Content Management
At the highest level, content management is about maintaining control of information. The term has come to be associated with organizing information on the Web. However, definitions are still evolving.
CM Briefing says that a content management system is used to " support the creation, management, distribution, publishing, and discovery of corporate information. Also known as ‘web content management’ (WCM), these systems typically focus on online content targeted at either a corporate website or intranet." Some organizations have invested large sums into massive content management systems that let information developers readily store and reuse content down to the paragraph or even the sentence level. Other organizations have experimented with controlling content without this type of software.
Where Can I Learn More About Content Management?
Numerous articles and books are available to help you learn about content management. The following articles, listed alphabetically by title, provide a starting point. (For full publication information, see the annotated bibliography.)
Arbortext. Arbortext produces enterprise publishing software to help companies create and publish large amounts of information, without restrictions of format. The navigation includes links to separate pages for products, services, support, and resources.
The main Resources page allows you to select white papers, Webinars, and presentations. A recent Webinar, "Content Management Tools & Technologies" goes into single sourcing from the content management perspective.
Beyond Theory: Making Single-Sourcing Actually Work. Liz Fraley presents a case study of how her department moved from FrameMaker and WebWorks to Arbortext and Interwoven to publish a large library of manuals. When she researched the project, she found that most of the literature thoroughly covered theory, planning, and recommendations for implementing modular writing, but little on actually practice. Fraley describes the successes and problems the group had as they moved different parts of the library to the new system.
Content Cache. Jack Shaw neatly and concisely explains what content management is and how companies can benefit from applying the principles to their information assets. He points out that content management is a form of quality control, because it ensures information is consistent wherever it appears. Shaw has a bias toward the use of a content management system, noting that every distributor has a content management system in place, although information assets often do not make the best use of the system. However, Shaw recognizes that creating a sound process must come first, acknowledging that content management must include the information model.
Content Management Bible. Bob Boiko's massive book covers all phases of content management, from planning to writing, from databases to workflow and staffing. Boiko includes numerous tips, recommendations, and code examples where appropriate. Purchasers of the book can access an online version at the Metatorial Web site, with indexes for illustrations and code samples, as well as white papers, presentations, and interviews. The Metatorial web site provides open access to additional white papers and other information on content management.
One of the openly-accessible articles, The Difference Between Document and Content Management, explains that many of the version control systems in place today control files, not the information in the files.
Managing Enterprise Content: A Unified Content Strategy. In this seminal work, authors Ann Rockley, Pamela Kostur, and Steve Manning introduce the concept of an “information silo,” with individual writers recreating very similar modules for their respective products, or for different deliverables, such as online help and a user manual. In collaborative authoring, the documentation team identifies common information in different products and writers take ownership of specific components across product lines. The book discusses the required planning to establish a single-source environment, the issues of getting writers to accept structured writing, and tools that can facilitate the process.
Masterminding Content Management. Bill Schneider describes some of the problems that can occur when a content management system is implemented without properly considering the workflow and the corporate culture.
Why content management software hasn't worked. Gerry McGovern incisively describes the pitfalls of letting the IT department select a content management system. He suggests that a good editor with the authority to control content on a Web site is more effective than many expensive content management systems. His research shows that many content management systems sit idle because people won't use them.
McGovern's newsletter, New Thinking, discusses issues related to content management and writing for the Web.
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Most recent update: 06/21/04
Author and Webmaster: Elizabeth Kent