Chapter 1: Developing Content In A Re-Use Environment

This chapter outlines fundamental concepts of a re-use and single-sourcing methodology for information products and content development. It also provides a high-level overview of how to implement these principles in order to achieve an optimum degree of content and skill re-use across information products for products, services and solutions.A glossary of important terms used throughout this document is also provided. The re-use concept is implemented by a well-defined IP and content architecture, prescribed metadata, standard authoring and formatting guidelines, and a content management system. In order to re-use content objects, those objects must be developed and stored in common source formats using the authoring standards and formatting guidelines. The re-use concept is based on a two-phased approach. Both phases necessitate the development of content in re-usable modules. The first phase of implementation of the re-use concept is accomplished by developing a standard information product (IP) architecture, that is, by defining standard deliverables (e.g. documentation, training courses), their structur, and the invariable components that populate certain parts of the structure. As a result, all information products are developed starting with a certain amount of content that is already in place. The second phase applies to development projects. Instead of developing all remaining content per product or project, the authors assess all IP design specifications and identify any content that is either already developed or contained in design specifications of parallel projects. If such content exists, it is used to further populate the desired IP structures. Where new content is needed, the appropriate content modules are developed in conformance with the prescribed content architecture. Those modules thus become candidates for subsequent re-use by other projects. To aid in identification of appropriate existing content for re-use, standard metadata are applied at the object and IP structure level. That is, all content objects, when stored in a Content Management system, will have associated with them values for various attributes, such as product line name, author, audience,related standards, and relevant keywords. This metadata can also be used to support delivery of content objects independent of their IP structures through a knowledge management or EPSS deployment strategy to address proficiency gaps and fulfill just-in-time customer information needs.