Content Strategy: Adobe Day at LavaCon 2019

Implement a Winning Content Strategy
Publishing Smarter
Adobe Workshop
Multiply the Revenue Impact
15:45
0
@publishsmarter @aschwanden4stc

Is Content A
Business Asset?
Essential, important, or
valuable
Without it business cannot
carry on with operations
Generate revenue
Essential to production
Differ from “nice to have”
which are not essential to
day-to-day functions
 Core assets include essential,
important, or valuable property
without which a company cannot
carry on with its normal operations
and remain profitable
 Core assets are required to help the
company generate revenue
 Essential inputs to production
 Differ from discretionary assets
 often deemed nice to have but not essential
to carry out central day-to-day functions.
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15:45@publishsmarter @aschwanden4stc
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/core-assets.asp

Business Units
Need Content
Content is THE core
business asset; without it,
no company can survive
Used on a website, user
guide, policy/procedure,
training, support, sales, etc
Used by people in sales,
R&D, marketing, support,
management, etc
Without content your
company cannot work
It is THE ONLY truly
crucial, non-replaceable,
core asset
 Companies need core assets to build
a revenue base and remain profitable
 May be tangible assets such as
machinery, production facilities,
distribution and storage outlets, or
even affiliates and subsidiaries of a
parent company
 Core assets may also be intangible
such as trademarks, patents, or
intellectual property
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Bernard Aschwanden 3 things about you
 President of Publishing
Smarter and past president
of www.stc.org
(Society for Technical Communication)
 25+ years experience in
content management, reuse,
DITA, and CCMS tools
 Help companies
 Plan and implement content
strategies from start to end
 Identify content as a business
asset and manage it accordingly
 Content Strategy
 Created one?
 Implemented one?
 DITA
 Familiar with?
 Created with?
 Never heard of it?
 CCMS
 Admin in it?
 Authored in it?
 Never used one?
Introductions
15:45
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15:45
4
 Slides
 These aren’t graphic-design,
pretty, they are core functional
 Don’t write it all down, track
 Slides will be online
 www.slideshare.net/
PublishingSmarter
 Ask questions
 I’ll try to work the answers into
the presentation as I can
 If they aren’t easy or quick,
I am available for follow-up
 Network with each other
 Talk to people in the room
 “First-time” attendees?
 Looking for Content
Strategy and CCMS help?
 Share information on social
media (please)
 @aschwanden4stc (me)
 @publishsmarter (biz)
 @AdobeTCS (the sponsors)
Before We Start

Overall (Ambitious) Agenda
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 Develop key components of a content strategy
 Connect the implementation of the strategy with
 Improved workflows for creating, managing, and publishing content
 Reduction of risk in lack of compliance, inconsistency, missing information
 Generation of revenue through effective multi-channel content delivery
 Ask (and answer) questions related to tool selection
 Hands-on with FrameMaker and DITA to create topics
 Publish PDF and HTML5 formats
 Implement an Adobe Experience Manager-based solution to
ingest, manage, and publish content
 (supported by a lot of links in the slides!)

We’ll Discuss
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 How and why a complete content strategy combined with
the right tools can:
 Support a standard content model
 Ensure consistent content between teams
 Reliably create and manage content metadata
 Reuse materials effectively
 Publish content to multiple formats

Guided Initial Use: Adobe FrameMaker
@publishsmarter @aschwanden4stc 15:45
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Quick Dive into Author Work

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Launch and Create
How many plan to work
here in “hands-on” mode?
Launch
 File >New >DITA >concept

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Configure and Setup
Configure
Top Right, Author
Switch to XML/Structured
There are however
 MANY options
 We are implementing some
defaults to start
 Publishing Smarter has
videos that will walk you
though this (links at the
end)

