Multi-Channel Publishing: How to Do It A case study of one company ’ s journey on the road to single-sourcing Copyright Innovatia Inc. 2008

2 Innovatia’s Journey The company The groundwork The methodology and the pilot The outcome and the future Lynda Chiotti Senior Information Architect 10 years in IA and usability ACM, CMPros, EAC, IAI, STC, UPA

3 Copyright Innovatia Inc What Does Innovatia Do? Develops and delivers −Documentation −eLearning −Technical support −Professional services For telecommunications and IT companies

4 Copyright Innovatia Inc Necessity As Opportunity Enormous legacy documents Complex hardware, software for users Increasing demand for cost effective, usable documentation Documentation, Help, Learning Needed specific methods and proprietary tools

5 Copyright Innovatia Inc Research And Develop Research partners and funding IA expertise via internship program Interns learn and practice user centred design principles Sell IA internally wherever possible

6 Copyright Innovatia Inc Talk to experts Found expertise in single source community JoAnn Hackos workshop DITA courses and conferences Participated in community Joined CIDM (Center for Information- Development Management) Published in ACM’s Ubiquity Sponsored new STC chapter

7 Copyright Innovatia Inc Map Your Journey Expert knowledge + evangelists = clear target but no map Needed a usable set of instructions Needed a methodology based on principles, with supporting aids and tools Brain work and validation before any tool selection

8 Copyright Innovatia Inc Limited Pilot to Test Methodology 10 Writers 2 Books, 200 topics 6 weeks Task Analysis Content Planning Simple Workflow −Write, Edit, Review, Publish Project Management

9 Copyright Innovatia Inc Some Pilot Test Constraints DITA expertise hard to find Client material had to meet their existing output requirements −PDF > their CMS Reuse testing (documentation > learning) was done sequentially, not concurrently Real-world deadlines can be a nuisance

10 Copyright Innovatia Inc Things To Figure Out Knowledge transfer to writers Adjustments to content plan after writing began Adjustments to writing assignments after writing began Where to save edits, information notes Communicating and monitoring workload adjustments and status

11 Copyright Innovatia Inc Some Pilot Test Discoveries Code review is a new requirement More granular content requires more planning up front More granular content allows more control Workflow management allows overlap in development

12 Copyright Innovatia Inc More Pilot Test Discoveries Writer training may be multi-dimensional: writing topics, learning tools Move from book-based to topic-based requires a major shift in everyone’s thinking Topic-based structure supports better, more consistent writing

13 Copyright Innovatia Inc Still More Pilot Test Discoveries Change management must be more than a kickoff meeting Editors (and others) may be more resistant than writers Content planners must think multi-channel, multi-use Give people what they need, especially if the job is new

14 Copyright Innovatia Inc Next Step: Implementing The Methodology Document standard operating procedures Roll out topic-based approach to some documentation teams Find and implement interoperable technologies Deliver training

15 Copyright Innovatia Inc Where Does Innovatia Go From Here? Refine methodology Share and learn from other practitioners Solve technology problems Integrate solution with current service offerings Offer solution in our marketplace

16 Copyright Innovatia Inc Thank you!