Content Development Standards Are Ready. Are You?

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Introductions
Alaina Eldredge
Business Development Director
alaina.eldredge@lionbridge.com
• Alaina has held various content development roles during her 22 years
in the industry, ranging from writer and typesetter in the 80s to Content
Development Solutions Architect.
• As Business Development Director, Alaina’s primary objective is to work
with clients in various verticals as they strive to achieve greater reuse
and repurposing of content within their respective organizations.
Stuart Sklair
Solutions Architect
stuart.sklair@lionbridge.com
• During his 20 years in the industry, Stuart has worked with industry
leaders in developing and implementing innovative content development
and localization solutions
• Since 2000, he has focused on XML in structured authoring and as a data
transfer mechanism, with particular focus on CMS and their effective
integration with translation processes.
Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

About Lionbridge
Global Scale Market Leadership

4600 employees, 26 countries Leader in $12B services industry
• 700+ Documentation experts • Creating
• Content development centers in India, • Adapting and
USA, Finland, and UK • Translating
• Local Business & Project Management • Content for international markets
• Global network of 25,000 translators
Technology + Innovation
Best practices and great ideas based on Global Clients
experience
Recurring relationships with
• Authoring Assistant, Online Review Tool,
Content Integration and Authoring Tool, 500+ global clients
Rich Media, Globalization@SourceSM • 80% of revenue from recurring clients
• 12 of the Fortune 20 companies are clients

Webinar Agenda
1 5-minute Review: Structured Authoring + XML
2 Before You Begin: Developing the Business Case
3 Discovery: Assessing the Need for Structure
4 Implementation: Migrating to a Structured Workflow

Webinar Agenda

5-minute Review: Content Dev, Then and Now…
 The Olden Days

• Typesetters used formatting codes
• Formatting and content were
integrated
• Writing was page-based
Shown: AM Varityper circa 1980
 Desktop Publishing and

Technical Writing Software
• Formatting and content are still integrated
• Writing tends to be topic- or page-based
Shown: Frame 9 Paragraph Designer

5-minute Review: …and Lately
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

…
 XML-based Architecture
<book> • XML is hierarchical
<title>Learning &productname;</title>
<preface id="preface">
• Formatting and content are separate
<title>Preface</title>
<sect1 id="about">
Shown: Document snippet based on DocBook architecture
<title>Using this Manual</title>
<para>Although this manual
DTD/Schema XSLT/FO
contains all the information you will need to
(architecture) (layout/formatting)
use &productname;, we recommend you consider
the following to enhance your understanding:
</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
Self-paced technical training for beginning
and intermediate users
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para> User Guide ILT eLearning Wiki What else?
Instructor-led classroom training for
advanced users
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
…

5-minute Review: XML Considerations
 XML must be well-formed

• XML is case sensitive
• Elements must be properly nested
• Container tags must have corresponding opening and closing tags
• Empty tags must contain a
forward slash
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
• Attributes must use quotes …
<title>Learning &productname;</title>
 XML must be valid …
• Valid = XML follows the <itemizedlist>
syntactical rules <listitem><para>
of the DTD or Self-paced technical training for beginning
DTD/Schema
Schema (architecture)
and intermediate users
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
…

Three Common XML Standards: A High-level Comparison
All 3 Architectures support reuse…
DocBook DITA S1000D

 Well suited to:  Well suited to all types  Well suited to:
• IT-related docs, including of content • Manufacturing, defense,
training materials and aerospace industries
• Lengthy narratives not
 Pros
reasonably broken down • Works for all output types  Pros
into chunks • Can be ‘specialized’: • Supports reusable,
Allows orgs to add or standalone data modules
 Pros rename tags • Internationally-recognized
• Stable, mature • Can often be used standard
architecture out-of-the-box • Handles legacy data well
• Robust! 300+ elements • Evolves well over time
 Cons
 Cons • Smaller, simpler than
many other DTD/Schema • Regimented architecture
• Robust! 300+ elements does not support
• Designed for print  Cons customized, or
publishing rather than • Not ideal for lengthy specialized, content like
Web publishing narratives DocBook and DITA
• Somewhat of a ‘Big Tent’
• Not unambiguous
A Word About Content Repositories
 Content repository/CMS/database is not required to work in XML

 However, content is more easily Search by elements
managed with a content repository… and attributes
Identify content chunks used

in multiple deliverables Locate content by
author or topic
Extract chunks that

match certain criteria
 Utilizing a CMS affects the structured authoring flow

Webinar Agenda

Initial Requirements Analysis
Consider whether you need to...

