Content Management and the need for change in Technical Communication. By: Scott P. Abel Saliba Khoury ENGL 393 May 14 th, 2007

Fact: 93% of Corporate content is created, used, and stored digitally. What is the problem? Failure to manage content effectively as a business asset making technical communication within corporations harder than it should be.

Question: Why haven’t we done anything to manage content more effectively? Answer: We resist change and are “scared” of taking this risk. Things we need to work on: Productivity, quality, reduction of time. All these can deliver excellent return on investment (ROI)

What can we do? 1. Multichannel delivery: Publish content to a variety of output formats. Ex: Print version, PDF version, online help system etc. 2. Single sourcing: Method to reuse information, put them in different formats, and deliver them to different audiences. Ex: Language translations, audience specific content, table of contents, search engine etc. 3. Enter content management – Generate a new and improved way of organizing to reduce time. It is a system of software tools, organizational processes, procedures, and training. It is a system of software tools, organizational processes, procedures, and training. With proper research, organization and planning, we can deliver excellent ROI. With proper research, organization and planning, we can deliver excellent ROI.

Think Positive!!! 1. Be open and think of this as an investment to any business. 2. This can be a break through in technical communications. 3. It will deliver unsurpassed value.