Content Typing, Flows, Models by Rahel Anne Bailie

Content Typing, Flows, Models

© 2012 Intentional Design Inc. www.intentionaldesign.ca

Rahel Anne Bailie @rahelab

Content development

Editorial quality

Editorial structure

Content creation

Content architecture

Content typing

and flows

Content modelling

Taxonomy and

metadata

Content Design

Content architecture

Content typing and

flows

Content modelling

Taxonomy and

metadata

Content development

Editorial quality

Editorial structure

Creation of copy

Define “content”.

Human-consumable, contextualized data

Data = “12”

Content = “December” (12th month)

The stuff “contained” between the tags

Container /Container Content

Define “content”.

Content types

• Genres or components

• Elements and attributes

Content flows

• Distribution of content

• Content assembly

Content models

• Pages or templates

• Content behaviour

What is the difference between a content type

and a content genre?

Content genres vs content types

Genre (social convention)

• Editorial category

• Set of content building blocks that create social context

• Defines reader perception

Type (technical schema)

• Technical category

• Set of content building blocks that create semantic context

• Defines computing behaviour

Content comes from all sorts of reservations:

• Airlines

• Hotels

• Rail

• Vehicle rentals

Common characteristics:

• Semantic elements

• Content types conform to standards

• Standards are formal (schema.org microformats)

Content gets aggregated into trip itinerary services:

• TripIt

• Dopplr

Business advantages:

• Easy interchange between sites

• Ability to provide context

• Manipulate content for user benefit

Except when standards aren’t being used, and you can’t process the content.

<Task> <Title>Title</title> <ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc> <TaskBody> <Steps> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> <Info>Step info</info> <Stepresult>Step results</stepresult> </step> </steps> </Result>Task results</result> </taskbody> </task>

Task written to DITA XML standard

Returning an Item You can return an item when it arrives damaged. 1. Pack the item into a box. Be sure the original packing slip is inside the box. 2. Wrap the box with tape. The box is ready to send through the postal system.

Task would look like this to users

User assistance is built into the interface

Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration

Portlet A Portlet B

Accounts receivable

Topic Name 1 The topic is about this Topic Name 2 The topic is about this Topic Name 3 The topic is about this Topic Name 4 The topic is about this

Mapping the content to the interface

Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration

Portlet A Portlet B

Accounts receivable

Topic Name 1 The topic is about Topic Name 2 The topic is about Topic Name 3 The topic is about Topic Name 4 The topic is about

<Task> <Title>Title</title> <ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc> <TaskBody> <Steps> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> <Info>Step info</info> <Stepresult>Step results</stepresult> </step> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> </step> </steps> </Result>Task results</result> </taskbody> </task>

1. Do this. 2. Then do this. 3. Finally, do this.

1. First, do this. 2. Then do this.

Mapping the content to the interface

Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration

Portlet A Portlet B

Accounts receivable

Topic Name 1 The topic is about Topic Name 2 The topic is about Topic Name 3 The topic is about Topic Name 4 The topic is about

<Task> <Title>Title</title> <ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc> <TaskBody> <Steps> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> <Info>Step info</info> <Stepresult>Step results</stepresult> </step> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> </step> </steps> </Result>Task results</result> </taskbody> </task>

1. Do this. 2. Then do this. 3. Finally, do this.

1. First, do this. 2. Then do this.

Mapping the content to the interface

Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration

Portlet A Portlet B

Accounts receivable

Topic Name 1 The topic is about Topic Name 2 The topic is about Topic Name 3 The topic is about Topic Name 4 The topic is about

<Task> <Title>Title</title> <ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc> <UI8>The topic is about…</UI8> <TaskBody> <Steps> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> <Info>Step info</info> <Stepresult>Step results</stepresult> </step> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> </step> </steps> </Result>Task results</result> </taskbody> </task>

1. Do this. 2. Then do this. 3. Finally, do this.

1. First, do this. 2. Then do this.

Content genres vs content types

Genre (social convention)

• Editorial category

• Set of content building blocks that create social context

• Defines reader perception

Type (technical schema)

