Single Source Content Management

Meeting the demand for more tailored information and diverse formats

Content created for one format and repurposed for others often causes delays in production. A single source content management approach streamlines processes, improves version control and enables content to be repurposed easily for different products and formats.

Single source content management assumes that information will be repurposed in a variety formats and that it will change over time. For this reason content creation and modification is separated from the design, layout and publishing process. Content is stored in a media-neutral format and defined and organised within an ‘information architecture’ so that topics and different types of content are easily identified.

Defining the information architecture

The information architecture creates a hierarchy of topics and identifies the relationships between them so the content can be organised appropriately. The information architecture represents the structure of the content.

Capturing content

Content is captured in a structured way using templates in familiar tools such as MS Word. This makes it easy to add metadata when the author creates it. The components of content (titles, topics, headings etc.) are labelled to store the content, the context in which it is stored and relationships between content, making it more discoverable.

Storing content

Content is translated into a neutral format called XML; this can be used to produce a range of communication outputs. XML can store content and metadata together. The storage system has robust version control and time-stamping capabilities that provide information assurance.

Creating outputs

Updates only need to be made once to the master content and can then automatically update the various different outputs. It also provides the reassurance that content is future-proofed. 

Benefits

Faster time to market through streamlined, more accurate workflows

Amendments are simultaneously replicated across media outputs; particularly useful where content changes regularly or has to meet regulatory requirements.

Drives more value from content, tailoring it to market segments

Easy repurposing across products and formats saves time and money usually spent duplicating content creation to meet the needs of different users.

Delivers to a wider audience using a range of media

Different formats means reaching a wider audience through new channels. Letting customers interact with your content in different ways drives greater customer engagement.

See how the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) are using a Single Source Content Management approach