Content reuse is the heart of a content management strategy. Content reuse can provide many of the benefits of using a CMS, including translation cost savings and savings in content creation time. Whether your content is in XML or still in unstructured Word documents, you can begin to identify where content is identical or very similar. Here are some tips to help you find your reuse potential:
Do you have the elements you need for a solid publishing process? You need a strong backbone to support your publishing initiatives. This is more important than ever, since there are so many formats and devices in which to publish content.
We often hear questions like, “Can I still use DITA if I don’t have a component content management system (CCMS)?“ . The answer is “Yes“ …but… Like any method of publishing, you can perform various functions to a certain point without a CCMS. However, there are things a CCMS does that other tools don’t do that can make you more effective in your publishing process:
CMS content conversion can involve the transformation from a print to digital content format, or from one digital format to another. Whether you are considering content conversion to digital formats for the first time or assessing your process for ongoing needs, a clear strategy will give you the greatest chance of a smooth experience and a successful end result. Here are some key points to keep in mind when readying your content for conversion:
Each year, CFOs review the costs expended by their companies to verify that the money being spent is worthwhile. If they find that spending cannot be justified with positive results, budgets may be cut for those departments. In that case, you may need to say good-bye to the tools, the support, and the services that you might rely on to do your job if you can’t prove its worth.
In our newsletter, we give lots of tips for working with structured content. In this article, we take a step back to the beginning. If you are working with content in word processing or spreadsheet programs, you may be wondering what all the XML fuss is about? Why should you convert your content to XML? What does XML do for you that you can’t do now? The following tips should give you a general idea of what XML is all about:
When deciding on which CMS is best for your organization, you’ll likely find quite a selection of choices. One common question we are asked is how an open source CMS compares to a commercial CMS. Here, we offer a comparison of these two options:
Component content management is all about reusing content modules to save on content creation time, avoid inconsistencies in content, and trim translation costs. When you’re given a new writing assignment, you must be able to find the right content to reuse. If no matches are available, then you know you need to create something new. Here are three effective ways to find existing modules in a CCMS:
In a new content management environment, some writers refuse to give up ownership of “their books“. They work alone in the safety of their self-built silos. They desperately try to protect their work from others, keeping their arms wrapped firmly around their computers so their files won’t be shared with anyone. After all, their work might get “messed up“ if anyone else touches it! (We all know at least one of these writers, right? Or maybe we are one of these writers!?)
We’ve given tips in previous articles about what to consider when choosing a CMS. Now, let’s take a look at the flip side and consider what NOT to do when choosing a CMS. It’s good to know what to avoid, too, rather than learning the hard way (and the expensive way!). These tips were derived from experiences we’ve seen with organizations in the past that made a few big mistakes in their quest to buy a CMS. Take a lesson from them and do not follow in their footsteps:
