Intentional Design Inc.

Consequences of not having a good content strategy

An unexpected, informal usability test shows the role of content as part of the overall user experience.

Want to learn about content strategy?

Content strategy presentations during 2009 – learning opportunities.

Component content management as content mashup

Using the metaphor of mash-ups, explaining component content management.

CMS selection practices need maturation

Janus Boye, a content management analyst whose skills I have long admired, recently posted an article Is Corruption [in the CM industry] an Issue? In it, he discusses some of the ways that vendors inadvertently, or purposefully, incent buyers to favour their products. I believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg, as [...]

5 Top Business Benefits of Content Re-Use

How do you know if a component content management system (CCMS) is right for you? Consultants may have sophisticated formulas for calculating the ROI of a CCMS, but here are some simple questions that you can answer as a self-test:

Do you re-use a lot of the same content in difference manuals, or in [...]

Content strategy includes convergence, integration, and syndication

A look at the changing nature of content, treating content as a valued corporate asset, and the changes in processes to support its use.

Protecting your corporate content assets means easy interchange

To get the most out of your content, you need to be able to re-use it in appropriate places. Having content that can “play nice” with other systems is a key component of a good content strategy.

Non-technical issues during CMS implementations — TechCraft

TechCraft, the online newsletter aimed at technical writers in India and the Asia Pacific region, has just published Volume 40, with an article of mine on understanding some of the non-technical issues that arise during the implementation of a content management system, and how to address them. Understanding how disruptive this technology change can be [...]

Taxonomy considerations in component content management

Organizing your files within a component content management sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s not that simple. The temptation is to recreate your existing file structure, with the high-level structure consisting of something like:
Level 1: Product Line
Level 1: Product Line > Level 2: Product Name
Level 1: Product Line > Level 2: Product Name> Level 3: [...]

Content technologies given graphic treatment

Web content management systems mapped out, reminiscent of San Francisco subway system