Choosing the Right Tools Ann Rockley President, The Rockley Group Inc. [email_address]

The Rockley Group Inc.

The Rockley Group sample clients

Agenda Key criteria/differentiators Use cases Q&A

Key criteria/differentiators

Use cases

Q&A

Evaluating tools Selecting appropriate tools to support your content strategy can be a difficult and lengthy process. Your best defense for selecting tools is to be armed with as much information about them as possible. You need to develop detailed evaluation criteria , develop use cases and test before you buy.

Selecting appropriate tools to support your content strategy can be a difficult and lengthy process.

Your best defense for selecting tools is to be armed with as much information about them as possible.

You need to develop detailed evaluation criteria , develop use cases and test before you buy.

What we did and why

Key criteria User interface DITA/Standards Reuse Management Output/Publishing

User interface

DITA/Standards

Reuse

Management

Output/Publishing

Authoring

User interface Clean Easy-to-use Clear idea of next steps Access to functionality

Clean

Easy-to-use

Clear idea of next steps

Access to functionality

Rules validation All elements have a start tag and an end tag The case of the element name in the start and end tags is identical There is a single root element All elements are properly nested – no overlapping elements (e.g., not <i><b></i></b>) All attributes are properly punctuated Fully validating/validates at point of authoring

All elements have a start tag and an end tag

The case of the element name in the start and end tags is identical

There is a single root element

All elements are properly nested – no overlapping elements (e.g., not <i><b></i></b>)

All attributes are properly punctuated

Fully validating/validates at point of authoring

CCM enabler Helps non-CCM systems with component management Bursting Reuse Tracking reuse Reports

Helps non-CCM systems with component management

Bursting

Reuse

Tracking reuse

Reports

DITA

Map editor Drag and drop to rearrange the order and hierarchy of topics Access to CCMS search functions to find topics to add to a map Drag and drop from the CCMS interface (search lists or browse windows) Easy dialogs for editing attribute values to the topic reference

Drag and drop to rearrange the order and hierarchy of topics

Access to CCMS search functions to find topics to add to a map

Drag and drop from the CCMS interface (search lists or browse windows)

Easy dialogs for editing attribute values to the topic reference

Linking/xref Maps Conrefs Topic IDs and topic names

Maps

Conrefs

Topic IDs and topic names

Output/publishing DITA Open Toolkit Bundled style sheets Ease of FOSI editing/changes

DITA Open Toolkit

Bundled style sheets

Ease of FOSI editing/changes

Management

User interface Clean and easy-to-use Appropriate to multiple audiences Hide/show XML

Clean and easy-to-use

Appropriate to multiple audiences

Hide/show XML

Reuse Component Filtered Variable Derivative

Component

Filtered

Variable

Derivative

Component

Filtered

Variable

Derivative Derivative reuse occurs when a content component is reused with change. The derivative component is a “child” of the “parent” (original) component. When the parent component changes the owner of the derivative is notified so that changes can be made to the derivative if appropriate. This ensures that content remains as similar as possible.

Derivative reuse occurs when a content component is reused with change.

The derivative component is a “child” of the “parent” (original) component. When the parent component changes the owner of the derivative is notified so that changes can be made to the derivative if appropriate. This ensures that content remains as similar as possible.

Reuse reporting Where used Percentage of reuse Derivative reuse Potential reuse

Where used

Percentage of reuse

Derivative reuse

Potential reuse

Repository services Version control Versioning Access control

Version control

Versioning

Access control

Metadata and search Metadata for all levels of granularity Changing/adding metadata Simple search Complex search Saving searches

Metadata for all levels of granularity

Changing/adding metadata

Simple search

Complex search

Saving searches

Workflow Interface Sample workflows Ease of change Parallel, sequential, notifications

Interface

Sample workflows

Ease of change

Parallel, sequential, notifications

Standards support DITA S1000D SPL DocBook XLIFF

DITA

S1000D

SPL

DocBook

XLIFF

Globalization Translation workflow Integration with TMS Hand-off to translation vendors Re-integration of translated content Terminology editor Global site management

Translation workflow

Integration with TMS

Hand-off to translation vendors

Re-integration of translated content

Terminology editor

Global site management

Output/Publishing Integrated tools Transformations Book building Layout Assembly Automation

Integrated tools

Transformations

Book building

Layout

Assembly

Automation

Vendor intangibles Like-minded Size Support Community Vision Stability

Like-minded

Size

Support

Community

Vision

Stability

Identifying your needs Begin your evaluation process by identifying your needs. Once you’ve documented your vision, you can use it to identify your criteria for tools selection

Begin your evaluation process by identifying your needs.