• Technical category

• Set of content building blocks that create semantic context

• Defines computing behaviour

Mapping content between genres

Help topic

Title

Preamble

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Task result

Learning topic

Title

Learning objective

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Exercise

<Task> <Title>Title</title> <ShortDesc>Short Description </shortdesc> <TaskBody> <Steps> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> <Info>Step info</info> <Stepresult>Step results</stepresult> </step> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> </step> </steps> </Result>Task results</result> </taskbody> </task>

Mapping content between genres

Help topic

Title

Preamble

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Task result

Learning topic

Title

Learning objective

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Exercise

Support topic

Title

Tech note

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Maintaining content consistency

Help topic

Title <variable>

Preamble

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Task result

Learning topic

Title <variable>

Learning objective

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Exercise

Support topic

Title <variable>

Tech note

1. Step Step info

2. Step Step result

3. Step

Taxonomy Term A Term B Term C

Equivalency Term B2

Maintaining content consistency

Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration

Portlet A <variable>

Accounts receivable

Topic <variable> The topic is about Topic Name 2 The topic is about Topic Name 3 The topic is about Topic Name 4 The topic is about

<Task> <Title>Title <variable></title> <ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc> <UI8>The topic is about…</UI8> <TaskBody> <Steps> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> <Info>Step info</info> <Stepresult>Step results</stepresult> </step> <Step> <Cmd>Step</cmd> </step> </steps> </Result>Task results</result> </taskbody> </task>

1. Do this. 2. Then do this. 3. Finally, do this.

1. First, do this. 2. Then do this.

Allows for multi-channel publishing:

• Online help

• Training

• Support

• Print

Supports additional outputs:

• Mobile

• Tablet

• Localizations

• Transformations between systems

CONTENT TYPING

Has:

• Common structure

• Common style

• Recognizable elements

Benefits:

• Consistency and predictability

• Re-use capabilities

• Content mining

Content modeling is the process of converting logical content concepts into content types, attributes, and datatypes

• Makes content understandable to humans

• Common set of attributes

• Property

• Field

• Element

Datatype restricts the data that the attribute holds, and provides:

• Validation

• Editing interfaces

• Computation

Using the metaphor of a form:

• Decide what the form fields are

• Define what is allowed in each form field and what’s not

• Decide whether a field is R-O-C (required, optional, conditional)

• Add any explanatory notes

Property

• Required or optional?

• Default value or not?

• Single value or multiple values?

• Datatype? (storage format with type of values)

Constraints

• Length of string

• List of values

• Numeric range constraint

Example of a content type

CONTENT FLOWS

Has:

• Each content type

• Destination locations (page/template)

• Describes behaviour

Benefits:

• Articulates the content types in context

• Connects where content flows from and to

• Makes requirements easier to understand

• Clarifies when customizing a web CMS

Content flows:

• Are in between content types and content models

• Explain how content works from the content side

• Explain behaviour

• Help UX pros with wireframing

• Solidify any information gaps that might derail a CMS integrator

EXAMPLE

Content flow for “initiative” content type

CONTENT MODELS

Has:

• Aggregation of multiple content types

• Implementation of business rules

• Indicated behaviours

Benefits:

• Leverages the content types

• Populates pages for maximum user impact

• Allows content mining

A content model has/is affected by:

• Content types

• Content classes

• Page types

• Operations (supported by scenarios)

• Standards (recognized)

• Behaviours

A content model tells the CMS:

• What this content IS (datatype)

• What this content DOES (behaviour)

• How to enforce CONSTRAINTS (of operations)

• A way of organizing content and its relationship within a framework or recognized protocol

• Process of converting logical content concepts into content objects by breaking the concepts into components and describing their data to a CMS*

• A support framework that encompasses structured content, a re-use strategy, a taxonomy, collaboration, and business process management**

* Deane Barker, Just Put That in the Zip Code Field ** Ann Rockley, Managing Enterprise Content

Using the metaphor of a page:

• Identify the content areas on the page

• Define the business rules about what you want the CMS to do with each of the applicable content types on the page

• Explain the behaviour of the content types in context of the page

• Connect each bit of content to infrastructure that supports the behaviour (e.g. a taxonomy)

Content model for a website home page

Content model for documentation

Thank you

© 2012 Intentional Design Inc. www.intentionaldesign.ca

Rahel Anne Bailie @rahelab

Content Typing, Flows, Models