Source content
Source content is defined as the chunk of content that can be used ‘as-is’ in other documents and outputs. It is the original version of content that has been created and it is considered the single source of truth.
In its content strategy, an organization defines what is the source content and the content rules that apply. Source content contains information that is vital to remain in the same (or derivative) form throughout the publication, for consistency, accuracy, or even legal purposes.
Single sourcing (defining and using source content) enables authors to create once, publish anywhere (COPA). This method of writing content improves productivity, efficiency for writing teams and increases information findability for the end-user.
Example use cases
- Enterprise data-driven knowledge management
- Support and self-service automation
- Increase productivity for field services agents
- Easily scale content when number of products and markets grows
Single sourcing
Single sourcing is the equivalent of the ‘Create Once, Publish Everywhere’ (COPE) concept, which refers to content that can be created only once and published wherever needed – as the name says – all from a central repository. Organizations can implement this concept by working with structured content. Structured or componentized content is based on a way of authoring where content is written, reviewed and approved only once, free from any formatting and design elements. Content created with this method is granular and has the unique feature of being reusable.
Once approved, authors can reuse a content component wherever and as often as needed in any digital or print output: from user manuals and medical device technical documentation to digital billboards and smart device screens. By single-sourcing content, writers ensure that content is consistent throughout thousands of deliverables of an organization’s global content. Content operation teams gain further efficiencies during the content maintenance stage as changes to the source component ripple down through all its usage instances, enabling automatic content updates.
Example use cases
- Consistent multilingual support documentation for field services agents
- Automated content updates for regulatory submissions from integrated source files
- Easy content update for automotive user manuals
- Accurate and real-time information display for the hospitality industry
Key benefits
- Enable easy management for multilingual, multiregional, multiple format content
- Reduce risks and non-compliance due to inaccurate content
- Centralize and automate content operations
- Decrease content management costs
- Reduced translation times for all types of content