...create and maintain a large
volume of documentation
... translate in to several ...carry out frequent

languages document updates
...maintain documentation …support multiple product

for a long product lifecycle Need variants
XML?
...manage dispersed content …output to multiple formats

production
...transfer documentation ...adhere to a standard

between different systems document structure




XML?

production


Use Case: Networking Software Company
Question: Answer:
How to establish a more robust solution Migrating to FrameMaker+DITA
to create user documentation and help? High level of automation possible
Investigating OpenSource CMS
Creating Documentation and Help Changing business requirements,

using MS Word and RoboHelp DITA and OpenSource more mature
Re-evaluate processes
But volumes small with little opportunity Moved to FrameMaker

for content recycling for Documentation
Highly customized Retained RoboHelp for Help
and complex Help process

Appropriateness of the Content for Structured Authoring
When might Structured Authoring be unsuitable?
White Low-value Low

Some Papers Content Reuse Small
Creative Marketing Documents Simple
Content
Writing Materials Publishing
Needs




XML?

production


Use Case: Mining Equipment Company
Question: Answer:
Is moving to a structured authoring Structure Authoring not suitable.
environment right Streamline the Word template
for us? Train ~200 users
Large total volume Tens of thousands

with individual documents of potential content producers
between 20 and 100 pages
Using a MS Word-based Publishing needs are simple: a

company template printed and laminated card on the
side of the equipment

The Changing Roles and Responsibilities of the Team
Information Technical
Architect Editor
Template Designer Technical Writer
Content Production
Coordinator Editor
Sys Admin/
Software Support




XML?

production


Use Case: Automotive Company
Answer :
Question:
Native XML approach
How do we improve our
for technical publications
documentation processes?
InDesign with export to XML
for user publications
Large document volume with shared And customer-facing material had

technical and user content marketing requirements for printing
Different output formats not so easily met with XML approach
Translation into many languages
XML and Content Management System But different documentation teams

seemed the obvious solution with different skill sets
for all types of content Training and change management
considerations

Requirement for Desktop Publishing
 XML separates content from

formatting
 Automated formatting for all types
of required output
 Thousands of pages can be
rendered through print engine
 Publishing QA carried out by
“engineers” rather than DTP staff
XML
 Higher value personnel, but fewer
in number and higher throughput
 Greater savings if content
translated




XML?

production


Use Case: Medical Devices Company
Question: Solution:
How do we reduce the budget and Saved ~30% of translation spend
spend for localization documentation through elimination of DTP costs
projects? After 3 years
Multiple user documents

Written in FrameMaker Piloted conversion from FrameMaker
300+ pages manuals to XML for the most widely-used manual
Translated into many languages Implemented XML-based CMS
High Desktop Publishing costs Needed to reduce or eliminate

representing high percentage DTP costs and
of localization costs allow greater flexibility in
repurposing translated content
Requirement for Desktop Publishing
 But it’s not always that way

• XML requires investment in developing
print rendering tools
• Requires ongoing investment to
change the look and feel
• DTP QA not completely removed as
transformation rules don’t capture
everything
XML  And
• Well-styled source documentation in a
good DTP package can keep post-
translation DTP to a minimum
• Also consider advantages in addition to
reduced DTP to make XML argument

Content Reuse and Translation
 Reuse of content in the authoring

phase
 Results in reuse in the translation

phase across all languages

Content Reuse and Translation

• You need to have a good reuse strategy in place to carry it out
• A CMS is almost always necessary to help reuse chunks of text effectively
CMS CMS CMS
Source Translated Translated

Language Language “1” Language “n”
• Further investment in tools such as “Author Memory” is often needed to encourage

lower level “segment” reuse of text.
• Editing legacy content can lose you Translation Memory matches
 And
• “FILE>SAVE AS” gives you 100% reuse with very little effort
• Good translation suppliers will not charge you for truly 100% matches
Reduced Time for Translation
 Faster Time to Market – “SIM-SHIP” because topics and even fragments

can be trickle-fed to translation
Content
Management
System

 Faster Time to Market – “SIM-SHIP” because topics and even fragments

can be trickle-fed to translation
Content
Management
System


• 10-20 pages of FrameMaker documentation translated into 17+ languages can result
in thousands of fragments
• Investment required to manage the fragments shuttling to and from translation
• Web service connection between Content Management System and Translation Web
Portal is one solution
CMS Web services Web portal
 And
• Translators not on standby for 100 words of translation
• Batching required or potentially face minimum charges
• Two content drops (beta and final) leveraging from one to the other can achieve
similar quick turnaround

