how workflow metrics change for intelligent content
DESCRIPTION
Content creation metrics are just as important as the metrics used in analyzing your published content’s reach and impact. Do you have consistent, trustworthy metrics for your content workflows? No matter where you are on the path from unstructured content toward Intelligent Content, metrics matter. Do you have any idea how your content creation metrics will change as you take up the challenge of creating Intelligent Content—and more importantly, how they will impact your budget and resource needs over time? For example, what is the difference in average number of pages per day when writing unstructured vs. well-structured content? Do the numbers vary significantly between generic web content and deep technical content? Do changes within the editing discipline track with changes within the writing discipline or with governance… or with neither of these? This session will address these questions—plus the fundamental tasks of creating baseline metrics and integrating changing metrics into your budget planning. By Shawn Prenzlow, Content Strategist, The Reluctant Content StrategistTRANSCRIPT
How
Workflow Metrics Change
{For Intelligent ContentShawn Prenzlow
The Reluctant Strategist
{
{linkedin.com/shawnprenzlow {@relstrategist
thereluctantstrategist.com
That’s me: Shawn Prenzlow
{Anyone planning for the process of moving toward
Strategists
Planners
Writers & editors
Program/project managers
Budgeters
Today’s intended audience
{relative n00bs
Intelligent Content
Unstructured
Structured
Semantically Structured
Moving toward Intelligent Content
{what does that even mean?
Intelligent Content is content that is structurally rich and semantically categorized (structured)
Content that is locked within a specific format takes a significant amount of effort, work, and cost to change
Structure makes it possible to manipulate content. We can automatically determine how to publish content to multiple channels by mapping the structure of the content to a particular style in the output
Intelligent. Structured. {cool
Ann Rockley “Managing Enterprise Content” Ch2.
However…
Intelligent Content efficiencies do not happen in a vacuum
There are costs associated with the changes in the process of moving toward IC – across planning, authoring, and publishing
We know this because we pay attention to our metrics
If we can understand and predict the changes in our metrics, we can plan for the work
The reality, and why we’re here {no free lunch
Workflow metrics{boring! who cares?
{
Resource planning & allocation
Budgets
Timeframes
Reasonable commitments
Estimating goals
Determining ROI
Communicating to C-levels
Sanity
Why are metrics important?
{communicating your business
ImgSrc: http://asumag.com/
Source: https://support.hyperic.com/download/attachments/77463605/MonitorMetricDataGroup.png?version=1&modificationDate=1307466270218
Source: http://www.unilyzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/FBDashboard212.jpg
Using metrics{opinions vary
{Catch-22 results
Secret Sauce
Not what good content is about
Why metrics can be contentious
{Know your critical metrics
Track & confirm
Re-measure periodically
Use your metrics for planning
Metrics ≠ performance
Metrics are critical for planning
Img source: https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/strategicplan/images/body/Strategic-Planning-Chart.gif
Which metrics matter{measure all the things?
{What is your workflow?
What’s meaningful?
What do your tools automate?
What will help you make a case?
Where to start
{if you haven’t alreadyImgsrc: http://simonmainwaring.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/start.jpg
{
{
{you can’t manage what you can’t measure
Metrics & IC Authoring{do metrics change?
{
Unstructured
Structured
Semantically Structured
Moving toward Intelligent Content
{what changes? When?
{In any change process, there is a delta
Your “Period of Chaos”
Find it – or pick one. Measure it.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
How do workflows change?
{note: ymmv
Imgsrc: http://leondejuda.org/db_pict/ciu_pict/631.gif
Final Draft release
Final content builds
Handoff / Publish
Alignment Edit
Copy editLegal / Marketing
Review
Tech Review
Dev Edit
Build TOC structures,
topic outlines
Initial draft,Subsequent
drafts
Fixes Globalization,
I18n
Tech Edit
Create terminology
lists (globalization & indexing)
GlobalizationReview
Iterate as needed
Bug Filing
Revisions & rewrites
Bug fixes
Some Lane 2 work may
begin
Production environment,
Templates build,
Style guides
Resource planning and
allocation
CDP Reviews, modifications, vet against
schedules
Content Development
Plan, Strategies,Audits, etc.
Writing & Editing Cycles
Load Balancing
Reviews(tech,
legal, etc.)
(iterations)Alpha / BetaProduction
Integrations
I18N Translation(one zillion
other things)Distribution /
Publish
Integration
testingContent Flows
Content Models
Taxonomy
Desi
gn a
nd
Model
Define (
spec)
and
Auth
or
Pro
duct
ion
and D
eliv
ery
{
Where in the process
Which tasks
How much
When does it apply
Repeatability
Scalability
Similarity
How much do metrics change?
{is it possible to quantify?
Author-IT • Writers save 95% of the time they
usually spend formatting content.
RSuite • 50% reduction in labor and
production costs• 2× increase in production
throughput• 100% automation of content
processing and distribution
Acrolinx• Authoring efficiency
improvements of 5% to 10%• Editing efficiency improvements
of 50% to 75%
Mark Lewis, DITA Metrics 101. © 2012, The Rockley Group Inc. and Mark Lewis.http://www.ditametrics101book.com/
DITA Metrics 101
{Cry
Pass out
Get dragged along the pavement
So WTH am I to do about that?!
{the big question
{
Planning
Taxonomy development
Writing
Editing
Review
Globalization or I18n
Publishing
Other points in your workflow
Let’s look at the workflow again
{we’re smart; we can work this
{
Planning
Taxonomy development
Writing
Editing
Review
Globalization or I18n
Publishing
Other points in your workflow
Simplification…
{so… where are the efficiencies?
Design (Plan)
Model(Build)
Define, Spec, Author, Review
Globalization / I18n
Production & Delivery
Most influence on IC results
Most benefit from reuse
Planning
Production
Planning Processes, tools dev:• Least impact on continuous metrics• Most impact on “NRE” metrics• Not “no” impact on metrics for IC
Authoring, globalization:• Impact on metrics increases
with reuse• Globalization impact can be
massive
Publishing & content • Massive economies of
scale
Expect metrics to change these ways
Area = anticipated change in metrics from unstructured to structured content
Area = anticipated change in impact on IC process & efficiency results
{
Gather metrics!!!
Re-measure. Frequently.
ALWAYS target reuse
DITA when it makes sense
CCM/CMS as early as possible
Invest in the taxonomy process
Extrapolate metrics changes by amount of reuse and complexity of your process
Understand the “efficiencies” graphic and use that to baseline your planning
The big message: Optimize for how your metrics change
{every business, every project, is unique
{
{linkedin.com/shawnprenzlow {@relstrategist
find more at
thereluctantstrategist.comThank you!