future of documentation
DESCRIPTION
Trends in documentationTRANSCRIPT
The Future of DocumentationChanging how we do business, how we relate to management and customers, and how we change our work practices
© Intentional Design Inc.www.intentionaldesign.ca
Presented to STC Wisconsin April 2011
My background
Business
TechComm
IA/Usability
Content Mgmt
Content Strategy
Look into the future
…I have found that the only thing one can be sure of is changing oneself.
— Aldous Huxley
Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant.
— Anthony J. D’Angelo
•
Ad-hoc Rudimentary Organized, Repeatable
Managed, Sustainable Optimizing
From http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/pdfs/Hackos_IPMM_04_update.pdf
Info
rmati
on P
roce
ss M
atur
ity M
odel
Docs in silos
ManualsBrochures
Modular content
Help filesPlanned re-use
Managed content
Designed re-useStrategy
Social content
Across silosAcross apps
Integrated content
IntegrativeConvergentShareable
Cont
ent P
rese
ntati
on M
atur
ity M
odel
Trend STRUCTURE
Cross-silo re-use
Content as extension of UX
h30413.www3.hp.com/SupportServices/country/us/en/support/T1100.html.htm
Real Value of Content
STRATEGY vs LOGISTICS
Strengthen brand
Extend market reach
Decrease time to market
Increase customer satisfaction
Cross-silo content
Enable re-use
Allow for mash-ups
Increase accuracy
Increase efficiencies
Trend INTEROPERABILITY
Portable content
Creating value
Portable content
INTEGRATE, CONVERGE, SYNDICATE
Standards
Structure
Content models
Use cases
Delivery channels
Content management
Trend MULTIPLE DELIVERY CHANNELS
MOBILE, IPAD, EREADERS AND …
Cross-silo content
Enable re-use
Allow for mash-ups
Increase accuracy
Increase efficiencies
Standards
Structure
Content models
Use cases
Delivery channels
Content management
Deliver as per customerexpectation
Trend SOCIAL
Social
The outsourced knowledge base
Crowdsourcing of know
ledge
OLD-SCHOOL DOCUMENTATION:– System is complex– First-to-market features
• No transferable concepts
– Regulated industries– Embedded assistance– Training– Wayfinding content
• Guiding user to add-ons and supplies• Enriching the experience of using a product or serviceForm
al d
ocum
enta
tion
for …
Trend CONTENT STRATEGY
Strategic content is everyone’s issue
In a hyper-networked , social world, broken experiences can damage brands faster than ever.
- Rahel Anne Bailie, Content Strategist, Intentional Design
“Nothing can deter confidence quicker than a broken experience.”
- Christopher Cashdollar, Creative Director, Happy Cog Studios
Strategic content leverages business drivers
Product differentiation
Cost impact
Customer profitability
Number of customers
Number of suppliers
Switchability
Spare industry capacity
Entry barriers
Relative service
Product performance
Relative market share
Overhead
Variable cost
Customer price sensitivity
Capital intensity
Level of service
Relative perceived value
Relative costs
ROI: Market attractiveness
IRR: Competitive advantage
Current profitability
Content Lifecycle
• Requirements• Personas,
scenarios• Governance• Budget
• Acquire• Author/Edit• Version/Localize• Metadata
• Models• Configure/
components• Structure
/standards• Repository
• Aggregate• Transform• Present• Syndicate• Revise/sunset
Analyze Collect
ManagePublish
The rightful role of content
• Universal user goal– Consume content (text, graphics, video, sound)
for instruction, information, social connection, and/or entertainment
• Universal provider goal– Deliver the content in the best possible way for
consumer consumption
UX is the treasure hunt.Content is the prize.
Connecting
http://www.google.com/profiles/rahel.bailie
Photographs used under Creative Commons: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdecomite/
THANK YOU