools
Classroom eLearningPerformance
SupportMobileMultiple Teams
We currently create learning in output silos.
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Structured writing gives us...
Instructor’s Guides
Participant Guides
Handout Packs
Mobile
Slide Deck
Assessments
E-learning
Reference Guides
Performance Support
Before After
</xml>
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Reusable and single-source content
Source New Course
Repository
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Single-Source Publishing Process
Selection
Transformation
Formatting
Publishing
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A New Way to See Learning Content
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How to Know What is Reusable
Mfg Operators Quality Assurance Maintenance
Mfg floor layout x x x
Identify equipment x x x
Safety procedures x x x
Bioreactor Operation x ?
Sample access ports x x
Cleaning x x
Repair x
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Keep Shared Content Context Neutral
How to operate a bio-reactor
How does a bio-reactor work?
Where do you draw the sample for
testing?
How does a bio-reactor work?
Manufacturing Operator Quality Associate
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How Do I Make it Relevant?
Introduction
General Content
Example
Non-Example
General Content
Summary
1
2
Not Shared
Shared
Course 1
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Where Could the Object Appear?
Course 1 Course 2
1
2
2
3
Not Shared
Shared
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Why Go Through the Transition?
Increases speed to market/delivery Updated products
Customized modules to support verticals/audiences
Localized changes to meet global requirements
Lowers production costs Write once, use many times
Revise once, update everywhere
Reduce production activities
Enables new delivery channels XML future-proofs content
Ready for deployment to any new devices
Meet varying mobile requirements (tablets, performance support)
Improves content quality Write once, use many times
Revise once, update everywhere
Reduce production activities
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Poll
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Management Checklist
Questions focus on whether you have a strategic plan that defines where you are and where you want to be.
“any road will take you there.” “you might wind up someplace else.”{ }~ Lewis Carrol ~ Yogi Berra{ }If you don’t know where you are going…
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Management Checklist
Do you have a senior management champion?
Have you identified stakeholders, their needs and expectations?
Have you created a compelling business case?
Have you formed a project governance board?
Have you documented all risks and corresponding mitigation strategies?
Have you allowed adequate time for implementation and adoption?
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Personnel Checklist
Questions focus on whether you have set up appropriate motivations and support structures to encourage your staff to adapt.
“Even those who fancy themselves the most progressive will fight against other kinds of progress, for each of us is
convinced that our way is the best way.”
~ Louis L’Amour{ }
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Personnel Checklist
Do you have 1-2 content reuse champions to oversee and coordinate?
Have you educated personnel about the importance of these strategies both to themselves and to the business?
Is there adequate time for training staff on new technology & processes?
Is there a team dedicated to the project implementation?
Is acceptance and adoption tied to employee performance?
Have you established a collaborative working environment?
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Collaborative Work Environment
Mutual trust and respect in
interactions
Rapid and complete sharing of
information
Move from “me and mine” to “us
and ours”
Commitment to the
success of all
Shared Leadership
Cross-functional mix of expertise
Active Learning
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Poll
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Process Checklist
“If you need a new process and don’t install it, you pay for it without getting it.”
~ Ken Stork, Citibank{ }
Questions focus on whether you have considered how your operations must and will change.
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Process Checklist
Have you identified areas for streamlining and improvement?
Have you considered the new/changed processes that will be required to implement these new strategies?
Have you researched best practices?
Have you captured pre-conversion metrics to help document your improvements?
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Example Process Changes
Who owns the content?
How do you determine if/when a change can be made to an object used in multiple places?
At what level will you reuse (paragraph, topic, lesson, figures, lists, tables, etc.)?
How is reused content reviewed in context?
How will you name folders and files?
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Content Checklist
Questions focus on ways to ensure that your content pieces are compatible.
Do not put statements in the negative form. And don't start sentences with a conjunction. If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do. Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all. De-accession euphemisms. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky. Last, but not least, avoid clichés like the plague. ~ William Safire, “Great Rules or Writing”{ }
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Content Checklist
Have you determined common structures, content types, and elements?
Have you identified areas for potential reuse within your own department?
Have you identified content shared among documentation, training, marketing, customer support, and other groups?
Do you have a standard style guide and authoring guidelines in place?
Do you perform editorial reviews on the use of templates and conformance to style guides?
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Unstructured Writing
Difficult, if not impossible to reuse
Idiosyncratic
Developed top-down
Driven by an internal logic
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Structured Writing
Unified underlying design
Interchangeable parts
The Lego Model All the pieces fit together
from multiple sets
Standard sizes and standard connectors
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Poll
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Common Structures
Metadata Dimensions
The categories that you use to organize and label the content that you will manage in a content management system
The standard categories of content that you use to provide the structure and content guidelines needed to author individual topics
An information type is generally supported by an authoring template
The building blocks of your Information Types
Content units, required and optional, guide the authors in writing topics that can be easily reused in a variety of contexts
Information Types Content Units
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Metadata Dimensions
Customers need information to Install, design, configure, select Operate, control, maintain Troubleshoot, repair, replace
Customers differ Languages, geographies, experience,
expertise Products, workflow, job tasks Money, time
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Metadata Dimensions
Author/OwnerRoleDepartmentEditor/ReviewerSchedule datesSourceWorkflow
Authoring Dimensions
User Dimensions
Publishing Dimensions
GoalsTasksConceptsStages of useLearning styleRolesWorkflowLanguageCulture
ProductReleaseSubject areaProcess areaCustomer(s)Information type
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Information Types
Users need information about:
Why?What?Who?