Viewing Options (Element Boundaries as Tags)
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Tech Writers May Choose Layout, Tags, Etc.
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Tech Writers Populate Content
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Tech Writers Create the Right Topic Types
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Tech Writers Populate Tasks with Step Content
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Tech Writers Get Into the Details
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Tech Writers Need More Depth for Content
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Tech Writers Want More Control
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Tech Writers Get What They Want!
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Tech Writers Know The Style Guide and Rules
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Tech Writers See More Content, Options
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Tech Writers Aren’t Everyone on the Team
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Tech Writers The Rest of Your Business
 Use FrameMaker
 Create/edit/update
 Import legacy content
 Clean it up, convert it
 Spend a LOT of time
doing this
 Get frustrated
 Contributes in many,
many, many structures
and formats
 Waits for Tech Writers
 Needs a better solution
 Deserves content strategy
Onboarding the Organization
15:45
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Define
ID High Level
Mileage May Vary
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Key Components of
Content Strategy

Defining Content Strategy
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 Wikipedia reference! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_strategy)
 Planning for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content
 A repeatable system that defines the entire editorial content development process
 Content strategy uses words and data to create unambiguous content that supports
meaningful, interactive experiences
 Getting the right content to the right user at the right time through strategic planning of
content creation, delivery, and governance
 More than just the written word
 Should consider how content might be re-distributed and/or re-purposed in other
channels of delivery
 Content strategists may also need to consider the development and maintenance of
content strategies, which often touches upon branding, sourcing, and workflow
 In short: Get the right content, to the right people, at the right time, in the
right format, and let them make the right decision and move on

Phrasing Checkup
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 The right content
 Technically correct, no errors, no miscommunications
 To the right people
 ID the audience, needs, experience
 At the right time
 When content is approved, and when the audience needs it
 In the right format
 Regardless of tech: Print, online, offline, mobile app, etc.
 Help them make the right decision
 Remove obstacles from doing what needs to be done
 Let them move on
 They don’t want to read docs, they want to do the job at hand

Interactive discussions / Hands-on work
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Setting the Stage

(some) Components of a CS What we are about to do
 Goals Framework
 Content Analysis
 Reuse Strategy
 Taxonomy and Metadata
 Information Architecture
 Information Governance
 Publish (often excluded)
 Mileage-may-vary
(others may be needed)
 Create and deliver:
 On time
 On budget
 On any device!
 Let’s document something
that matters!
 Big business
 Impacts all our lives every day
Our hands-on Project
15:45
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Behold The Beauty That Is The Box
We are in the big leagues
 Make and sell boxes
 All kinds of boxes
 Big boxes
 Small boxes
 We even ship our boxes to
you, in our own boxes!
Teams have specific needs:
 Marketing (awareness)
 Sales (close the deal)
 Training (how to use it)
 Engineering (specs)
Docs improve the box

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 WestRock is ONE company
that makes boxes:
 One of the world's largest
paper and packaging
companies
 US$16b in annual revenue
 Just 1% is $16,000,000
 Close to 50k employees
 If 10% make docs and avg
$50K/yr that’s $25,000,000
 Global locations
 Valued at about $9b
Before You Mock the Box…

Definition Purpose and result
 Success for the
implementation at your
organization
 Your definition of success,
including high-level, short-
term, and long-term
measurable goals
 Evaluate progression
toward these goals at each
stage of the project and
revise if required
 A basis for determining
the ROI (not always $$$)
Goals Framework
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Goals (basic, high-level, time constrained)
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What we need Questions you will answer
Goals Framework What does content need to do for your team to succeed?
Content Analysis What determines quality when reviewing content?
Reuse Strategy What content do you create that is reused by others? What content
from other teams do you reuse?
Taxonomy/Metadata How can you label content, based on subject matter, to drive T/M?
Information
Architecture
What common types of content (topics) do you create or need?
Which are most common? What are repeatable structures for them?
Who uses content? And how? BUSY TOPIC!!!
Information
Governance
How can your team guide standard content creation, management,
and publishing, and how would others meet your standards?
Publish What formats do you need to deliver in? What functions do you
want to include in your output?

