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What is it?

Vocabularies and processes used to create specialized, editable structures for documents that conform to the XML standard.

Why is it important?

Successful interchange of structured information depends on a common understanding of the vocabularies involved and how they are processed. The standards for providing this take the form of an XML schema and provide common ways of structuring different types of content to facilitate reuse, catalog maintenance, version control, and other aspects of technical documents.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: XML Document Editing Standards"

What is it?

A marketing approach which endeavors to provide customers with a seamless user experience, no matter through which channel or device, or during which stage of the content, product, or customer lifecycle.

Why is it important?

Successful omnichannel marketing depends on delivering the content appropriate to their stage in the lifecycle through the most appropriate channels.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Omnichannel"

What is it?

Designing information to evoke, guide, sustain, and leverage human action.

Why is it important?

Minimalist information design is important because, in contexts of engaged activity, people neither want, nor can effectively use, comprehensive information.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Minimalist Information Design"

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What is it?

The assembly of content after receiving a request, so the system can filter or merge different sources, process the results, and return content that is relevant to you at the moment you make the request.

Why is it important?

Given cloud and virtual technology, software systems are increasingly dynamic. The reader is also increasingly dynamic, whether using different devices or filling different roles. Static delivery simply can’t keep pace. Dynamic delivery captures the current states of system and reader and returns content that is specific and meaningful.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Dynamic Delivery"

What is it?

Variables that contain phrase-level content that needs to be in a topic no matter what document the topic is part of, but that changes depending on context, for example, a product name or a company name.

Why is it important?

Content variables have been a key factor in allowing reuse of content across products and platforms. By isolating terms or phrases that are likely both to appear in multiple places and to change depending on factors external to the content itself, those terms or phrases can be modified for publication without modifying the actual topic content.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Content Variables"

What is it?

Content that has sufficient metadata to allow a processor to filter or flag that content in any output format, using a profile to determine the exact output for a given context or format.

Why is it important?

Conditional content facilitates the reuse of content components in multiple contexts or formats. The metadata specifies the contexts to which a specific component applies.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Conditional Content"

What is it?

A complex website that allows you to track learner access to your eLearning content, set time limits, run quiz pass/fail reports, and automatically award completion certificates.

Why is it important?

While eLearning content can be created easily with off-the-shelf-tools, you will need a Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver your content and to help you gauge its effectiveness.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Learning Management System"

What is it?

A centralized system that helps organizations capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver topic-based content (components), whether the content is proprietary or follows a standard architecture, like DITA.

Why is it important?

A Component Content Management System (CCMS) provides a working environment for content engineers and technical communicators to plan, track, reuse, publish, translate, and control topic-based content assets.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Component Content Management System"

What is it?

The definition and organization of pieces of information (content) so that their use is consistent, logical, and efficient.

Why is it important?

Content architecture enhances the business value of content by designing a scalable structure that supports content strategy, improves user experience, and facilitates the work of technical communicators.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Content Architecture"

What is it?

Creating content once, planning for its reuse in multiple places, contexts, and output channels.

Why is it important?

Single sourcing enables authors to leverage content to its fullest potential, with benefits such as increased consistency and accuracy and reduced development time.

...continue reading "Term of the Week: Single Sourcing"