When?How?Where?
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Information Types
Typical information types Objectives Concepts Policies Processes Procedures Tasks References Assessments
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Content Units
Information types consist of content units: Text and media Strictly or loosely defined Required or optional In sequence or freeform
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Content Units
Some of the content units may be the same.
Tutorial Lesson Procedure
Tutorial titlePurpose statementWarnings and CautionsTutorial stepsFeedback statementsOptions
Procedure titlePurpose statementPre-requisitesWarnings and CautionsAction stepsFeedback statementsOptions
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Authoring Guidelines and Style Guides
Define information types, content types, metadata dimensions How and when each are used Usable examples
Define writing conventions and standards
Avoid look and feel discussions
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Delivery Checklist
Questions focus on your delivery modalities and output types
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Delivery Checklist
Have you determined all output types you will support?
Have you established common structures for each output type?
Do you have templates in place for each output type?
Do your templates and media plans reflect the capabilities and requirements of the delivery devices you will support?
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Documentation Output Types
Quick reference
User guide
Online help
Reference guide
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Learning Output Types
ILT eLearning mLearning
Moment of Need?
Learning for the first time
Learning for the first time,Learning more
Applying what was learned,When things go wrong or change
When?When scheduled
When learner has time While performing job
How Big? Textbook/Guide Course Nugget
What’s inside?Topics, Procedures, Workshops, Slides
Animation, Assessments, Simulations, Video
Video, Audio, Text, References, Assessments
Personalization?
By the instructor To a specific audience To an individual
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Poll
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Technology Checklist
Questions focus on your tool selection process
“If the axe is not sharp, it doesn’t matter how hard the wood is.”{ }~ Chinese Proverb
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Technology Checklist
Have you researched and evaluated your current tools?
Are technology requirements documented (authoring, production)?
Is your audience’s technology requirements documented (delivery, tracking)?
Have you created and send an RFI or RFP?
Have you created an evaluation tool to assist your selection process?
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Implementation Checklist
Questions focus on your strategies for rollout and adoption
“Why go into something to test the waters? Go into it to make waves.”{ }~ Unknown
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Implementation Checklist
Have you selected a pilot project for proof concept?
Have you audited your legacy systems?
Have you established translation and localization strategies for multiple language delivery?
Have you created a change management plan?
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Selecting a Pilot Project
A test of your design tools
Authoring ease of use
Database structure (components and elements)
Dynamic reassemble (metadata and variables)
Search, links, indexing
Give users time to adjust to new ways of doing things
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Selecting a Pilot Project
Visible and important enough that people care
Short time frame for quick turnaround
Address entire problem domain, but keep initial activities small:
Narrow and deep, exercising all aspects
Broad and shallow, running a single, simple project through the entire process
Minimize complexity
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Poll
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Case Study: Previous Situation
Product “family” (seven products) with slight variations in specs, feature set
Previously: published one manual containing content for all seven products
Translated to five languages
Approximately 90% of core content also used in manuals for other product families
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Case Study: Single-source Solution
Set up structure to support reuse – folders, reusable components (topics, maps)
Applied metadata to content
Conditionally processed a single bookmap which contains all possible conditions using attributes for conditions
Produced product specific documents
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Case Study: Results
Core manual contains approximately 60,000 words
From the core bookmap, 7 manuals (en) produced
Translations in 13 languages for all 7 manuals – 7 x 13 = 91 books
90% of text reused from previous translations
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Case Study: Results
Costs
Before with DTP: 60,000x13x.50 = $390,000
With XML and conditional processing = $30,000
Savings of $360K
Time
Translations returned in 3 weeks
PDF production (91 books) and review completed in 4 weeks
Customer output for each product = 6 new deliverables in each language
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To learn more…
http://www.cm-strategies.com/2011/index.htmMention the Xyleme Webinar and receive $100 off registration.
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To learn more…
Comtech workshops www.comtech-serv.com
Minimalism, Content Management Strategies, User and Task Analysis, Structured Writing, DITA for writers
DIAT bootcamp
Center for Information – Development Management www.infomanagementcenter.com
Content Management Strategies 2011, April 4-6, Baltimore, MD
Best Practices 2011, September 12-14, San Antonio, TX
© 2011 Xyleme - All rights reserved
Learn more about Xyleme
Follow us on Twitter @xylemelearning
Listen to industry luminaries on our award-winning podcast library at www.xyleme.com/podcasts
Upcoming events Xyleme LCMS monthly product webcast: April 7, 10am MDT mLearnCon: iPad and Tablet Computing: A Game Changer for
Delivering Blended Learning: June 21-23
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