2024-11-09 Module 4 The Content Model

Owned by Denise Kidd
Nov 17, 2024
3 min read

Content model

  • Documents types of content

  • Detailed definitions of each content type’s elements (metadata) and their relationships to each other

  • Provides the framework for organizing content for reuse/search/retrievable (findability)

  • Enables content labeling

  • Generates the components of templates and style sheets used to structure content.

Why is it important?

It influences and is influenced by the work of several disciplines.

It’s developed with a heavy influence by SMEs. We must understand that sites or systems are designed and optimized around content

  • Blogs - the unit is a post

  • SharePoint - the unit is a document

  • Web CMS - the unit is a webpage

Why it’s important to Info Architects and UI/UX Designers

  • Helps them make sure the page designs accommodate all the content types and guides the bits of text a nd media that will be available for the page

  • Designer uses the CM to support the content, layout, and functionality in the designs

  • High-to-medium level of detail is usually sufficient for designers depending on the complexity of the unit

Why it’s important to developers

  • Can understand content needs and requirements as they configure the system

  • Use the CM to adjust their approach to create the desired result in a way that’s compatible with the way the content is configured and the way the CMS/KMS works

  • Use the detail in the CM to interpret the content needs of the system and to support the needs of the content producers who use the system.

Why it’s important to authors and producers

  • They use the CM to understand the guidelines on what content to develop and what’s needed to get it into the system.

  • The CM must be intuitive and consistent for the authors and producer to be successful in their task.

 

Need to know the related content so that other content can be updated with one piece of content is modified.

Constructing the content model

Steps

  1. Identify/document the domains of content (larger domains/areas of content: ‘laptops’, ‘auto insurance’)

  2. Document the content types within the domain (personalized, commercial, antique/classic, motorcycle - types of auto insurance)

  3. Document relationships between content types in each domain

  4. Document relationships between content types located in other domains (knowledge < FAQ < auto insurance linked to personal auto insurance)

  5. Document the rules that support all relationships

  6. Document the metadata within each content type

  7. Document user roles/access within the content model

  8. Define all domains, content types, metadata, and user roles (consider defining as you build rather than waiting until the end)

    1. What is an FAQ? for example

Take the time to do it right or take the time to do it over

  • Step 1 Content inventory - Domain: Knowledge

  • Step 2 Define the content types - lessons learned, job aid

  • Step 3 Build relationships between the content

  • Step 6 Metadata - descriptors

Knowledge asset attributes:

  • Knowledge type

  • title

  • description

  • category

  • subcategory

  • topic

  • subtopic

  • content owner

  • content steward

  • retention policy

  • creation date

  • last publish date

  • archive date

  • review cycle

  • keywords

Exercise 2

Complete a content model for WCG KMS, download the visual program modeling tool (https://www.visual-paradigm.com/)

Content types: job aid, template, procedure, SOP, quick reference, plan, reports, process, presentation, FAQ, assessment, GAP analysis, training

  • Relationships - a GAP analysis and assessment are types of report, quick reference and SOP are types of procedure

  • Plan is standalone, as is template

  • Presentation is more high level and base a template on it.

  • Project content - report is a type of project content

    • Project content < Report < Assessment

    • Project content < Report < GAP analysis

    • Project content < Presentation < Executive/User/Steering Committee/Stakeholder

  • User Access < Project content < Presentation < Executive/User/Stakeholder

  • Knowledge asset < Lessons learned

  • Knowledge asset < Job aid

  • Report < Knowledge asset or Knowledge asset < Report

Models focus on the context of the content - based on how the content is used

How to place experts? Maybe user an expert finding capability, maybe place under users, maybe a content type with qualifications as the metadata, maybe tie to reports or training