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Exploring the Information Ecosystem

with Rob Hanna CIPSTC Associate Fellow

Senior Information Architect

Transforming Knowledge into Performance

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Your Speaker: Rob Hanna CIP

A technical communicator with 15 years experience specializing in structured authoring, DITA/XML, and content management

• Senior Information Architect

• AIIM Certified Information Professional

• OASIS DITA TC Member

• STC Associate Fellow

• STC Certification Commission Vice-Chairman

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We design, create, and deliver knowledge solutions that include documentation, training, technical support services

and knowledge management professional services.

Who is Innovatia?

Innovatia’s integrated knowledge management solutions include four core competencies:

• Training

• Documentation

• Product Solutions

• Technical Support

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Agenda

• Introduction• Information in the Ecosystem• Information Behaviors• Information is what information does• Information Models• Enterprise Content Metamodel

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INFORMATION IN THE ECOSYSTEM

Understanding where information lives

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Metaphors for explaining information

Many metaphors exist to explain information• Building architecture• Chemistry• Ecology

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Information is organic

An organism is defined as• a complex system having properties and functions

determined not only by the properties and relations of its individual parts, but by the character of the whole that they compose and by the relations of the parts to the whole.

An ecosystem is defined as• a system formed by the interaction of a

community of organisms with their environment. Ecosystems are generally hierarchical ranging from very focused microecosystems to global macroecosystems.

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Information is the product of an organic mind

Why is it important to understand how the mind processes information we create?

• More information in a single edition of today’s New York Times than a person in the 17th century would have been exposed to in an entire lifetime (Richard Wurman)

• As technical communicators, we must find more efficient means for conveying information without distracting the user from the product

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INFORMATION BEHAVIORSWhat behaviors characterize content and information?

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Information properties and behaviors

Structured information possesses several common distinguishable properties and behaviors

• Structured information properties are described by their semantic internal substructures and metadata

• Structured information is−Modular−Traceable−Recursive−Patterned−Process-driven

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Topic-based Content Lifecycle

Input: Topics

Output: Information

Product

Repository: Information

Core

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Reusability

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Traceability

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INFORMATION IS WHAT INFORMATION DOES

How do I define information?

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What does information do?

Among the functions information performs are• to instruct• to explain• to describe• to advise• to relate• to recount

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TO PERSUADE OR TO INFORMUnderstanding structured and narrative content

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Language ArtsLanguage Arts for Personal Response

To emotionally engage the readerTechniques:

• narrative style• varied vocabulary &

sentence structure• withholding information• Writer driven

Meant to be READ

Language Arts for Information

To convey information that readers need to useTechniques:

• consistent modular structure• concise, direct vocabulary• use of graphics• Reader driven

Meant to be USED

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Ikea Instructions: LAFI

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Ikea Instructions: LAFPR

If novelist Michael Ondaatje wrote Ikea instructions ….

• The eel-shaped talisman squirms inside the raspy recycled box. A series of quarter turns – clock hands marking time – bonds back to base. An alphabet of connections in English and French. A into groove B. C slots into D. Chipboard credenza communicating Swedish hegemony.

−Author/parodist: Geoff ThomasGlobe & Mail, August 27, 2009

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The job application

The resume is• Structured• Semantic• Reusable• Parsable

LAFI

The cover letter is• Persuasive• Narrative• Addressed to the

reader

LAFPR

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INFORMATION MODELSWalk through information models for structured content

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Information models

Many information models exist to classify and organize information

• Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA)• Information Mapping™• S1000D• Zachman Framework

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DITA 1.0 Information Model

DITA was designed to support Task-based authoring methodology for end-user documentationThis approach consists primarily of identifying specific tasks users need to perform to be successful with their productConcept and reference information is added to supplement the tasks and give the user better understanding of the product to improve likelihood of success

Alarm Clock User Guide

About Alarm Clocks

Setting Clock

Setting Wake Up Alarm

Setting Radio Alarm

Installing Batteries

Radio Settings

Battery Specifications

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Information Mapping™

Robert E. Horn at Columbia and Harvard Universities

Core of the method developed.

• 1966: First practical application of method

• An information retrieval system to inform organizations of Federal funding in Great Society programs

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A New Way of Thinking

Information Mapping is software for the brain

MessageDesign

Human FactorsEngineering

ProgrammedLearning

Documentation Writing

Research

CognitivePsychology

Instructional Systems Design

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Information Types (1 Block = 1 Purpose)

Categorize information based on its purpose for the userAnswer all user questions on any topicDefined by one of six Information Types

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Information Types

User question

“What is the (value)?”

“What must I do?”

“How do I do it?”

“How does it work?”

“What does it look like?”

“What is it?”

Information Type

Fact

Principle

Procedure

Process

Structure

Concept

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ENTERPRISE CONTENT METAMODEL

Modeling information on how it behaves

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Origins of the Enterprise Content Metamodel

• Developed in 2003 for Canadian Tire IT• Presented in Seattle at STC Summit• Used to help guide development of business

documents in OASIS

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Who? What?

How?

Why?

Enterprise Content Metamodel

Task

Concept

Governance

Event

ReferenceActivity

Resource

Ability

Requirement

Design

Objective

Metamodel

Resource Event Event ObjectiveWhere? When?

Standard DITAStandard DITA

Task

Concept

Reference

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Task-based Information

The Task information type is central to the modelTask describes how something is performedReference describes the tools used in the TaskTask produces an Event

Activity describes what is to be performed by the TaskGovernance describes limitations on the TaskConcept provides terms for Governance

Task

Concept

Governance

Event

ReferenceActivity

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Resource-based Information

Activity describes what is to be performedActivity is performed by a ResourceActivity requires a certain AbilityResource possesses given Ability

Task

Concept

Governance

Event

ReferenceActivity

Activity

Resource

Ability

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Product-based Information

Reference describes a tool and its benefits and featuresDesign describes how the tool is built to RequirementsRequirement governs Design and functionality

Reference

Requirement

Design

Task

Concept

Governance

Event

ReferenceActivity

Resource

Ability

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Business-based Information

Objective describes the goals, business reasons, or mission affecting change

Resources, Concepts, and Requirements are suited to meet an ObjectiveObjectives may be related to previous Events

Objective

Resource Concept Requirement

Task

Concept

Governance

Event

ReferenceActivity

Resource

Ability

Requirement

Design

Event

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Conclusions

Understanding the nature of information will make us more effective technical communicators

• Structured information (LAFI) has specific properties and behaviors distinct from narrative content (LAFPR)

• Information typing has vast potential to organize content into structures that are more easily processed for comprehension

• The Enterprise Content Metamodel organizes topic-based information according to how it interacts with other information in the ecosystem

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Innovatia is hiring!

We want team players who:

• overcome obstacles using a tried-and-true mix of experience and education

• solve problems in surprising, creative ways

• build solutions that strategically incorporate new technologies

• think about the big picture while maintaining a laser focus on getting the details right.

We need• Senior Writers• Intermediate Writers• Documentation

Manager

Visit www.innovatia.net