content modeling 101

Content Modeling 101

A Cross Agency Study

Don BrunsJune 14, 2006

© Aquilent, Inc. 2006. All Rights Reserved

Define Content Modeling

Identifying the data elements, metadata elements, relationships, and reuse patterns that are inherent to an information product.

Often applied within the context of a CMS implementation Informs requirements for CMS design, selection, and implementation Often includes development of a taxonomy Drives content reuse Crucial step in running a successful CMS implementation

Think of content as collections of discrete chunks of information. Captured separately Stored centrally Reused, rearranged, and redeployed according to business logic


Content Strategy Framework


Process for Content Modeling

Perform content inventory

Identify content types

Find representative samples

Identify chunks

Document the content model

Confirm with stakeholders at every step


Content Inventory

Different from traditional UCD content inventory: Less emphasis on identifying navigation, site structures, page names, and ownership. More emphasis on identifying content types, metadata, and opportunities for reuse.


Identify Content Types

Information products with a common set of metadata and common purpose.

Aim for high value content types first. Supports large amounts of content Has high audience exposure Has high potential for reuse Crosses organizational lines

Recognize that 80% of content is unstructured (aka Generic web pages).

Confirm your analysis with stakeholders.


Find Representative Samples of Each Content Type

Choose several examples per content type.

Cross organizational lines if possible.

Find instances of reuse.

Look for difficult cases.

Confirm examples with stakeholders.


Identify Chunks

Separate content from presentation –

Draw boxes around possible data and metadata elements (a.k.a. “chunks.”)

Dig deeper – Many chunks won’t appear on the page (keywords in source code, content lifecycle dates).

Take a step back – Look for additional chunks wherever content is reused.


Identify Chunks (continued)

Approach metadata from all angles. Elemental (Title, Body) Descriptive (Subject, Intended Audience, Content Type) Lifecycle/Administrative (Publish Date, Expiration Date, Refresh-by Date)

Be realistic about chunking. Over-enthusiastic chunking can create a burden for content contributors. Do you really need 47 fields for a press release? Are you really going to reuse that?


Identify Chunks (continued)

Chunk appropriately – Granularity is mainly dictated by reuse requirements.

Avoid under-chunking Excessively coarse level of granularity Inhibits content reuse

Avoid over-chunking Excessively fine level of granularity Imposes a burden on users Can complicate reuse

Level of Granularity Chunks

Excessively Coarse Entire book

Coarse Chapters

Medium Pages

Fine Paragraphs or sentences

Excessively Fine Words or letters


Document the Content Model

Things to capture: Shared fields – common to all

content types Additional fields unique to this

content type Points of relationship between this

and other content types

Keep it conceptual at first.

Don’t infer database structures from this… yet.

Try to break the content model.

Confirm with your stakeholders.

Press Release

Case Studies


Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

Grant-making branch of DOJ

Federated web presence Main OJP website Five bureau-level offices with websites Two program offices with websites Each website has its own design,

navigation, content, web managers, content contributors, etc.

Little content reuse across websites

Some content out-of-synch across websites


OJP Example 1 – State Administering Agency Contacts

State Administering Agency (SAA) Contacts - Government officials in a particular state who administer federal grants on behalf of one or more OJP bureaus.

The Problem: Each of the five bureaus and HQ

maintained separate lists. Lists were often out-of-synch with

each other.


The Solution

Worked with web council to develop common content model for SAA Contact

Parsed content chunks for contact person

Included required dropdown lists for OJP Office and for State.

Captured SAA Contacts within the content management system

CMS deploys query-driven pages that display contacts by state, by agency, or both


OJP Example 2 – Topic pages

The Problem: Very little content from the five bureau level offices was appearing on the main OJP website.

The Goal: Unify OJP’s web presence. Dissolve content silos. Promote content reuse across

organization lines.


