Gap Between Creation and Management – Part 2

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Originally posted by Troy Allen on CMSWire on December 14, 2010. 

Abstract: The following article has been split between two parts. Part two continues to provide details on techniques to bridge the gap between creation and management.

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In an Ideal World, Integration Would be Seamless

A lot still needs to be done in order to bridge the gap between creation and management when it comes to rich media files. An ideal solution would include a DAM product that is designed to integrate with the creation product’s management applications.

Users should be able to store a graphic in a repository, call it into a creation project, share it with other users on that project and be notified when that graphic is updated.The person updating the graphic should be able to perform a search to see all compositions that are using the file so that the artist knows the impact of editing the graphic.

While working in a tool such as Adobe Photoshop, a user should be able to navigate to a file system, to Adobe’s Version Cue or to an enterprise DAM repository like Oracle’s Enterprise Content Management to find the elements required to complete a composition.The user should then be able to store that composition in a DAM repository so that other users can use that same composition as an element in another project.

There have been limited co-development efforts between DAM producers and creative tool designers. Until true integration happens, organizations will have to work within the boundaries of the product or design their own solutions to get the best out of their resources.

Suggestions for Bridging the Gap Between Creation and Management

Companies need all the capabilities that the creative packages provide along with the extended functionality of DAM solutions. As demand drives efforts to bridge the gap between creation and management and as organizations and users become more sophisticated, both management and creation products will have to adapt to keep pace.Until then, here are some points that can help bridge the gap:

  • Store all individual elements within a DAM repository. Have the DAM system configured for subscription services to notify users when new elements are added and updated, enable workflow process for approval and validation and apply security to match content utilization across the user community. Even though most DAM and creative applications are not integrated, users can still search the DAM system to find the elements they need, record in the elements DAM metadata record what project or compilation the element is being used for, and download a copy for use in the current project.When the compilation is finished, store it in the DAM system for future reuse and workflows.
  • Utilize the built in work-streams of the creative tools. As elements are downloaded from the DAM, store them within the project of the creative tool. Periodically review notifications from the DAM system and update the project when elements are updated.
  • Try to maintain a single trusted file for any element within the DAM system. Refrain from simply storing elements on a shared file system or sending them to project members via email. Having a single and validated source of an element can help to increase consistency and reduce the time spent finding items needed to complete compositions.
  • Take the time, either with your own resources or with assistance from external consulting firms, to truly understand how your content creators work. The first step into maximizing any process requires fully understanding how people perform the tasks. Automate what needs to be automated and reduce the time spent on finding the things your creators need by increasing the enterprise search functionality.

In the corporate world where rich media files are used as individual objects or as compilations, it is important to manage them efficiently. By combining creation tools with digital asset management, companies can reduce production times, make the processes more efficient and increase productivity.

Even though the gap between creation and management still exists, it is getting smaller. Companies can find the solutions they need for their particular process by combining creation and management and using creative solutions — either that the company themselves create or one provided by external consultants.

There is no complete of the shelf solution for every process, but with a little ingenuity, a solution can be devised.

 

Content Management (UCM) Metadata Profiles Part 2

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Originally posted by Troy Allen on CMSWire on May 11, 2011.

Abstract: The following article has been split between two parts. Part two continues to provide an overview of utilizing Metadata Profiles within the Oracle WebCenter Content (formally known as Oracle UCM Server).

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A New Approach to Unleash the Power

While working on a few of my most recent projects, I’ve started taking a different approach to metadata modeling for Document-centric applications of the Oracle UCM. By working from the outside-in, a model can be built that better drives the user experience.

The following is a simple guideline for building a metadata model without having to waste all of those sticky notes stuck to the wall. While this is specific to the Oracle UCM, it could be modified for other content management applications.

Metadata by Sticky Notes

Source 1 – StickySorter Free from OfficeLabs published Novermber 28, 2008 by http://workerthread.wordpress.com

Step 1. Determine the types of content that will need unique metadata options. Examples of these may include Marketing, Finance, IT, and Compliance. Content may also have special needs based on the formatting of the content such as images or video files.

Step 2. Create a usage modeling spreadsheet and layout the required fields for each type and what the optional fields will be; include notes on how the field will be used or specific criteria for the fields:

Step 3. Insert all required and optional metadata fields into the Configuration Manager or Metadata tool (note that some fields may already exist as system metadata fields).

Step 4. Determine which metadata field will be used to drive the profiles. It is best to use something like ProfileTrigger.

Step 5. Create Rules for Global Required fields and for Profile-specific required fields.