Webinar Agenda

A Practical Approach to the Discovery Phase
Primary objective is to answer

two questions:
1. Should our organization
move to a structured
authoring environment?
2. If so, what tools and
technologies will best
suit us?

A Practical Approach to the Discovery Phase
MAP
potential move to corporate initiatives
and objectives
DISTRIBUTE Primary objective is to answer

questionnaires and
conduct interviews with key stakeholders two questions:
CONDUCT 1. Should our organization

physical and move to a structured
programmatic content analysis
authoring environment?
COMPILE
report of current state 2. If so, what tools and
including apps, issues, processes, content technologies will best
suit us?
ANALYZE
inputs and develop recommendations for
tools, technology, process changes, training
CALCULATE
detailed roadmap,
including timeline, potential roadblocks, + ROI
Webinar Agenda

Implementing a Structured Workflow
 Transition from free-form to structured will be lengthy and possibly

painful
 Transition from a stricter environment, i.e., where templates/formatting
are established and enforced, should be relatively straightforward
 Minimal implementation process includes:
MAP ANALYZE CREATE DEPLOY TRAIN

timeline and structure; a conversion a pilot phase users on tools
milestones may have process for to test + + technology;
to project been mostly legacy docs verify tools, should also
roadmap completed technology, include full
during conversion user doc set
 Discovery process
 For the above: Include all key stakeholders from inception
 Develop and implement a change management process, as well

In Summary

Knowledge Center
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• Building Stronger Brands Around the World: A

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• Strengthening Global Brands: Key Steps for
Meaningful Communications around the World
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• The Art and Science of Global Navigation

• The Best Global Web Sites (and Why)
• Mastering Multilingual Marketing

Thank You!
Alaina Eldredge
alaina.eldredge@lionbridge.com
Stuart Sklair
stuart.sklair@lionbridge.com
Lionbridge
www.lionbridge.com
http://blog.lionbridge.com
http://twitter.com/Lionbridge
http://www.facebook.com/L10nbridge

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Join us in tweeting this webinar

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Global Scale Market Leadership

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

1 5-minute Review: Structured Authoring + XML

2 Before You Begin: Developing the Business Case

3 Discovery: Assessing the Need for Structure

4 Implementation: Migrating to a Structured Workflow

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

1 5-minute Review: Structured Authoring + XML

2 Before You Begin: Developing the Business Case

3 Discovery: Assessing the Need for Structure

4 Implementation: Migrating to a Structured Workflow

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

 The Olden Days

 Desktop Publishing and

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

 XML must be well-formed

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

All 3 Architectures support reuse…

DocBook DITA S1000D

 Content repository/CMS/database is not required to work in XML

Identify content chunks used

Extract chunks that

 Utilizing a CMS affects the structured authoring flow

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

1 5-minute Review: Structured Authoring + XML

2 Before You Begin: Developing the Business Case

3 Discovery: Assessing the Need for Structure

4 Implementation: Migrating to a Structured Workflow

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Consider whether you need to...

... translate in to several ...carry out frequent

...maintain documentation …support multiple product

...manage dispersed content …output to multiple formats

...transfer documentation ...adhere to a standard

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Consider whether you need to...

... translate in to several ...carry out frequent

...maintain documentation …support multiple product

...manage dispersed content …output to multiple formats

...transfer documentation ...adhere to a standard

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Creating Documentation and Help Changing business requirements,

But volumes small with little opportunity Moved to FrameMaker

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

When might Structured Authoring be unsuitable?

White Low-value Low

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Consider whether you need to...

... translate in to several ...carry out frequent

...maintain documentation …support multiple product

...manage dispersed content …output to multiple formats

...transfer documentation ...adhere to a standard

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Large total volume Tens of thousands

Using a MS Word-based Publishing needs are simple: a

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Template Designer Technical Writer

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Consider whether you need to...