First Attempt

Web manager developed topic pages Linked off main OJP site Topic driven Draws content from all bureau level

sites Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

recruited to act as Topic Page editors.

Why it failed: Topic page editors required to keep

track of new content on multiple sites. Required manual updates. Editors couldn’t keep up. Content became stale.


Second Attempt

CMS implementation between July 2004 and October 2005.

Led web council in developing cross-agency content model

Led web council in developing cross-agency taxonomy

Six facets to taxonomy Topic Crime Type Language Information Type Geography Demographic


Crime Type Facet

Drug Crime Drug Related Crime Manufacturing Possession Trafficking

Gangs

Hate Crimes

Organized Crime

Property Crime Arson Burglary Electronic Crime - Cybercrime Fraud Identity Theft Larceny/Theft Motor Vehicle theft Stolen Property White Collar Crime

Public Order Offenses Alcohol-related Offenses Antitrust Conspiracy Driving Under the Influence Environmental Offenses Immigration Offenses Money Laundering Prostitution and Commercialized Vice Racketeering and Extortion Regulatory Offenses Weapons Violations

Terrorism/Mass Violence

Trafficking in Persons

Violent Crime Assault Carjacking Domestic/Intimate Partner/Family Violence Gun Violence Homicide Kidnapping Rape and Sexual Assault Robbery Stalking


Applying Taxonomy within CMS

Authoring interfaces for all major content types include Taxonomy fields.

Most workflows include editorial / tagging step.

Taxonomy terms and relationships managed within the CMS.


Tagging OJP Content Using the Taxonomy

Topic Facet

Drugs Legal Substances

Alcohol

Juvenile Justice Child Health and Welfare

Underage Drinking

Law Enforcement

Crime Facet

Public Order Offenses Alcohol-related Violations


OJP Topic Pages Redux

Query-driven topic pages – CMS updates pages whenever relevant content is published.

Dynamic content reuse – Made possible by having a unified content model and taxonomy applied cross-agency.

Empowers bureau-level content managers act as stewards for larger OJP site.

Required special training for taggers – This taxonomy actually does something.


Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

Independent Federal agency

Regulates Futures and Options markets in the US

Strong emphasis on preventing and prosecuting fraud

Diverse content reuse needs No technical infrastructure to support content reuse Web team working manually to meet reuse requirements


Legal Pleadings

Court documents Complaints Opinions Orders Decisions

Pertain to specific cases initiated by CFTC against accused violators


Enforcement Press Releases

Specialized media releases pertaining to ongoing cases

Dynamic Reuse Legal Pleadings


Case Status Reports

Updates on court cases initiated by CFTC against violators

Intended for general public (particularly victims of fraud)

Dynamic and manual reuse: Legal Pleadings Enforcement Press Releases


The Solution

Included “Defendant” attribute in the content models for:

Legal Pleadings Case Status Reports Enforcement Press Releases

Value added – Good example of how one metadata attribute can add lots of value to content.

Press Release


The Solution (continued)

Probably will involve a combo box or custom GUI control

Content contributors can add new defendants.

Content contributors can also select from existing defendants.

Worldwide Commodity


Top 10 Best Practices

1. Process leads technology decisions.

2. Don’t skimp on your content audit.

3. Separate presentation from content.

4. Think reuse.

5. Chunk appropriately (i.e. level of granularity.)

6. Think of your users’ needs and pain points. (47 fields for a press release?)

7. Add value to content (especially unstructured content) by applying a global taxonomy.

8. Base the content model on Dublin Core Metadata Standards.

9. Unify the content model across organizational lines as much as possible.

10. Involve key stakeholders at all levels at every step.


Contact Information

Don Bruns

Lead Information Architect

[email protected]

202-415-1284

Peter Fogelsanger

Director of Marketing

[email protected]

301-939-1706

content modeling 101

Documents

content modelconfirm

content typechoose

content modelthings

content typeskeep

content contributors

large amounts of content

content lifecycle dates

high value content types