Step 6. Create Rules for Profile-specific Optional metadata and include any special field handling requirements gathered from usage modeling:

Step 7. Create Profiles for the specific types of content that require different screens and add the appropriate rules:

Step 8. Test the new profiles and validate with the end users.

Final Thoughts

Profiles within Oracle’s UCM allows administrators to create better interfaces for their users while improving the systems capabilities around the metadata it collects for each managed object. If a user is presented with too many fields or has to put too much thinking into the tasks of checking in content or searching for it, they will find ways not to use the system.

 

 

Content Management (UCM) Metadata Profiles

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Originally posted by Troy Allen on CMSWire on May 11, 2011.

Abstract: This article provides an overview of utilizing Metadata Profiles within the Oracle WebCenter Content (formally known as Oracle UCM Server).

Oracle Content Management (UCM) Metadata Profiles

There is power in Metadata. Unfortunately, administrators tend to overlook or not fully understand the abilities of the tools that come with most enterprise content management applications. Oracle’s Universal Content Management application has a not-so-hidden gem that is all too often overlooked: Metadata Profiles.

Content management applications have taken different approaches to metadata modeling. While some have allowed administrators to create metadata schemes for different types of managed content, Stellent’s Universal Content Management application (now Oracle Universal Content Management) took a repository wide approach. For years, this meant that all metadata was displayed for searches, check-ins, update, and on the document information page regardless of type of content or intended utilization.

Over time, savvy developers created components that would allow administrators to hide certain fields based on criteria. These components tended to be unwieldy and required a lot of maintenance during product updates. Several releases ago, product management provided a capability in house to allow administrators to configure their own screens to show only the metadata required based on established criteria. While this capability, called Profiles, has been out for a long time, it is still one of the most under-used utilities of the application.

Search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo have conditioned users to having a single field that seems to do it all for them while searching. Present a user with 50 or 60 fields on a search page and they will refuse to use the product. The same holds true for check-in pages: the more fields a user has to fill out, the less likely they are to provide good data. Even if you can limit the number of fields required to perform an action, mistakes tend to happen or people are just in a hurry and want to submit their content.

Any modern content management system should be able to support multiple “applications” within the enterprise. Most often, this may be a repository for a website, a human resources document management system, a records management vault, and even a repository for technical CAD drawings all at the same time. Each one of these applications has its own metadata requirements where certain information is needed to allow users to retrieve the stored content in the most efficient manner. Most often, the metadata about the content is used to determine how other applications will integrate and utilize it or may even drive publication rules. When users don’t fill out metadata correctly, processes can be broken.

Forms of Metadata

Metadata can take on many forms. The most common are:

  • Text Fields: Free-form fields that allow users to insert their own values
  • Lists: Pre-defined lists of options for users to select from. These lists may allow users to add adhoc values if needed
  • Date fields: Date fields are often used to drive time-based events within the repository
  • Integers: Numerical fields usually used for rankings
  • Decimal: Numerical fields with defined decimal lengths used for financial information for coordinates

Through Rules and Profiles, administrators can combine these elements to create sophisticated metadata models. One of the most common metadata field enhancements are Dependent Choice List. As the name implies, this allows administrators to create fields where the values are a controlled set of options based upon the value of another field. While this went a long way to making Metadata modeling more efficient, it wasn’t until Profiles came to the scene that true Power was provided to the repository.

Profiling

Profiling allows administrators to create subsets of metadata fields based on triggers. The following are just a few of the more advanced modeling techniques and use cases that can be deployed:

  • Group Metadata fields: grouping like metadata fields helps users to fill out information in a coordinated fashion.
  • Hide or Display fields: based on the type of content being searched for or checked in, criteria options can drive which fields from the global set are displayed.
  • Make fields required based on criteria: in the “old days,” establishing a metadata field as required was a global action. With profiling, values of other metadata selections can determine if a field should be required or not. Administrators can even test against User Information to determine if a field is required; for example, a user has a “User Metadata” field for Department set to Finance. When the user goes to a check-in screen, the content metadata field “Workflow Path” may be required. For users who belong to “Marketing,” this field may be optional.
  • Derived values: metadata field values can be derived based on values from other fields by combining the values of multiple fields, or can even be generated by code triggered by values from other fields.

Learn more about Oracle Content Management in part two of our series

—-End of Part 1, please continue to Content Management Metadata Profiles Part 2

 

Gap Between Creation and Management

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Originally posted by Troy Allen on CMSWire on December 14, 2010. 

