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Advanced Advanced Technical Technical WritingWriting

20062006

Session #11

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Today In ClassToday In Class

► P1 components evaluated this weekP1 components evaluated this week► Show-n-tell your Exercise: Just the Show-n-tell your Exercise: Just the

FAQ’s, ma’amFAQ’s, ma’am► Performing a Content AuditPerforming a Content Audit► ““Objects”: what’s the fuss?Objects”: what’s the fuss?

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Here’s what you did…Here’s what you did…

1. Pick any news release issued by MSU lately…

http://msutoday.msu.edu

2. Turn it into a FAQ list

3. Propose a format for future press releases that would allow for easy re-purposing into a FAQ list

Refer to the genre analysis categories.

They’ll be a good guide.

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What is a Content What is a Content Audit?Audit?

A process of identifying all of the various information types that are important to an organization.

The purpose? To determine how content is used, reused and delivered.

Often, reuse is done the old fashioned way…

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Traditional Methods of Traditional Methods of ReuseReuse

1. Author finds a piece of content they want to reuse, usually in an existing document.

2. Cut and paste old content into a new file or edit an existing file.

3. Rewrite, add/delete material and re-format to fit with current situation.

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Moving toward systematic Moving toward systematic reuse…the process of a CAreuse…the process of a CA

1. Determine scope of the audit

2. Gather sample materials

3. Analyze Content

• Top level identify common pieces of information

• In-depth study elements identified as similar in top-level

Two important matrices result…

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Top-Level Analysis Top-Level Analysis MatrixMatrix

Information ProductsContent Unit

• Logo

• Contact Info

• Course Description

• Projects

• Ethics Clause

Syllabus Schedule Website

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Going in-depthGoing in-depthInformation ProductsContent Unit

• Logo

• Contact Info

• Course Description

• Projects

• Ethics Clause

Syllabus Schedule Website

Are all these “projects” the

same?

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Reuse MapReuse MapInformation ProductsContent Unit

• Logo

• Contact Info

• Course Description

• Projects

• Ethics Clause

Syllabus Schedule Website

I DI

II

II

S/I ID

S/I I = identical S= source

D= derivative

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Try it!Try it!

► Do a quick content audit based on Do a quick content audit based on an organization’s web site, seeing an organization’s web site, seeing the space as a kind of ecological the space as a kind of ecological environmentenvironment

► Document the species (genres) and Document the species (genres) and create a reuse mapcreate a reuse map

► Identify where there might be Identify where there might be opportunities for systematic reuse opportunities for systematic reuse among genresamong genres

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What is an information What is an information model?model?

““the ‘catalog’ of all the information the ‘catalog’ of all the information products…it outlines the necessary products…it outlines the necessary information elements for each, based on information elements for each, based on a thorough analysis of your audiences a thorough analysis of your audiences and their information needs” and their information needs”

Rockley p. 161Rockley p. 161

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What role does an IM play What role does an IM play in a unified content in a unified content

strategy?strategy?“In a unified content strategy, you break content down into objects, and rather than write documents, you write objects that are stored in your repository. Elements [objects] are then compiled into information products from that repository.” Rockley p. 161

Actually, I would say that there is another step… “views” ...more later…

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Information models start Information models start with analysiswith analysis

The genre analysis and content audit should give you a sense of what information products are important…what objects these are made of…and what objects are candidates for reuse.

The information modeling process is a systematic effort to define the structure of all the reusable objects and information products.

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Model?

Remember the Reuse Remember the Reuse Map?Map?Information ProductsContent Unit

• Logo

• Contact Info

• Course Description

• Projects

• Ethics Clause

Syllabus Schedule Website

I DI

II

II

S ID

S

Model?

Model!

Model!

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Next up: Information Next up: Information Modeling StepsModeling Steps

1. Identify information products and objects for modeling

2. Work out the granularity of the model; consider that word and character-level objects may be attributes

3. Go back through and identify useful “container objects” (e.g. memo header)

4. Define semantic (meaning) and “base” (what I called “logical”) elements