Goals Framework
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Department Sample of what is needed for success (provided by me)
Marketing Increase click-through from website to sales by +1% beyond
historic annual average within 180 days of CCMS implementation
Sales Decrease time to close a sale from time of 1st contact to first sale by
5% from an average of 28 days to 26.5 days by end of Q1 next year
Training Increase satisfaction levels in training from an average of 3.75 to 4
or greater by end of the fiscal year.
Engineering Reduce time spent answering sales, marketing, and support
questions related to technical specs from an average of 195 minutes
per week to 60 per week within 60 days of implementation
Support Within 180 days reduce support call duration by 10%
Others? Management: Increase company revenue by +1% annually and
decrease costs by 5% in the first full year of implementation

 Review of a representative
subset of file-based
content to identify a
baseline quality
assessment (objective and
subjective)
 Establish a content profile
at both file level and
content level
 Know the high ROI
candidates for the project
Content Analysis
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Content Analysis
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Information
Architecture
Information
Governance

Content Analysis
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Department What determines quality? (provided by me)
Marketing Content follows all corporate branding
Sales Easy to understand pricing models for all versions when comparing
features
Training Steps are clear and easy to follow
Engineering All specifications available in imperial and metric
Support Quick to switch to other related materials without losing the current
history (e.g., when toggling Home, Office, or Shipping versions)
Others?

 Expected high-level reuse
mechanisms
 Used once the bulk of
content is evaluated and
converted
 Ensures content is created
and managed in one place
 Supports content being
delivered many times
 ID expected areas of
maximum reuse and any
scenarios that may affect
the functional
requirements of tools
 Create concrete use cases
Reuse Strategy
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Reuse Strategy
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Information
Architecture
Information
Governance

Reuse Strategy
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Department What content do others reuse? What teams?(provided by me)
Marketing All of it. Sales, training, engineering, support.
Sales Client requests. Training, engineering.
Training Videos to teach product use. Marketing, sales, engineering.
Engineering Specifications. Marketing, sales, support.
Support Support requests. Engineering, training, sales, marketing.
Others? Suppliers? Partners? Clients? Resellers?

 Taxonomy: labelling content
based on subject matter to make
it findable
 Authors may use taxonomy when
retrieving information in a CCMS
 End users may encounter taxonomy
while searching for content in an
HTML-published pool of content via
faceted search/filter
 Metadata: technical info about
info
 <img src=“flag.png” height=“100”
alt=“Our flag”/>
 <step audience=“admin”/>
 Customized subject tags help
authors and readers find specific
topics quickly
 May guide some publishing
 A basis for determining the ROI
(not always $$$)
Taxonomy and Metadata
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Taxonomy and
Metadata
How can you label content, based on subject matter, to drive T/M?
Information
Architecture
Information
Governance

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Department Label content or info about your info? (2 provided by me)
Marketing Materials, waterproof
Sales Price point, custom printing
Training Experience level, job type
Engineering Imperial/metric
Support Recyclable, stack height
Others?

 Design and implement
the infrastructure and
output specifications
required for content
delivery
 Meets the needs of your end
users, ensuring they find
content effectively
 In part, what content “looks
like” when the words are
removed
 Determine topic types,
personas, customer
journey maps, mock-ups,
wireframes, and
specifications for web-
based delivery of content.
 Can also include surveys,
user testing, user labs.
Information Architecture
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Information
Architecture
Information
Governance

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Department Common topic types or content in topics (provided by me)
Marketing Brochures, web pages
Sales Proposals
Training User manual
Engineering Specification tables
Support FAQ
Others?

