Content Management Systems: Examining the Changing Role of Technical Communicators

Content Management Systems: Examining the Changing Role of

Technical Communicators

Cathy C. RumfeltENGL 8121

July 18, 2007

Common Threads

Question: What recurring themes/ideas appeared in all three articles?

Importance of user-centered design Changing role of technical

communicators Need for critical analysis of XML,

CM, and ECM

“Coming to Content Management: Inventing Infrastructure for Organizational Knowledge Work”

William Hart-Davidson, Grace Bernhardt, Michael McLeod, Martine Rife, and Jeffrey Grabill

Introduction: Researchers align content management (CM) with

phronesis Phronesis: the ability to think about how and why we should

act in order to change things, and especially to change our lives for the better. “Aristotle says that phronesis isn't simply a skill, however, as it involves not only the ability to decide how to achieve a certain end, but also the ability to reflect upon and determine that end…” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phronesis)

Focuses CM “not on the making of texts, but rather on the good of the community for which text making is a central, sustaining activity” (Introduction)

Question: How does the idea of phronesis affect the role of the technical communicator?


Introduction, continued: When organizations come to content

management, they don’t always understand what it is

Look at bulleted lists under WHEN ORGANIZATIONS COME TO CM (2nd page)

Question: What is the difference in these two lists? What is revealed about what these authors value?


Case Studies: National professional organization (NPO) and MSU

Library websites Case Study #1: NPO

What can we do to improve our website? They had ideas about specifics, but couldn’t

discuss big picture issues/ideas Vision: provide an area where members could

respond to key issues Wanted to streamline, but at low cost Advise the NPO’s web team


NPO, continued: Question: What did the authors discover as

they researched the site? Conventions provided same info, but in a

different format Members were not using the site Needed to research users and content Found more than 20 different types of menus Audience groups shifted roles as they went on

the website – one user may have many different roles


NPO, continued: Recommendation from authors:

NPO should revise website to reflect the goals and task of users vs. the structure of the organization

Content should be uniform but customized for the needs of each role

Authors had to see beyond client’s initial problem to the bigger picture

Question: What are the implications for technical communicators?


Case Study #2: MSU Libraries MSU already had a user centered view (users

contributed to online resources) MSU wanted a new content strategy to align with

redesign of website Authors: surveys for users, analysis of existing

pages – lots of research Results:

Users view the site differently than the library Technologies varied from page to page 2 distinct types of pages


MSU Libraries, con’t:Recommendations for MSU Libraries: Create user role-based views – “landing

pages” Identified many areas where users could be

contributors and indexers and organizers Allow users to create customized views


Their Conclusions:1. Workplace writing research may be a

valuable aid to transforming organizational structures.

2. As the web itself is transforming into enterprise software for small business and non-profit organizations, technical communicators are well-positioned to provide the critical services that usually accompany shifts in new infrastructure.


Questions: Based on this article, what is “content

management as inquiry-driven practice”?

What do these researchers value in content management?

What are the implications of the two case studies presented in the article?

How has the role of the technical communicator shifted, in their view?

“Usability, Structured Content, and Single Sourcing with XML”

Filipp Sapienza

XML Overview History of XML:

Developed and endorsed by W3C in Feb. 1998 Descended from SGML (Standard Generalized

Markup Language) What is XML?

Markup language – allows one to organize and compartmentalize “mixed data types” (surgery example)

Writing documents in XML is called “structured content development” – differs from traditional writing methods that are hierarchical and sequential


Question: Why use XML? Structure “unifies content” – ensures

quality control b/c it prescribes a specific model that everyone follows

Content displays more easily on multiple platforms (wireless devices, Web browsers) with different stylesheets

Modularization – allows granules to be queried and reused (pool example, syllabus example)


4 Usability Issues that arise from XML in Content Development

Issue 1: Structured Language vs. Traditional Writing Traditional writing: sequentiality, hierarchy,

constraints of a format or genre XML: ability to generate content for different audience,

etc. Need new evaluative techniques to evaluate usability

of structured writing in a modular state Developer issues

Writer cannot connect to ideas of existing situations b/c she may not know where the module will be used

Research is needed to determine what constitutes a usable module or granule of content


Issue 2: “New Culture of Usability” XML: allows for smaller user tests during development

rather than one big test at the end; may cultivate “new culture of usability”

Universal Usability Easy for all users to use Aurora – for disabled users; uses XML to vary for different

types of users (visually vs. hearing impaired) ISTE Example

ISTE method assesses usability of manuals Users reading technical documents usually skip over

conceptual and go to constructive procedures XML templates could give users choices about which view

they want Advantages and Disadvantages


Issue #3: User as Developer Structured documentation blurs the role of developer and

user Traditional model: developer acquires info., and puts

forth content New model: user may be able to customize systems –

instead of being a recipient, she can be a co-creator Will user feel comfortable with this role? User as Developer Issues

XML – used for adaptable and adaptive systems Some users like the “malleable tools”, but consistency

is still important Additional research says level of user expertise is

linked to how much customization is desirable More research is needed – could frustrate users


Issue #4: “Usability of Interoperability” Traditional method: develop content for one

primary audience, meet needs of other audiences through visual markers

New method: XML allows for different views of the same content from a single source

Yahoo example: DTD for information sharing (news sources)

Similar content can be changed according to preferences (ex. horizontal vs. vertical views, different languages, etc.)

Research is needed to look at how these changes affect reception of content; also research for different technologies, etc.


Questions to Consider How does XML affect the role of the

technical communicator? How does XML affect the role of the

user?

“The Rhetoric of Enterprise Content Management (ECM): Confronting the Assumptions Driving ECM Adoption and Transforming Technical Communications”

Rebekka Andersen

Article Summary:Andersen examines the Enterprise

Content Management (ECM) solutions that are becoming increasingly popular in business and technology industries. She critically examines five assumptions about ECM technologies, and then calls for technical communicators to take action.


Enterprise Content Management (ECM) – “the technologies, tools, and methods used to capture, manage, store, preserve and deliver content across an enterprise”

Questions: How is ECM different from CM? Why does Andersen find ECM

problematic?


Five Assumptions about ECM technologies:1. they empower and enable workers and

end product users;2. they increase social interactions and

knowledge sharing;3. they improve content quality, accuracy,

and consistency;4. they eliminate need for technical

knowledge; 5. they require worker adoption for success.


Assumption 1: ECM technologies empower and enable workers and product end users

Questions: What is Andersen’s analysis of

this assumption? Does ECM empower the worker

and users? (page 8)


Assumption 2: ECM technologies increase social interactions and knowledge sharing


this assumption? Is there increased online social

interaction? (pages 9-10)


Assumption 3: ECM technologies improve content quality, accuracy, and consistency


this assumption? Do these technologies improve

content? (pages 10-11)


Assumption 4: ECM technologies eliminate need for technical knowledge


this assumption? Is there still a need for technical

knowledge? (pages 12-14)


Assumption 5: ECM technologies require worker adoption for success


this assumption? How does “user adoption”

affect these technologies? (pages 14-15)


Question: What do you think of Andersen’s conclusions?

Technical communicators must get involved in the business and technology discussions

They cannot remain mere recipients of ECM technologies; they must help shape them

Businesses need the alternative viewpoints

Research must be conducted; ECM technologies must be critically examined

Documents

Content Management Systems: Examining the Changing Role of Technical Communicators