The document presents an overview of the adaptive content maturity model, defining adaptive content as intelligent content that adapts to user goals through structured and semantically rich organization. It outlines multiple phases of maturity from targeted content marketing to content interoperability, detailing steps for implementation including defining content strategies, setting rules, and building adaptive systems. The document emphasizes the importance of creating content that is reusable and adaptable, framing it as a business asset that supports efficiency and user engagement.

1. BUILDING YOUR ADAPTIVE MODEL
Setting Goals Using the Adaptive Content Maturity Model
Don Day, Learning by Wrote
& Jenny Magic, Raise Your Hand Texas
@DonRDay @JennyLMagic
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

2. AGENDA
1. Adaptive Content Definitions
2. Milestones and Metrics
3. Adaptive Content Maturity Model
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

3. 1 Defining Adaptive Content
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

4. ADAPTIVE CONTENT IS
INTELLIGENT CONTENT
APPLIED TO USER GOALS
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

5. Adaptive Content Defined
“Intelligent Content - Content that is structurally rich
and semantically categorized and therefore
automatically discoverable, reusable, reconfigurable,
and adaptable.” - Ann Rockley
Adaptive Content is Intelligent Content that uses rules
and logic to adapt to the needs or context of the user.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

6. Adaptive Content
Ecosystem
Semantically
Categorized
Structurally
Rich
Rules
Defined
Intelligent
Content
Adaptive
Content
RWD
(device awareness)
Automated
Recommendations
(user awareness)
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent
Diagram courtesy Noz Urbina,
@nozurbina

7. Intelligent Content Checklist:
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent
❏ Free of formatting in source files
❏ Free of sequential writing or positional dependency
❏ Labeled with meaningful metadata
❏ Structured into smallest useful chunks
❏ Built to be automatically validated for compliance with
business standards

8. Bad Examples to Highlight Good Standards
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent
● Formatting in Source Files:
<p style="font-size:1.7em">
● Positional Dependencies:
“As you read above...” or “See below for…”
● Non-semantic metadata:
“field 1”/ “field 2” (vs. “term”/ “definition”)

9. ADAPTIVE CONTENT
IS THE HEART OF
HUMAN-CENTERED SYSTEMS
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

10. What Adaptive Content is NOT
1. Adaptive Content ≈ Intelligent Content
2. Adaptive Content ≈ Personalized Content
3. Adaptive Content ≠ Responsive Web Design
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

11. Adaptive Content vs. Responsive Web Design
1. Responsive Web Design is all about the device.
2. RWD is a manual process/ doesn’t require structure.
3. Adaptive Content applies logic to adapt to the user or
the context.
4. RWD can ONLY be defined in relation to the content
container; Adaptive content can exist regardless of
when or how it will be displayed.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

12. Prototyping Some Adaptive Content Experiences
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent
If your content is: Then this logic: Can deliver this experience:
Richly structured (e.g.
terms/ definitions in
separate containers).
User agent sniffing,
media query subsetting
Content scope appropriate for
the device of the user.
Described using
meaningful metadata
(e.g. specific persona).
Facets in search; filters
in retrieval
Content selected/adapted for
the goals of the user.
Configured to align with
organizational goals.
Rules processed by a
recommendation engine
Relevant content the user
didn’t know existed.

13. Benefits
Intelligent, Adaptive Content:
● Is future-proofed for uses and devices yet to be invented
● Is a business asset, rather than a storage nightmare
● Can become an archive for business knowledge and
culture
● Broadens the definition of personalization
● Adds scope and handles for adaptive, customized use
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

14. STEPS TO ADAPTIVE CONTENT
1. Define the Content Strategy
2. Define the Rules
3. Build the Adaptive System
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

15. Define the Content Strategy
1. Identify business goals and define content pathways
and patterns.
2. Model the information types and their relationships to
each other and user goals.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

16. Define the Rules
1. Express those requirements as reusable instructions
(i.e., guidelines, business rules, or schemas).
2. Apply documented requirements to both content and
business workflows.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

17. Build the Adaptive System
● Message the new goals to the organization and to
stakeholders.
● Train the writers and programmers as needed.
● Create/migrate content needed to drive adaptive
processing.
● Build/buy the logic that implements those rules.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

18. 2 Adaptive Content Maturity Model
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

