by RYAN MORISON
MD, Offline Digital
For centuries, content has been published and consumed in printed format. This has changed significantly in the last few decades, where content is now being published and distributed across many different channels. Publishing techniques and technology have evolved at a rapid pace, but the processes by which content is authored and published have generally remained unchanged since Gutenberg’s initial advances.
A “single-channel mindset” prevails, where the authoring of content is largely associated with the primary channel or output format for which it is intended. For example, print publications are often authored and published with content from the DTP process then being manually adapted for the Web. Activities such as removing of print-specific formatting and references to pagination are time-consuming and costly. As a result, many organisations rarely have their full range of content available on the Web in a structured, user-friendly format. Others have separate authoring and publishing processes for different channels, at great cost and risk of inconsistency. Furthermore, publishing to additional channels such as mobile remains an ambitious pipe-dream.
Recent advances in multi-channel publishing technology have seen limited adoption and have generally not been harnessed effectively as a result of the single-channel mindset and associated processes. A “multi-channel mindset” based on the assumption that content is being authored for publishing to a number of different channels enables publishers to take advantage of new technologies.
A shift in thinking regarding process is required to adopt a multi-channel mindset. Editorial and authoring activities need to be separated from layout and publishing. Authoring of content should either take various channels into account, or be channel-independent wherever possible. For example, content should be structured logically in a generic manner for authoring as opposed to being structured according to print pagination which is channel-specific. Channel-specific structure, layout and formatting should only be applied once content is approved for publishing, otherwise editorial changes need to be repeated for different channels (unless advanced single-source, multiple-output systems with bi-directional links are used).
The benefits of the process changes described can include improved accuracy, quality and speed; reduced editorial, DTP, print and distribution costs and the ability to launch new channels or formats in a quicker and more cost-effective manner. One of our customers who has adopted the multi-channel mindset and implemented the associated processes and technologies was able to free up an entire Web department to focus on improving Web quality as opposed to print content capture. Furthermore, their print run was reduced by over 80% and content is immediately available on their website long before print publications are available for distribution.
As is the case with adoption of any new process or technology, change is the main challenge. Suitable configuration of systems to meet an organisation’s specific requirements is the key to minimising change barriers. Specialist skills required for optimal configuration are often not available in-house, so an internal sponsor or change agent working with a partner with adequate technology consulting skills represents the ideal scenario. When implemented effectively, multi-channel publishing processes and technologies can yield immediate benefits while also making publishing processes more future-proof and able to adapt to rapidly changing publishing trends.
Contact
Ryan Morison, Offline Digital Cape Town, (021) 467-5402, ryan@offlinedigital.com
Lisa Cooper, Predictive Communications, (011) 608-1700, lisac@predictive.co.za