Precision Content™ Tools, Techniques, and

TechnologyThe evolution of structured authoring

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Valuable Content Transformed

• Document Digitization• XML and HTML Conversion• eBook Production• Hosted Solutions• Big Data Automation• Conversion Management• Editorial Services• Harmonizer

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Experience the DCL Difference

DCL blends years of conversion experience with cutting-edge technology and the infrastructure to make the process easy and efficient.

• World-Class Services• Leading-Edge Technology• Unparalleled Infrastructure• US-Based Management• Complex-Content Expertise• 24/7 Online Project Tracking• Automated Quality Control• Global Capabilities

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We Serve a Very Broad Client Base . . .

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. . . Spanning All Industries

• Aerospace• Associations• Defense• Distribution• Education• Financial • Government • Libraries • Life Sciences • Manufacturing• Medical • Museums

• Periodicals

• Professional• Publishing • Reference • Research • Societies • Software• STM• Technology• Telecommunications• Universities • Utilities

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About your presenter

• Rob Hanna, ECMs• President of Precision Content Authoring

Solutions Inc. and a director of AIIM First Canadian Chapter

• Expert in structured authoring and content management practices and technology

• Instructor at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies – Metadata and Controlled Vocabularies

Who is Precision Content Authoring Solutions Inc.?• We help organizations make their information easier to use• Our solutions consist of • Content strategy• Detailed information architecture• Content lifecycle design and development• Turn-key content transformation• Tools selection and development• Multi-channel publishing

• www.precisioncontent.com

©2015 Precision Content Authoring Solutions Inc.

WE ARE YOUR CONTENT

TRANSFORMATION

SPECIALISTS

STOP THE INSANITY!

Stop throwing more

technology at your content

problems!

Content problemsrequire

content solutions!

Importance of Content StrategyBefore any technology is considered, organizations must first consider their content strategy to fully understand what they need and how they are going to get there.

Several factors must be examined.

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Survey question #1What level of structured authoring are you using in your enterprise today?

Finding balance

DITA/XML is…• An agnostic structured framework

for technical communication• An open standard gaining rapid

adoption• Extensible across industries

• Lacking a consistent, robust authoring methodology

Information Mapping® is…• An agnostic structured authoring

methodology for the enterprise• A tested proprietary standard with

global reach• Teachable to any audience or

practitioner

• Lacking modern technology delivery framework

Enter the Precision Content™ Solution• Precision Content is a modern adaptation of methods taught by

Information Mapping International over the past 30 years• The Precision Content methodology leverages the strengths of

structured, topic-based authoring using XML technology for• Broad-based content collaboration• Robust content lifecycle management• Content classification for rapid retrieval, and• Multi-channel publishing.

• Precision Content is NOT affiliated with or endorsed by Information Mapping International.

The Precision Content™ Framework

• While the methods can be applied to any structured authoring toolset, it is optimally suited to DITA/XML• The Framework consists of a series of• DITA constraints• domain and structural specializations• templates, and• stylesheets.

• Application of the methodology with the framework provides useful guidance to authors allowing for better consistency across teams

Methodology Practice and Principles

2 Distinct forms of Language ArtsLanguage Arts for Personal Response (LAFPR)• To emotionally engage the reader• Techniques:

• narrative style• varied vocabulary & sentence

structure• withholding information

• Writer driven• Meant to be READ

Language Arts for Information (LAFI)

• To convey information that readers need to use• Techniques:

• consistent modular structure• concise, direct vocabulary• use of graphics

• Reader driven• Meant to be USED

Ikea Instructions: LAFI

Ikea Instructions: LAFPR

“The eel-shaped talisman squirms inside the raspy recycled box. A series of quarter turns – clock hands marking time – bonds back to base. An alphabet of

connections in English and French. “A” into groove “B”. “C” slots into “D”. Chipboard credenza communicating

Swedish hegemony.”