 Practices to help manage content
through processes
 Includes creating, sharing, reviewing,
translating, and publishing in the day-
to-day business environment
 Controlled through a central set of
roles (governance) which cross
departmental boundaries to drive the
enterprise-wide content strategy
 Defines workflows, editorial
guidelines, style guides, review
and approval processes, and what
to do with content once
published
 Includes systems-related processes
and people-related processes
 Create meaningful change in the
approach to enterprise-level
control of content strategy
planning, training,
implementation, and tool
selection across the departments
involved in the content strategy
Information Governance
15:45
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Let’s pick one or two key
words that define what we
need in place to drive
governance

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Information
Architecture
Information
Governance

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Word cloud
Crowd sourced
Let’s see what we get
www.jasondavies.com/
wordcloud/

 Convert source to output
 May include PDF, HTML,
Mobile, sites content, etc.
 Could be machine consumable
(code for use by software dev)
 Whatever you need
 Deliver to specific locations
 A folder of your choice
 SharePoint, Adobe Experience
Manager, or any CCMS
 Anywhere you need it
 Publishing converts your
content for consumption
and tracking
 Published content is the
finished product for most
audiences
 If done right, a LOT of
additional features
 A basis for determining the
ROI (not always $$$)
Publishing
15:45
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Publish
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Information
Architecture
Information
Governance

Publish
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Department Formats and functions (provided by me)
Marketing In all cases, requirements have a lot in common and may include:
• Follow our look and feel
• Make it easy to search, and more importantly, to find
• Allow users to pick their own content
• Deliver it with no limits on format types
• PDF
• HTML5
• Mobile
• Print or online
Sales
Training
Engineering
Support
Others?

Generate revenue
Improve content creation
Manage content
Publish faster
Reduce risk
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Connect Your Strategy

Visualize the Content Strategy
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CCMS
Publish
Server
• Single source of
truth
• Reuse and
tracking
• Version control
• History tracking
• Governance
• Content control
• Searchable
database
• Modular assembly
• Managed links
• Reports
• Workflows to track
& manage process
related to content
EN  FR
to XML
W
R
I
T
I
N
G
&
P
R
O
C
E
S
S
Taxonomy
APIs
Content Strategy

Content Strategy to Generate Revenue
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 If you have ever had to work with tiles, glue, and grout

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The Install Guide
Can be seen as a:
 sales video
 marketing tool
 support document
 single source of content
Delivers a multiple channel
solution with documents,
PDF, HTML5, apps, and
even video

Content Strategy Includes Convergence
15:45
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 This term is used in marketing and in technical
communications, but convergence of content is happening
 That’s a (mostly) good thing, and you can learn more here:
https://offers.adobe.com/en/na/marketing/landings/
xml_documentation_for_adobe_experience_
manager_whitepaper_the_convergence_of_
technical_and_marketing.html
 Or, scan the QR code!
 Convergence drives revenue
 Convergence means reuse
 Content and publishing potential

Reusable Components: Improve Content Creation
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Reusable Component
Configure Hardware
• Authors/SMEs create content
• Update and edit
• One source, reused many times
User Guide
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
Anywhere Used
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
Admin Guide
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
Support Desk
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
Training Manual
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
PDF download
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
Online (website)
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
App on Android
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit
App on iOS
Configure Hardware
• Update and edit

Manage Better | Publish Faster | Reduce Risk
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Admin
Order Hardware
Payment for Hardware
Install Hardware
Configure Hardware
• When to configure
• Prcdr: Server not available
• Prcdr: Server settings
• Power settings
• Switch values
Deprecate Hardware
Training
Install Hardware
Test Hardware
Configure Hardware
• Hardware definition
• Equipment status
• Readout values
• Power settings
• Switch values
Reset Hardware
Install Hardware
Test Hardware
Deploy
Configure Hardware
• Equipment details
• Readout values
• Code syntax
• Power settings
• Switch values
Source (content
within the CCMS)

Manage Topics Once (plan, create, review, edit, etc.)
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Admin
Order Hardware
Payment for Hardware
Install Hardware
Configure Hardware
• Power settings
• Switch values
Deprecate Hardware
Training
Install Hardware
Test Hardware
Configure Hardware
• Readout values
• Power settings
• Switch values
Reset Hardware
Install Hardware
Test Hardware
Deploy
Configure Hardware
• Equipment details
• Readout values
• Code syntax
• Power settings
• Switch values
Source (content
within the CCMS)

