Content Convergence Trends in the Creation, Production, and Maintenance of Technical Content

Content Convergence Content Convergence

Content convergence is a move away from content silos.

Paired with content integration, which is combining content from multiple sources.

Together, they have powerful communication potential.

Content convergence means portability. Content can be mixed-and-matched to fit new contexts.

To be portable, content needs to: Be structured Have semantic properties Be findable (searchable) Conform to standards

Be structured

Have semantic properties

Be findable (searchable)

Conform to standards

Portable content makes context more important. Portable content makes context more important. Content must support multiple contexts.

Complex contexts demand concise content. Shape content around a single concept.

Context changes content. The ability to re-use content across contexts increases content value.

Content is not isolated. Content is not isolated. Content does need to be self-contained.

Convergence creates possibilities. The end goal is user satisfaction.

For customers: Portable content creates value Content is integrated from: Airline booking Hotel booking Car rental booking Google maps Weather network User-generated content … and more. Convergence is automated, generating an automatic, customized itinerary. This convergence of content provides a value-add service to the user. www.tripit.com

Content is integrated from:

Airline booking

Hotel booking

Car rental booking

Google maps

Weather network

User-generated content

… and more.

Convergence is automated, generating an automatic, customized itinerary.

This convergence of content provides a value-add service to the user.

Portable content creates efficiencies For organizations, portable content creates efficiencies. Content must support multiple contexts.

Portable content can look like this Blog posts Images Twitter posts Upcoming product releases User-generated content Visitor login Ratings information Ecommerce data Audio files Product descriptions www.allmusic.com

Blog posts

Images

Twitter posts

Upcoming product releases

User-generated content

Visitor login

Ratings information

Ecommerce data

Audio files

Product descriptions

Or like this Training instantiation TechComm instantiation Support instantiation

When architected well, it happens seamlessly. Information portal Tech Comm content User-generated content Engineering content CRM content Support center content Marketing content RSS feeds Subscriptions Training content

Users demand more, better, faster.

Users demand it Organic content convergence World of Warcraft Some users dissatisfied with documentation provided. Built their own database. Better quality, more features. Apple Search for “iPhone help” and observe the results Search for an error message by number (e.g. “error message 12846”) and observe the results Users will create their own documentation. Their sites will come up higher in search engines. Your reputation suffers. Brand management issues arise.

Organic content convergence

World of Warcraft

Some users dissatisfied with documentation provided.

Built their own database.

Better quality, more features.

Apple

Search for “iPhone help” and observe the results

Search for an error message by number (e.g. “error message 12846”) and observe the results

Users will create their own documentation.

Their sites will come up higher in search engines.

Your reputation suffers.

Brand management issues arise.

World of Warcraft wow.allakhazam.com/

The market demands it Organizations need to deliver more content, faster, cheaper. The content needs to work for many similar products. There is a need to deliver to multiple markets , sometimes in multiple languages. There is too much content to deal with, to create linear content. HP HP knowledge base has integrated all content into a single page Highest result in the search engines Well designed convergence experience for users

Organizations need to deliver more content, faster, cheaper.

The content needs to work for many similar products.

There is a need to deliver to multiple markets , sometimes in multiple languages.

There is too much content to deal with, to create linear content.

HP

HP knowledge base has integrated all content into a single page

Highest result in the search engines

Well designed convergence experience for users

HP Knowledge Center h30413.www3.hp.com/SupportServices/country/us/en/support/T1100.html.htm

The move away from single-use, linear content is happening fast . Every day, the bar is raised a little higher.

The pressure is on to devise strategies for portable content. You snooze, you lose.

Strategies are business-dependent There is no formula. The solutions are as unique as the business and the reasons for needing the strategy. It means changes in technologies. It means change in processes. It means change in skill sets. There needs to be a strategy. The strategy needs to be rooted in business requirements.

There is no formula.

The solutions are as unique as the business and the reasons for needing the strategy.

It means changes in technologies.

It means change in processes.

It means change in skill sets.

There needs to be a strategy.

The strategy needs to be rooted in business requirements.

It means rethinking the nature of content. Treat content as a valuable corporate asset.

Good content design ties into experience design Subsets of experience design are: Multi-channel experience Digital experience design User experience User-centered design Service design Usability No matter what you call it, the end goal is to improve the experience for the end user.

Subsets of experience design are:

Multi-channel experience

Digital experience design

User experience

User-centered design

Service design

Usability

No matter what you call it, the end goal is to improve the experience for the end user.

Content should be a corporate strategy. Do you have a good content strategist?

T-shaped thinkers are particularly adept at convergent, synergistic thinking. www.davidarmano.com/thought.html

Think outside the box What are the touch points ? What can be automated for users? What are the preferences of your audiences? What is required by regulatory? What is the best you can provide, in practicality? How creative can you be?

What are the touch points ?

What can be automated for users?

What are the preferences of your audiences?

What is required by regulatory?

What is the best you can provide, in practicality?

How creative can you be?

Think holistically; act boldly.

Contact Info and Acknowledgements Presentation © 2008 Intentional Design Inc. www.intentionaldesign.ca Presenter: Rahel Anne Bailie, Content Strategist / CM Consultant +1.604.837.0034 Photographs used under Creative Commons: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdecomite/ Pencil design: George Hart

Presentation © 2008 Intentional Design Inc.

www.intentionaldesign.ca

Presenter:

Rahel Anne Bailie, Content Strategist / CM Consultant

+1.604.837.0034

Photographs used under Creative Commons:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdecomite/

Pencil design: George Hart