Throughout the book, we describe the various phases of
implementing a unified content strategy, starting from analysis and working
through to selecting tools and managing the change. This overview provides a
checklist for implementing a unified content strategy, from analysis to
development. The book also includes a detailed task breakdown for each stage,
and describes the additional phases of
testing and system modifications, conducting a pilot, as well as implementation
and and post implementation.
Starting with a thorough analysis is key to a successful unified content strategy. Thorough analysis ensures that your strategy addresses your organization’s specific needs and goals. The analysis phase has four stages:
|
Stages |
Refer to |
|
1. Identify the “pain” in your organization |
Chapter 4, “Where does it really hurt?” |
|
2. Analyze the content creation life cycle |
Chapter 5, “Analyzing the content life cycle” |
|
3. Conduct a content audit |
Chapter 6, “Performing a content audit” |
|
4. Formulate your vision for a new, unified content life
cycle |
Chapter 7, “Envisioning your unified content life cycle” |
Design is one of the most critical phases of implementing a
unified content strategy. During the design phase, you design information
models, define metadata, design dynamic content and workflow, and plan the
change management processes. The design phase has six stages:
|
Stages |
Refer to |
|
1. Create information models |
Chapter 8, “Information modeling” |
|
2. Define metadata |
Chapter 9, “Designing metadata” |
|
3. Design dynamic content (if appropriate) |
Chapter 10, “Designing dynamic content” |
|
4. Design workflow |
Chapter 11, “Designing workflow” |
|
5. Develop organizational change management plan |
Chapter 21, “Managing change” |
|
6. Define your security model |
Chapter 16, “Content management systems” |
Evaluating and selecting tools is a large part of implementing a unified content strategy. There are so many types of tools available and you need to select ones that meet your organizations’ needs, your authors’ abilities, and what you’ve decided to do with your information (established during the design phase). Selecting tools can be summarized in one stage, as follows:
|
Stage |
Refer to |
|
Evaluate tools and technologies |
Chapter 13, “Evaluating tools” Chapter 14, “The role of XML” Chapter 15, “Authoring tools” Chapter 16, “Content management systems: Chapter 17, “Workflow systems” Chapter 18, “Delivery systems” Appendix C, “Vendors” Appendix D, “Tools checklist” |
Moving forward with your unified content strategy means changing the way you work. You need to help you authors to collaborate, to provide them with guidelines and training on how to write and structure content in the same way, and you need to roll out your strategy throughout your organization. You also need to put together your change management plan, implement your models, and install and configure your software and hardware. Phase 4 has the following 7 stages: (A couple of the stages are outside of the scope of this book.)
|
Stages |
Refer to |
|
1. Implement collaborative authoring |
Chapter 11, “Designing workflow” Chapter 15, “Authoring tools” Chapter 19, “Collaborative authoring” Chapter 20, “Separating content from format” |
|
2. Implement structured writing |
Chapter 8, “Information modeling” Chapter 15, “Authoring tools” Chapter 20, “Separating content from format” |
|
3. Address organizational change |
Chapter 21, “Managing change” |
|
4. Implement your design |
Chapter 12, “Implementing your design” |
|
5. Install and configure hardware/software |
|
|
6. Create workflows in CMS |
Chapter 11, “Designing workflow” Chapter 17, “Workflow systems” |
|
7. Develop a prototype |
|