Abstract: This article provides an overview of gaps between creation and management within organizations. Also, will provide suggestions on how to bridge this gap between tools used for creation and management techniques 

When people think about creating new digital assets, products like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash, Avid Media Composer or Sound Forge Pro are the professional’s first choice — depending on the task at hand. Many of these products include a workflow management application which allows users to create projects, share files and apply some level of versioning to the files. Unfortunately however, not all products work together during the creation process.

The Divide Between Asset Creation and Asset Management

Asset elements are often used by many different users in various applications to compose a finished project. Video files are a prime example of this where graphics, copy text, photographs, video files, 3D effects and sound files are created individually in separate applications and then brought together to create a final product.

Corporate videos will usually include files that have been used elsewhere such as in correspondences, websites, print advertisements and internal documentation.

While having the ability to manage files and share assets within a suite of products has improved efficiencies and time to market, there are still gaps when it comes to managing the asset elements and compositions for re-use for future editing.

Sena Systems

The same graphics from Sena’s website are also used with other publications such as this example banner:

Sena_header.jpg

In both of these examples, the corporate logo came is from a company approved pool of images. The graphic of the two men is from an approved set of backgrounds and two unique fonts — Pirulen and JaneAusten — were used in the banner but not in the website.

3 Ways to Manage Assets

Each of these individual elements can be managed within a traditional DAM system, managed locally by a specific user, managed by a creation product’s utilities or simply saved on the file system. With each of these methods, there are inherent benefits and problems:


—-End of Part 1, please continue to Gap Between Creation and Management Part 2

Metadata in Content Management

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Originally posted by Troy Allen on CMSWire on January 10, 2011. 

Abstract: This article illustrates the importance of Metadata in Universal Content Management applications. 

One of the biggest hurdles in implementing an effective Content Management application is to establish a usable Metadata Model. Having a repository of data that users cannot search and access information from is no better than storing data on a simple file system. Let’s look at some common models, in particular Dublin Core. Content Management, no matter what type of content, requires a strong Metadata model and Security model to ensure correct management of objects and true usability.

The Importance of Metadata in Content Management

To put it simply, Metadata is a set of fields and values used to describe and categorize content and managed objects. As a general rule, Metadata is key to these functions:

  • Search – Users will often want to search for key data associated with a file such as an Author, Date Published, Key Words, Topic and so on.
  • Distribution – Values associated with content are often used by applications to determine when and where content will be distributed or shared too.
  • Access – Security applied to managed objects are often part of the overall metadata model. Applications that filter the metadata model during distribution are actually applying a light level of security in terms of delivering targeted content based upon business rules matching metadata values.
  • Retention – Most Records Management applications rely upon content metadata when performing retention rules.

Metadata Standards

When evaluating taxonomies and metadata models, organizations should first look to see if there are any standards that external parties require them to use when sharing data. For example, organizations dealing with the US Department of Justice, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Health Information Knowledgebase or the US National Cancer Institute will more than likely need to adopt the ISO/IEC 11179 standard. There are standards available, and sometimes required, in almost every kind of industry. The following are a few of the most common standards:

—-End of Part 1, please continue to  Metadata in Content Managment Part 2

 

 

  • Archiving and Social Science
    • Data Documentation Initiative (DDI)
    • Text Encoding Initiative (TEI)
  • Archiving
    • Encoded Archival Description (EAD)
  • Arts
    • Categories for Description of Works (CDWA)
    • Visual Resources Association (VRA Core)
  • Biology
    • Darwin Core
  • Book Industry
    • Online Information Exchange (ONIX)
  • Data Warehousing
    • Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM)
  • Ecology
    • Ecological Metadata Language (EML)
  • Education
    • Learning Objects Metadata (IEEE LOM)
  • Geographic Data
    • Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM)
  • Government/Organizations
    • E-Government metadata Standard (e-GMS)
    • Global Information Locator Service (GILS)
    • ISO/IEC 11179
  • Images
    • NISO MIX Z39.87
  • Librarianship
    • Machine Readable Cataloging (MARC)
    • Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS)
    • Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS)
  • Media
    • PBCore
  • Music
    • Music Encoding Initiative (MEI)
  • Network Resources
    • Dublin Core
    • Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
  • Records Management
    • ISO 2308

Content Management System or The Portal

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Originally posted by Troy Allen on CMSWire on April 18, 2011.  The following article has been updated from its posting.  It has also been posted on Oracle’s WebCenter Blog.

Today software companies are combining Content Management and Portal applications into a single service. This combination allows for a more insightfull and detailed approach when presenting information to users. In the past, portal products have had some kind of content store embedded within them, but were never designed as enterprise level content management applications. Content Management applications which provided Web Content Management claimed to provide some Portal-like capabilities, but were never meant to be a true portal replacement.

