Terminology and Taxonomy as Foundations of Enterprise Content Strategy

Ben ColbornDirector, Technical PublicationsNutanix, San José

What is a Unified Content Strategy?A repeatable method of• Identifying all content

requirements up front• Creating consistently structured

content for reuse• Managing that content in a

definitive source• Assembling content on

demand to meet customer needs

Culture Trumps Strategy, Every Time

Content Strategy Phase 1Technical Content CouncilGrass-roots effort by technical content producers

Mission StatementDetermine and maintain consistent voice, style, and terminology across all technical content produced by Nutanix Technical Publications, Education, Support, Technical Marketing, Solutions, UX, and others. Share living source content, resources, and guidelines to ensure a consistent user and information experience wherever Nutanix customers consume content.

Content Strategy Phase 2 Executive SponsorshipContent council gained executive sponsorship from CIO and engaged consultant

Business reasons• Treat content like an asset• Improve customer experience• Retain talent and knowledge• Reduce costs

• Increase productivity• Improve efficiency• Improve quality

Content Strategy Phase 3 Consultancy1. Consultant conducted interviews across the

company and made recommendations, namely to start with structure

2. Consultant conducted workshops (workflow, content modeling/reuse, taxonomy)

3. Working groups began evaluations and implementations

4. Consultant implemented Acrolinx

Start with Structure

Tech Pubs Education Support

Solutions/Technical Marketing

ProductMarketing

ProductUX

Common Taxonomy

Common Terminology/Style

Common Component Content Management System

Common Dynamic Delivery System

Content Strategy and Taxonomy

Having a taxonomy and maintaining it even in a crude tool (spreadsheet) enables content-producing teams to apply it in their content management and delivery systems

Terminology AssuranceEnvironment Tool/TechniqueCross-platform AcrolinxGit Post-commit hookDITA DITAnauts QA pluginCCMS Build processWord/PowerPoint Shared spellcheck dictionary

PowerShellFrameMaker FrameScript

Content Strategy and Lang. QualityBusiness Reasons Language qualityTreat content like an asset Long-lived and refined rather than

disposableImprove customer experience Consistent terminology and usage;

improved search resultsRetain talent and knowledge Virtual tutor/editor; capture rules in a

corporate systemReduce costs Reduced editorial oversight; improved

translation memory matchIncrease productivity

Support authors by encouraging them to follow rules when and where they need itImprove efficiency

Improve quality

Successes• Availability of CCMS• Adoption of taxonomy in

several key functions• Improved clarity of

terminology/style guidance• Adoption of Acrolinx by tech

pubs• Adoption of Acrolinx by

marketing for corp web site• Implementation of Acrolinx by

UI/UX

Challenges• 1-year delay in

implementation of CCMS• Indefinite delay in

implementation of DDS• Changes in the business

context • Changes in organizational

structures• Loss of interest/engagement

by some organizations• Articulating the value to the

CMO and CIO