19. Adaptive Content Maturity Model
1. Phase 1: Targeted Content Marketing
2. Phase 2: Repeatable Processes
3. Phase 3: Content Structured for Reuse
4. Phase 4: Automated Adaptive Content
5. Phase 5: Content Interoperability
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

20. The Adaptive Content Maturity Model
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent
Intelligent Adaptive Interoperable
Targeted
Content
Marketing
Automated
Adaptive
Delivery
Structured
for Reuse
Repeatable
ProcessesPHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3
PHASE 4
PHASE 5
Content
Interoperability

21. Phase 1: Targeted Content Marketing
Goals: Conversion
Need to
know:
User motivations
Need to do: Focus on the message, unique content for each platform and campaign
Roles: Content Marketer
Tools: Website, blog, email tool (ESP), social media, paid advertising
ROI: Increased conversions
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

22. Phase 2: Repeatable Processes
Goals: Content with longer shelf life, synergy, and efficiency
Need to know: Content Process
Need to do:
Define content workflows, taxonomies, author experience, customize CMS,
“spreadsheet governance.”
Roles: Content Marketer, Content Strategist, CMS developer (tweaks)
Tools: Editorial calendars, spreadsheets, content audit, CMS platform
ROI: Improved productivity; repeatable, quantifiable processes.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

23. Phase 3: Content Structured for Reuse
Goals: Content Reuse (manual)
Need to know: User story abstractions; buyer journey variations (pathways through content)
Need to do:
Create and structure content variations; define content relationships and
content models; manual rules for reuse and adaptivity.
Roles: Content Marketer, Content Strategist, Advanced CMS Dev
Tools: Excel spreadsheet of rules; sticky notes; content modeling templates
ROI: Content reuse, improved RWD, prototype adaptive experiences
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

24. Phase 4: Automated Adaptive Content
Goals: Automated content reuse and adapting
Need to know: Content Delivery abstractions - right content, right user, right time.
Need to do:
Define database schemas; define triggers for automated reuse; evaluate/
optimize content workflow; re-architect CMS or CEM
Roles: Content Marketer, Content Strategist, Sr. CMS Dev, Content Engineer
Tools: Advanced, modular CMS; Taxonomies
ROI: Automation of your formally prototype adaptive experiences
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

25. Phase 5: Content Interoperability
Goals: Content reuse across systems, platforms, and organizations
Need to know: Standards, publishing process, content storage & usage policies, firewalls
Need to do: Align rules and standards across systems (markup, taxonomies, etc.)
Roles:
Content Marketer, Content Strategist, Advanced CMS Developer, Sr.
Content Engineer
Tools:
Component Content Management System (CCMS); Standards (shared
markup conventions)
ROI:
Full automation for adaptive publishing; in other words, fully integrate the
structure, the semantics (i.e. the intelligent content) and the adaptive logic.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

26. The Adaptive Content Maturity Model
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent
Content
Interoperability
Intelligent Adaptive Interoperable
Targeted
Content
Marketing
Automated
Adaptive
Delivery
Structured
for Reuse
Repeatable
ProcessesPHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3
PHASE 4
PHASE 5

27. Overview
● Web sites and content can be richly structured,
independent chunks.
● Meaningfully described content can be reused and
reconfigured in infinite forms.
● Adaptive rules allow for more specific, personalized
retrieval of chunks.
● Configurations can be machine-built for user goals,
context, device, etc.
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

28. Resources
● http://www.intelligentcontentconference.com/mother-of-content-strategy-embraces-content-marketing/
● http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2015/01/evolution-content-marketing-include-intelligent-content/
● http://www.intelligentcontentconference.com/intelligent-content-elephant-parts/
● http://www.simplea.com/Resources/Choosing-the-Ideal-CMS/
● http://www.clevegibbon.com/content-modeling/
● http://www.slideshare.net/jlemmons/getting-started-with-adaptive-content
● http://www.sarawb.com/2012/12/12/introducing-content-everywhere/
● http://www.thelanguageofcontentstrategy.com/
● http://meetcontent.com/blog/structured-content-an-overview/
● http://www.digitalgov.gov/2013/07/29/how-to-create-open-structured-content/
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent

29. Don Day
Content Solutions Consultant
Learning by Wrote
Jenny Magic
Communications Strategist
Raise Your Hand Texas
@DonRDay • @JennyLMagic • #intelcontent