Once you’ve documented your vision, you can use it to identify your criteria for tools selection

Sample criteria

Weighting your criteria Must have Should have Nice to have

Must have

Should have

Nice to have

Use cases Sometimes called scenarios Put your requirements in the context of your organization Real world example

Sometimes called scenarios

Put your requirements in the context of your organization

Real world example

As is sample Enterprise customer content, consumer electronics, :MP3 player: Marketing defines customer requirements , product feature definition and customer positioning statement for the new product. Customer documentation team source information write new content, copying and pasting content from previous products whenever applicable. Web team independently duplicates the same process, reviewing marketing materials and drawing on positioning and feature descriptions as required.

Enterprise customer content, consumer electronics, :MP3 player:

Marketing defines customer requirements , product feature definition and customer positioning statement for the new product.

Customer documentation team source information write new content, copying and pasting content from previous products whenever applicable.

Web team independently duplicates the same process, reviewing marketing materials and drawing on positioning and feature descriptions as required.

Cont. Call center gets the information from the Customer Documentation team and Web team, and anything else they could find and rewrites it for their own needs. Training repeats the process. Each group separately manages their content through the translation process (80 languages).

Call center gets the information from the Customer Documentation team and Web team, and anything else they could find and rewrites it for their own needs.

Training repeats the process.

Each group separately manages their content through the translation process (80 languages).

To be All content is stored in a central repository and is available for reuse. Marketing creates a product feature definition and customer positioning statement for the new product in structured templates. Customer Documentation and training team pair up, review specs and determine what is new, changed, or reused from an existing product, selecting existing content components for reuse whenever possible.

All content is stored in a central repository and is available for reuse.

Marketing creates a product feature definition and customer positioning statement for the new product in structured templates.

Customer Documentation and training team pair up, review specs and determine what is new, changed, or reused from an existing product, selecting existing content components for reuse whenever possible.

Cont. Web team reuses the task information with the core steps being used as onscreen text in Flash demos. They augment with illustrations and animations. Marketing materials are reused and repurposed for the web. Call Center identifies content to reuse, which is automatically published to HTML, filtering out extra detail but leaving core precise steps. These are automatically added to support web site and call center rep knowledge base. The system tracks new and changed components translation with in context representation of content for review purposes.

Web team reuses the task information with the core steps being used as onscreen text in Flash demos. They augment with illustrations and animations. Marketing materials are reused and repurposed for the web.

Call Center identifies content to reuse, which is automatically published to HTML, filtering out extra detail but leaving core precise steps. These are automatically added to support web site and call center rep knowledge base.

The system tracks new and changed components translation with in context representation of content for review purposes.

Cont. Translated content is fed back into the source central repository. Future translations match content from the central repository then send out new/changed content components for translation.

Translated content is fed back into the source central repository. Future translations match content from the central repository then send out new/changed content components for translation.

What the vendor learns Automation is important. Reuse is important. But equally important is a systematic way to promote reuse, by having the system report on redundant content. With the number of players in the process, workflow and notification are important. The solution needs solid multichannel publishing capabilities, with the ability to bake HTML for sites.

Automation is important.

Reuse is important. But equally important is a systematic way to promote reuse, by having the system report on redundant content.

With the number of players in the process, workflow and notification are important.

The solution needs solid multichannel publishing capabilities, with the ability to bake HTML for sites.

Creating a list of potential vendors Conferences List serves blogs Magazines Web sites

Conferences

List serves

blogs

Magazines

Web sites

Narrowing down the list Request a custom demonstration. Send out an RFP that includes your detailed criteria. Evaluate the responses. Pick three vendors that most effectively meet your criteria. Ask for a content-specific demonstration. Narrow your selection further. Conduct a proof-of-concept. If the product performs well during the proof-of-concept, purchase it.

Request a custom demonstration.

Send out an RFP that includes your detailed criteria.

Evaluate the responses.

Pick three vendors that most effectively meet your criteria.

Ask for a content-specific demonstration.

Narrow your selection further.

Conduct a proof-of-concept.

If the product performs well during the proof-of-concept, purchase it.

Summary Identify your criteria for selection. Develop a weighting system for your criteria. Develop a list of vendors to investigate. Request a custom demonstration from vendors that interest you. Send out an RFI/RFP to selected vendors that includes your detailed criteria and ask them to respond to your questions.

Identify your criteria for selection.

Develop a weighting system for your criteria.

Develop a list of vendors to investigate.

Request a custom demonstration from vendors that interest you.

Send out an RFI/RFP to selected vendors that includes your detailed criteria and ask them to respond to your questions.

Additional Resources www.rockleyreport.com www.rockleyblog.com

www.rockleyreport.com

www.rockleyblog.com

Questions? 905-939-9298 [email_address] www.rockley.com The Rockley Group Inc. Ann Rockley