The XML-Files: close encounter of paranormal unstructured content phenomena

The content management space is often filled with perplexing situations where expected outcomes don't materialize, and inexplicable issues arise. These scenarios can be likened to the mysteries tackled by Agents Scully and Mulder in the iconic TV series, The X-Files. While the agents dealt with UFOs, paranormal activities, and other supernatural phenomena, we in the content management realm face challenges such as:

In this inaugural post, we explore a fundamental mystery: why aren't more companies leveraging the full potential of the content they create? Why do so few organizations have a strategy when it comes to the technical content they create?

 

As someone who often engages in preliminary discussions with companies interested in implementing structured authoring with a Component Content Management System (CCMS) as their content repository, I am frequently surprised to discover that multi-million dollar organizations with intricate requirements and IT infrastructure are considering the introduction of new tools without an underlying strategy. It's akin to someone wanting to become an UFO hunter and making investments in the latest UFO-hunting gadgets and technologies to capture a clear photo of those elusive flying saucers, without knowing the first thing about UFO sightings. It's not just about the tool itself, but also about how the tool is utilized and how it fits into the company's overall mindset, operations, and goals.

 

Much like FBI agents embarking on a mysterious investigation by posing numerous questions to those involved, I would expect a potential CCMS customer to have answers to most of the following enquiries before deciding to implement a new tool:

Without a thought-out answer to these questions, it is difficult to build a business case and show that implementing a new content tool will bring the expected return on investment (ROI). Now there’s a mystery: why would you consider implementing a CCMS platform based on the DITA XML specification without fully grasping the significant shift that moving from unstructured to structured content management entails, without understanding what DITA is and how it could benefit you?

Consider typical manufacturing companies that produce physical products like semiconductors, cars, industrial equipment, or network gear. Over the past 10-20 years, these companies have grown significantly. Historically, content creation involved tools like Word, Excel, and PDF.

When it came to creating troubleshooting guides, FAQs, training materials, or an online knowledge base, the process often involved copying and pasting from existing content residing in an Excel master file or a document management system. If the product portfolio was updated, someone would be tasked with reviewing all existing content to identify necessary updates, which would then be manually implemented by the team. Then consider the additional complexity if translation is required as part of your international strategy.

 

These companies approach us when the level of pain suffered becomes unbearable. It sounds weird, but I have a déjà vu whenever I get engaged in these initial prospecting conversations: “the old way of working just doesn’t work anymore”, “it’s impossible to scale up”, “our content is scattered in many different places”, “we’re forced to do a lot of manual work”, “no easy way to do updates or changes”, “nobody really understands where and how our content lives”, and other kinds of similar paranormal content phenomena.

 

The first thing I do is to reassure my interlocutor and let them know that they are not alone and that we have seen before the phenomena they just described. We understand the problem, we know what it takes to solve it, and we have done it many times for our customers from the same industry. The dilemma is now is the prospect willing and has the necessary resources to follow us down the path we recommend? Do they really want to solve the mystery?

If you are puzzled by all of this, please know it’s not just you. Content is and should be considered an important asset to companies and its importance should be formalized in the form of an organization-wide content management strategy. This strategy should inform the decision on the selection and implementation of new content tools. Having no coherent strategy means inefficient tools, lots of manual tasks, duplicated efforts, over-spending, and plainly just a complete lack of efficiency. Why you would allow such a state of things to continue even though you are aware you can fix it, now that’s an enigma worthy of the XML-Files. We can help solve this enigma and our prospective customers are happy to hear that a content management strategy, including the implementation of a CCMS, leads to many benefits. These include streamlined content creation and distribution processes, better efficiency and consistency, improved customer engagement and brand loyalty through relevant and high-quality content.

 

The FBI’s special agents did solve many of the mysteries they encountered in their Bureau days. But the X-Files episodes always ended with the notion that the truth somehow eluded them. This doesn’t have to be the case with your content management problems. Reach out to team Tridion’s agents in case you encounter any mysteries or problems with your content management strategy.

 

Stay alert for the second episode of our series where we will investigate a very mysterious phenomenon: what connection can there possibly be between content duplication and ghosts?