Publish Faster
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CCMS
Source (content
within the CCMS)
Publish
Admin (delivered)
Training (delivered)

Reduce Risk: Compliance, Consistency, Completion
15:45
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EN  FR CCMS
Publish

Opportunities in Content Strategy (more ROI?)
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Feature Opportunity
No more copy/paste, content
current, linked information
(Reuse, IA, Taxonomy, Metadata)
• Save time
• Automatic updates
• Dramatically improved accuracy of content
Regulation and content control
(Governance, IA, TM)
• Auditable snapshots of content at time of publishing
• Connect to the regulatory specification (or law, or ???)
• Impact assessment
Customized content delivery
(TM, IA, Publish)
• Example: Training creates courses from the same content
for various types of students (and trainer specific
versions)
• Example: AEM Sites delivers HTML with specific
audiences and in all languages from one source
Translation management* • Great in Canada, but also internationally
Multi-channel custom output
(Publishing)
• Once implemented, Click-to-publish (multiple outputs)
• Output and tools can automatically include updates

Create, edit, manage, publish
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Topic-Based Writing

Topic Types
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 Tasks: Start with tasks (Users don’t want to
learn about something unless they have to)
 What does the user need to do? Identify the steps,
then provide just the core on how to succeed.
 Concepts: Support the task
 In many cases, concepts provide a clear conceptual
model that tasks lack. They help orient the users.
 References: Quick look up; no procedures,
no conceptual information
 Core facts, specs

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It has been said a picture is worth
1000 words. If this is true, it
makes sense to use images to
show ideas, visualize things, or
to add life to dry text. You can
add images in supported formats
to web pages.
To insert images first select
where you want it on your web
page. Choose Insert in the Image
menu. There are many image
formats supported (web
formats), and since pictures draw
the eye to a specific location, you
may want to add maps or charts.
If maps or charts are used they
can visually explain ideas that
may take many pages to write
about. They can even make
content feel more alive, so if it
makes sense, add them to reports
to accentuate an idea that
matters.
Once you know the format you
need, select a file location and
click Map or Chart if needed. We
support jpg, gif, png, svg (and we
convert Illustrator or Photoshop
too!). Click on a file, then Insert.
How SMEs Provide Info (Today)

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to web pages.
matters.
Task Content

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to web pages.
matters.
Concept Content

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to web pages.
matters.
Reference Content

First Major Rework
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TASK
You can add images in supported formats to web pages.
To insert images first select where you want it on your web page. Choose Insert in the
Image menu.
Once you know the format you need, select a file location and click Map or Chart if
needed. Click on a file, then Insert.
CONCEPT
It has been said a picture is worth 1000 words. If this is true, it makes sense to use
images to show ideas, visualize things, or to add life to dry text.
There are many image formats supported (web formats), and since pictures draw the eye
to a specific location, you may want to add maps or charts.
If maps or charts are used they can visually explain ideas that may take many pages to
write about. They can even make content feel more alive, so if it makes sense, add them
to reports to accentuate an idea that matters.
REFERENCE
We support jpg, gif, png, svg (and we convert Illustrator or Photoshop too!).

Task: Import Pictures
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Images, maps, and charts can be added to web
pages.
Prereq: Ensure graphics are in a supported
web-friendly file format.
1. Select the location to insert an image.
2. Select Image > Insert.
If inserting a Map or Chart, specify this.
3. Select a folder location.
4. Select a file.
5. Click Insert.
6. Configure the image as needed.

Concept: Reasons to Use Pictures
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It has been said a picture is worth 1000 words;
use images to show ideas, visualize complex
ideas, or to add life to dry text.
Pictures draw the eye to a specific location. If
maps or charts are used they can graphically
explain an idea that may take many pages to
write about. They can even make content feel
more alive, so if it makes sense, add them to
reports to accentuate an idea that matters.

