This presentation looks at why single-source content development is rapidly becoming a strategic initiative within organizations. Content management experts, Dawn Stevens of Comtech & Stuart Grossman of Xyleme, show you how to design granular content for reusability across products, functions & delivery modalities and assess your organization’s readiness for the move to single source. To view webinar please visit: http://www.xyleme.com/download-form?type_of_download=Webinar&nid=218

1. Successful Single-source Content DevelopmentStructured Writing for Reusability Comtech ▪ Xyleme, Inc.

2. Our Presenters Dawn Stevens Senior Consultant Comtech Services Stuart Grossman VP of Client Services Xyleme, Inc.

3. During the Webinar Use your Q&A pane to type any questions you may have for our speakers.

4. 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

5. Poll

6. We currently create learning in output silos. Classroom eLearning Performance Support Mobile Multiple Teams Word, PowerPoint, FrameMaker Articulate, Captivate, Lectora Objective C, HTML, Proprietary Tools DreamWeaver, RoboHelp, Word Multiple Tools Instructor/Student Guides, Slides, Handouts, Exams Web Courses, Assessments, Certifications Job Aids, Help Files, Reference Manuals Tablets, Smartphones, eBook readers Multiple Outputs Multiple Languages

7. Structured writing gives us... After Before Instructor’s Guides Participant Guides </xml> Handout Packs Slide Deck Assessments E-learning Performance Support Mobile Reference Guides

8. Reusable and single-source content Source New Course Repository

9. Single-Source Publishing Process

10. A New Way to See Learning Content

11. How to Know What is Reusable

12. Keep Shared Content Context Neutral Manufacturing Operator Quality Associate

13. How Do I Make it Relevant? Course 1 Introduction 1 General Content Not Shared Example Shared Non-Example 2 General Content Summary

14. Where Could the Object Appear? Course 1 Course 2 1 2 Not Shared Shared 2 3

16. Customized modules to support verticals/audiences

18. Revise once, update everywhere

20. Ready for deployment to any new devices

22. Revise once, update everywhere

24. Management Checklist Questions focus on whether you have a strategic plan that defines where you are and where you want to be. If you don’t know where you are going… { } { } “you might wind up someplace else.” “any road will take you there.” ~ Lewis Carrol ~ Yogi Berra

25. 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?

26. 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

27. 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?

28. Collaborative Work Environment Cross-functional mix of expertise Shared Leadership Move from “me and mine” to “us and ours” Rapid and complete sharing of information Active Learning Commitment to the success of all Mutual trust and respect in interactions

29. Poll

30. Process Checklist Questions focus on whether you have considered how your operations must and will change. { } “If you need a new process and don’t install it, you pay for it without getting it.” ~ Ken Stork, Citibank

31. 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?

32. 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?

33. 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”

34. 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?

35. Unstructured Writing Difficult, if not impossible to reuse Idiosyncratic Developed top-down Driven by an internal logic

38. Common Structures Information Types Content Units 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 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 Metadata Dimensions The categories that you use to organize and label the content that you will manage in a content management system

40. Operate, control, maintain

42. Products, workflow, job tasks

44. Information Types Users need information about: Why? What? Who? When?How? Where?

46. Concepts

47. Policies

48. Processes

49. Procedures

50. Tasks

51. References

53. Strictly or loosely defined

54. Required or optional

57. Usable examplesDefine writing conventions and standards Avoid look and feel discussions

58. Delivery Checklist Questions focus on your delivery modalities and output types

59. 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?

60. Documentation Output Types Quick reference User guide Online help Reference guide

61. Learning Output Types

62. Poll

63. 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

64. 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?

65. 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

66. 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?

68. Database structure (components and elements)

69. Dynamic reassemble (metadata and variables)

70. Search, links, indexingGive users time to adjust to new ways of doing things

72. Broad and shallow, running a single, simple project through the entire processMinimize complexity

73. Poll

75. Translated to five languages

77. 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

79. With XML and conditional processing = $30,000

81. PDF production (91 books) and review completed in 4 weeksCustomer output for each product = 6 new deliverables in each language

82. To learn more… http://www.cm-strategies.com/2011/index.htm Mention the Xyleme Webinar and receive $100 off registration.

87. sales@xyleme.com