If novelist Michael Ondaatje wrote Ikea instructionsAuthor/parodist: Geoff ThomasGlobe & Mail, August 27, 2009

What is Content?

Data Information

ContentKnowledge

A New Way of Thinking about ContentPrecision Content™ is like software for the brain

ProgrammedLearning

Instructional Systems Design

Human FactorsEngineering Documentat

ion Writing Research

MessageDesign

CognitivePsychology

Information typing and classification

• The cornerstone of the methodology is based on correctly identifying, typing, and labelling blocks of content that comprise a topic• Each information type has its own rules and semantics for authoring,

labelling, and presentation.• Precision Content consists of 5 distinct information types including• Reference• Principle• Concept• Task, and• Process.

Information Types

Reference

Principle

Task

Process

Concept

“We will be flying at an altitude of 60,000 feet.”

“Always put on your oxygen mask before

assisting other passengers.”

“To open the emergency exit,

look out the window, pull the

lever, and push out the exit door.”

“In the event of loss of cabin pressure,

an oxygen mask will drop from the

overhead compartment.”

“We are a member of the Star Alliance group of airlines.”

Flight safety briefing

analyst brake market stapler seat traders alternator investor calculators

scissors engine pedal dashboard pen backers marker tape profit

starter ruler prospects

Thinking about ClassificationHow many words can you memorize in 20 seconds?

analyst brake market stapler

dashboard pen backer marker

seat trader alternator investor

pedalcalculator scissors engine

tape profit starter ruler prospect

Thinking about Classification1. Filter out all of the noise

analyst brake market stapler

dashboard pen

backer

marker

seat

trader

alternator

investor

pedalcalculator scissors engine

tapeprofitstarter

ruler prospect

Thinking about Classification2. Break into smaller groupings

dashboardalternator pedalbrake seatengine starter

marker

staplerscissorstape

pen calculatorruler

analyst market backer

investor

traderprofitprospect

Thinking about Classification3. Organize words by similarities

dashboardalternator pedalbrake seatengine starter

marker

staplerscissorstape

pen calculatorruler

analyst market backer

investor

traderprofitprospect

Stock market Office supplies

Car parts

Thinking about Classification4. Classify and label groups

Thinking about Classification

Stock market Office supplies Car parts

analyst stapler brake

market calculator seat

trader scissors dashboard

investor pen engine

backer marker alternator

profit tape starter

prospect ruler pedal

How well did you do?

Thinking about Classification

Vegetables Computer parts Instruments

peas hard drive violin

endive sound card harp

carrots monitor piano

spinach mouse trumpet

celery processor cello

broccoli flash drive flute

tomato keyboard guitar

Now how many words can youmemorize in 20 seconds?

Structured building blocks of information

Meeting 2 sets of fundamental needs

The Human Brain

Technology

Find

Understand

Use, and

Retain

Integrate

Search

Process, and

Reuse

Well-structured content helps

Excerpt from a medical journal...

• pN3 description only closely mirrors descriptions for pN3a +pN3b + pN3c• Use of footnotes confusing• “Clinically detected” and “Not

clinically detected” are not exact opposites, and• Inconsistent enumeration of lymph

nodes

Same content after Precision Content™

• 44.2% reduction in word count• 20% reduction in passive voice• 18.4% increase in Flesch Reading Ease

score• 30% increase in white space• Elimination of footnotes, and• Addition of labels and visual elements

Survey Question #2At what stage are you in with your current content project?

Content transformation

• Content conversion and migration to structured authoring presents a rare opportunity to consider transformation for key, high-value content.• Transformation is not conversion and it is not a rewrite – it is a

teardown and rebuild of content from the ground up.• Transformation usually comes with new and complex requirements

for content creation, management, and delivery.• Content conversion and transformation can easily coexist when

planned appropriately.

Demonstration

Questions?Rob Hanna, ECMs+1 (289) 290-4337www.linkedin.com/in/singlesourcerorrob@precisioncontent.com