Reference: Supported Image Formats
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Graphic types, how they are used, and
background information.
Format Function Notes
.jpg Raster based
images displayed
online (web).
Our conversion tools allow
multiple options, test for best
compatibility.
.gif
.png
.svg Vector based
images displayed
online (web)
Our conversion tools allow
multiple options, test for best
compatibility.
.ps Adobe Photoshop Raster based source.
.ai Adobe Illustrator Vector based source.

Let’s create some content
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Tools to Help

publishingsmarter.starlingbeta.com
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My Setup for You
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 I have Adobe Experience Manager
 Created accounts for 4 people to use
 Volunteers?

Volunteers, Start Your Browsers
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 We will work within AEM, using DITA
 You do NOT need to know code!
 Visit publishingsmarter.starlingbeta.com
 Log in as part of aem-group-1, 2, 3, or 4
 Use your group password

publishingsmarter.starlingbeta.com
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Log In
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Navigate to Assets > Files
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Explore Adobe Day Demo
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Create > DITA Topic
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Create a Concept (based on group assignments)
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Open the New Topic
84

Continue to Develop, then Save and Close
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Repeat As Needed
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 For our demo, follow the guidance and create
 A task
 A reference
 A map

My turn to do something
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My Turn

Let’s Create
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 I will take your content
 Title/shortdesc/etc
 And your maps
 Topics organized
 I’ll build my own, then add
yours into it and…
 Publish as a PDF, and a site
 Update content
 Publish again
 Reuse
 I’ll also use FrameMaker
 Create topics, map
 Upload, add to what we have
 Let you edit if you wish!
 As time allows, I’ll also:
 Continue to add content
 Publish
 Review/comment
 Share/distribute
 Etc., etc., etc.

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In Summary

What We Did
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 Used a bit of FrameMaker as tech comm authors
 Talked content strategy for a long time
 Brainstormed a box (woo. hoo.)
 Talked topic types for a little bit
 Created and organized topics as SME contributors
 Put me to work for a while
 Create, edit, publish, etc.
 In doing so, I think we addressed the ambitious agenda

When We Started: Overall (Ambitious) Agenda
91
 Develop key components of a content strategy
 Connect the implementation of the strategy with
 Improved workflows for creating, managing, and publishing content
 Reduction of risk in lack of compliance, inconsistency, missing information
 Generation of revenue through effective multi-channel content delivery
 Ask (and answer) questions related to tool selection
 Hands-on with FrameMaker and DITA to create topics
 Publish PDF and HTML5 formats
 Implement an Adobe Experience Manager-based solution to
ingest, manage, and publish content

Summary
92
 A content strategy begins by defining where you are and
where you want to be, and learning how to get there
 Publishing Smarter can help you think through this
 Changes introduced include:
 Discovery of new opportunities
 Transformational changes
 Role-based challenges

Where to go from here
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Next steps

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www.youtube.com/publishingsmarter
FrameMaker as a DITA
Author Tool
Many, many other videos
Playlists on FM and DITA

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www.slideshare.net/publishingsmarter
Multiple slide shows
This one will be the “top”
until it isn’t!

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www.adobe.com/
Whitepapers
Case studies
Download a trial

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Get The Conversation Started
We have a CS guide
We can work with you to
do initial discovery

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Develop All Components
For each component ID
 What is it?
 What is the result?
 What inputs are needed?
 What is delivered?
Beyond this you should
 ID required resources
 Scope time
 Price each component
 Assign values to the work
 Decide how to progress
To make that easier
 Reach out
 Partner up
 Gather information

Follow Up Information
99
 Lavacon 2019: We’re here with Adobe
 Visit the booth
 bernard@publishingsmarter.com
 905 833 8448

100
Questions?

101
Thank You
My thanks to
 Jack Molisani for LavaCon
 @AdobeTCS
 Everyone attending

Content Strategy: Adobe Day at LavaCon 2019

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Content Strategy: Adobe Day at LavaCon 2019