A wise woman recently said, “replatforming structured content is annoying and expensive.” This is doubly so when it comes to localization.
Replatforming nearly always involves content change—the new system may store content differently or require a different format or structure. Although the changes may affect your existing localization process, some of these changes may be for the better.
Setting up an efficient factory requires planning. Where do you put the building? How will you bring in raw materials? How does work flow along the assembly line and how can you optimize the work? Given that my expertise in actual factory operations is limited to Factorio, it’s probably best to set that analogy aside and refocus on a digital equivalent—the systems that make up your content operations.
Scriptorium is doing a lot of replatforming projects. We have customers with existing structured content—custom XML, DocBook, and DITA—who need to move their content operations from their existing CCMS to a new system.
These transitions, even DITA to DITA, require a solid business justification. Replatforming structured content is annoying and expensive. Most often, the organization’s needs have changed, and the current platform is no longer a good fit.
Note: This post focuses on transitions into DITA. There are surely DITA to not-DITA projects out there, but they are not in our current portfolio.
In episode 124 of The Content Strategy Experts podcast, Sarah O’Keefe and Kevin Nichols of AvenueCX discuss omnichannel publishing.
“Omnichannel involves looking at whatever channels are necessary within the context of your customer’s experience, how your customers engage with your brand, and then figuring out how to deliver a seamless interaction.”
– Kevin Nichols
Before you start a content ops project, be sure you know the key players, how they like to communicate, and what their roles are. The Content Strategy Experts podcast breaks down the stakeholders on content ops projects and offers advice on how to get their buy-in to ensure success.
In episode 123 of The Content Strategy Experts podcast, Alan Pringle and Gretyl Kinsey wrap up our series on content ops stakeholders and continue their discussion about content authors.
“When you are trying to get executive buy-in on something as a content creator, don’t focus on the tools and the nitty gritty of the tech. That is not the way to get the attention of executives. ”
– Alan Pringle
Content operations (content ops or ContentOps) is the engine that drives your content lifecycle. You need the right workflows in place to ensure your engine is running efficiently. Here are some resources to help you get started:
Is your content tool making you miserable?
If you are doing a lot of workarounds and manual labor to address your content requirements, you’ve probably outgrown your content tool and need to move on to greener (and more efficient) pastures.
Scriptorium was founded in 1997, which makes 2022 our 25th anniversary year. A lot has changed since 1997, but our overall focus remains the same. From the beginning, we have offered services at the intersection of content, publishing, and technology.
You’ve finished putting together your content strategy and have approval to move forward. It’s time to build out content operations. What does this mean? And how do you ensure success?
Let’s take a look at some of our highlights from the year, including posts and podcasts on content operations (content ops) and personalization.
In episode 108 of The Content Strategy Experts podcast, Alan Pringle and Gretyl Kinsey kick off an occasional series about stakeholders and content operations projects. In this episode, they talk about IT groups as an important stakeholder in your content operations.
“The IT department can be such a great ally on a content ops project. IT folks are generally very good at spotting redundancies and inefficiencies. They’re going to be the ones to help whittle that redundancy down.”
– Alan Pringle
Content Operations (content ops or ContentOps) is the engine that drives your content lifecycle.
Scriptorium’s Content Ops Manifesto describes the four basic principles of content ops:
Content operations (content ops or ContentOps ) refers to the system your organization uses to develop, deploy, and deliver customer-facing information. Rahel Bailie refers to it as the way that your organization operationalizes your content strategy.
Over at easyDITA, there’s a more aspirational definition, which includes the purpose of good content ops:
Content Operations — ContentOps — is the infrastructure that maximizes your content creators’ efforts and guards against procedural errors by automating as much of the content development process as possible.
