Date post: | 07-Nov-2014 |
Category: |
Technology |
Upload: | earley-amp-associatesinc |
View: | 2,869 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Content Workflow Design: How much is too much?
Amber Swope
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Overview
• Introduction• Content development workflow• Prepare• Explore• Review• Refine• Discussion/Questions
2
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
• Amber Swope– Senior Consultant, Earley & Associates – Over 20 years of experience in the industry at multiple
companies of varying sizes and industries– Supported information developers producing DITA
content in Rational group at IBM– Author of numerous papers/presentations on information
development and information architecture, including the DITA Maturity Model (with Michael Priestley)
3
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Content development workflow
• A workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps. It is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, a group of persons. (Wikipedia)
• Workflow components– Input– Transition– Output
4
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
How much is too much?
• Goal = Balance • Control content
– Who can create files– Who can edit files– Who can version files– Who can release files
• Support stakeholders– Track file status– Generate reports– Find content quickly– Reuse content easily– Provide multiple file
versions
5
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Process: Prepare
6
Prepare Explore Review Refine
Research current
processes
Review processes
Identify stakeholders
Specify requirements
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Prepare: Research current process
• Is it documented?• Can you find it?• Do stakeholders
follow it?• Is it voluntary or
mandatory?• Is there more than
one?
7
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Prepare: Review processes
• Do they work?• What do they do
well?• Can they be
improved?
8
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Prepare: Identify stakeholders
• What roles are involved?
• Who needs access to the system?
• What does each role do?
9
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Prepare: Specify requirements
• What workflows do you need by file type?
• What standards do you need to support?
• How much control is required?
• What metadata is required?
10
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Process: Explore
11
Prepare Explore Review Refine
Meet together
Askquestions
Negotiate transitions
Identify input/output
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Explore: Meet together
• Be in the same room
• Use white board, flip charts or post-its on a wall
• Brainstorm and discuss
12
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Explore: Ask questions
• What are the roles?• What are their
responsibilities?• When does content
start?• Who determines
when content changes?
13
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Explore: Negotiate transitions
• When do transitions occur?
• What are the constraints?
• Are they optional or mandatory?
14
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Explore: Identify input/output
• What is the input for each action?
• What is the output for each action?
• How do items enter the system?
• Does it remain in the system?
15
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Guidelines
• Standardize actions for each role• If it’s hard to diagram, it will be hard to
follow• You must agree on a standard workflow
for the entire group
• Remember that a person must perform each of the actions!!!
16
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Process: Review
17
Prepare Explore Review Refine
Identify reviewers
Create workflows
Submit for review
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Review: Identify reviewers
• Same as stakeholders?
• Which are required for approval?
• Which are optional for approval?
18
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Review: Create workflows
• Use software to capture• Create one workflow for each file type• Name file with version number• Use colors consistently
19
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Topic workflow example
20
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Review: Submit for review
• Present workflows in meeting
• Lead discussion on each workflow
• Specify feedback deadline
21
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Process: Refine
22
Prepare Explore Review Refine
Analyze feedback
Update workflows
Summarize process
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Refine: Analyze feedback
• Determine if it conflicts with requirements
• Identify who provided it and their role in the process
• Review in context of all workflows
23
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Refine: Update workflows
• Again…and again until they are:– Concise– Clear– Useful
• Don’t let them become works of art!
24
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Refine: Summarize process
• Provide summary by role and file type
25
Copyright © 2010 Earley & Associates Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Discussion/Questions
• ???
26