1.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
A Digital-First Authoring Environment
for Enriched e-Books using EPUB 3
Ben De Meester,
Tom De Nies, Hajar Ghaem Sigarchian, Miel Vander Sande
Jelle Van Campen, Bram Van Impe,
Wesley De Neve, Erik Mannens, Rik Van De Walle
University Ghent – iMinds – Multimedia Lab

2.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
On the menu:
❖ Core problems in today’s publishing workflow
❖ Tomorrow’s publishing workflow…
❖ … and the authoring environment to make that happen
❖ What is next?

3.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Core problems in today’s
publishing workflow
(in Flanders)

4.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Yesterday’s publishing workflow
Layout
Adobe Indesign ©
Content* Printed bookContent
Microsoft Word ©
Author

5.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Today’s publishing workflow
Layout
Adobe Indesign ©
Layout
Content*
Content*
Azardi © / iBooks Author © / …
Printed book
E-book
Content
Microsoft Word ©
Author

6.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Problems we’ve observed
Print is still first
Vendor Lock-in
Corrections and updates

7.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Print is still first
Printed books…
have static content
have a page-based layout
are single-platform (book)
Whilst digital books…
are dynamic
have a responsive layout
need multi-platform publishing (EPUB, PDF, HTML)

8.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Corrections and Updates
Corrections are hard, especially after certain stages in
the workflow (e.g., layout)
Updates (after publication) are even harder!

9.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Results of an enquiry at
Flemish publishers:
100% of authors delivers content in Word format
>90% of publishers has a workflow centered around Adobe Indesign

10.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Vendor Lock-in
All steps of book lifecycle are controlled by same
vendor (e.g., iBooks, Kindle, …)
➔ Use of vendor-specific formats limits innovation
e.g.: limited possibilities for dynamic content in Apple
products

11.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
It is hard to make cost-effective e-books
Hard to make
Vendor lock-in, print-first
Hard to maintain
Corrections and updates
More expensive to make a digital book…
but the consumer expects it to be cheaper!

12.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
How do we get out of here?
(according to us)

13.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Today’s publishing workflow
Layout
Adobe Indesign©
Layout
Content*
Content*
Azardi© / iBooks Author© / …
Printed book
E-book
Content
Microsoft Word©
Author

14.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Tomorrow’s publishing workflow
HTML5, CSS3, Javascript
Printed book
Smartphone
Content
Structure
Layout
Author
Phablet
Desktop
Tablet
CSS print profile
CSS e-book smartphone profile
CSS e-book tablet profile
CSS e-book desktop profile
CSS e-book phablet profileEditor
Designer

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Our Proposed Changes
Focus on digital
Division between content, structure and layout
Open Web Standards

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Separate the Powers
CONTENT STRUCTURE LAYOUT

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Separate the Powers (1/3)
CONTENT
modular
book content
CONTENT
Generic
“content
blocks”
text, images, videos,
interactive scripts, ...
With fall-backs for
printed media
CONTENT
User Roles:
- author
- editor
- illustrator
- ...

18.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Separate the Powers (2/3)
STRUCTURE
Complex
navigational
structures
sequential,
hierarchical,
networks, ...
STRUCTURE
content
selection and
navigation
STRUCTURE
User Roles:
- author
- editor
- ...

19.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Separate the Powers (3/3)
LAYOUT
User Roles:
- illustrator
- designer
- editor
- ...
LAYOUT
content
presentation
and
adaptation
LAYOUT
Generic
“layout
containers”
CSS-based,
adaptive, ...

20.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Tomorrow’s publishing workflow
HTML5, CSS3, Javascript
Printed book
Smartphone
Content
Structure
Layout
Author
Phablet
Desktop
Tablet
CSS print profile
CSS e-book smartphone profile
CSS e-book tablet profile
CSS e-book desktop profile
CSS e-book phablet profileEditor
Designer

21.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
A Digital-First Authoring Environment for
Enriched e-Books using EPUB 3

22.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
What is it?
A web application that
Imports legacy content (EPUB2, Word)
Can easily add content, structure, and layout
Exports valid EPUB3

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Content view

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Content
Content
Block
Book
Content view
Homogeneous handling of heterogeneous content
text, audio, video, interactive widgets, …

25.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Structure view

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Arbitrary linking patterns between Chapters
hierarchical, by subject, …
Referencing content blocks in multiple chapters.
Chapter
Link
Book
Structure view
Content
Block

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Layout view

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ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Layout
Container
Decorator
Content
Block
Content
Container
Layout view
Decouple layout from content
Responsive design

29.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Why is this better?
Changes can be made at any stage in the workflow,
and propagate to other stages
Digital-first workflow ensures smooth multi-channel publication
Use of open formats avoids vendor lock-in
and raises potential for innovation

30.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Content
Layout
Container
Decorator
Chapter
Content
Block
Link
Book
Content
Container

31.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Tomorrow’s authoring environment
Generic and flexible datamodel
(semi-)automatic annotations

32.
ELIS - Multimedia Lab
Thanks
Our project
Our pilot project partners:
Link to the paper: http://www.ebooks.iospress.nl/publication/36551