In years past, there was a clear process for implementing the strategy: approach it from either the CMS first or Portal first position. Because of the strong inter-dependencies between the two technologies, administrators and developers are at odds over where to start. So which is the chicken and which is the egg? Which one comes first?

Chicken or Egg

The CMS or the Portal?

The answer is, neither. Today, businesses are able to purchase a suite of technologies that provide the best of both worlds like the Oracle WebCenter suite of products; now the problem is how to deploy them in a meaningful and functional fashion. Typical solutions utilize the portal as the front-end engine with the content management application hidden safely behind the scenes as the repository for all forms of content being presented through the portal.

However, today’s technologies bring added complexity with the need to include security, business intelligence tools, caching solutions and integrations to other application sets. It is more important than ever to understand the function the entire solution will provide and what the overall goals of the implementation will address.

The following example could be any company’s public website. In this case, TechWidgets wants to provide both their customers and partners with a single interface for reviewing products, finding out about all the services that are offered, what is available for potential partners, and providing access to functions such as ordering, quote requests, sales and more. If TechWidgets were an actual company, they would need to determine all the functions and capabilities for their online application and create a roadmap for the final solution.

TechWidgets

Evaluating the Options for a Portal/CMS App

In evaluating a Portal/Content management application, companies should be able to address the following basic questions (which will help to determine the design and implementation approach):

  • What is the basic function of the solution (the following are examples of common Public facing sites)?
    • Targeted Content — an example of this might be a membership driven portal where data is presented to the user based upon profile information or a product(s) site.
    • Sales and Commerce — these types of applications drive revenue through sales and are application rich environments with shopping carts, sales processing, discounts and rebates, and product information.
    • Knowledge Sharing — This may be a self-service knowledge base for registered and unregistered users which may tie into a trouble ticketing system
  • What are the Security requirements?
    • Some applications may be based on light-weight security that delivers content based on profile information rather than true access controls.
    • Some applications will require Single Sign-On support to other applications being presented through the portal. A knowledge management or support portal may need to log the user into other back-end systems while providing content that is strictly controlled based on specific criteria.
    • Some product and brochure sites may be purely unrestricted repositories for information that all users can search for or navigate to.
  • What applications will be presented through the Portal?
    • Many companies are looking to provide ERP, Sales, Campaign Management and customer/partner support applications through a consolidated interface.
    • Many companies have written custom applications which need to be shared with the public.
    • More often than not, companies are embracing Social Media applications like Face Book, Twitter and Share. It is often desired to have these applications lined directly to content and functional areas of a portal.

Due to the level of dependencies each of these topics has on each other; it is no longer possible to build a web solution in silos. Administrators and developers must map cross-functionality, understand the dependencies and create parallel paths for designing, developing, testing and deploying the final product. With that in mind, it is no wonder that companies have a hard time finding a starting point.

What Comes First?

The following plan can provide a good overall strategy for taking on such a daunting task:

  1. Define the Business Requirements
    Understanding what you are trying to accomplish should always be the first step. Often, I see companies that have decided to “deploy a portal” without understanding the purpose behind it. By defining requirements around Functions, Content, Applications, Security and Administration, organizations can refine a manageable set of objectives for the web application.
  2. Create a wire frame walk through
    Consider why a movie director creates a storyboard: a progression of simple sketches of key points and actor interactions gives the actors and crew a visual “map,” which organizes actor positions, camera angles, as well as providing a condensed version of the story. In essence, it’s an outline which allows organization of needs in a simple, cost-effective manner. A wireframe or story board of the “day in the life” of the different types of users helps companies organize the requirements of their users, and also discern interrelationships of function, security and application that are needed within their own system. They say a picture paints a thousand words. Being able to describe the aspects of any given page and any given section within that page will also help find logical discrepancies between the Business Requirements that were created and help to solidify what is really necessary.
  3. Map the Technologies
    With the Business Requirements and Wireframes in hand, it is easier to determine what technologies will be needed to support the requirements. Companies will need to build compatibility matrixes between the different technologies that meet the Web Application’s needs while ensuring that integrations are possible and supportable. Look for companies that already provide integrated solutions. It is often better to choose a suite of products that provide 80% of the requirement’s functionality and add the remaining 20% through 3rd party applications, then to assemble the system from scores of products from different companies.
  4. Define the Infrastructure
    With the required technologies outlined, organizations can now start to build out the infrastructure requirements to support the application. They can define and assess what type of servers, operating systems, storage devices, hosting facilities (if going with a Cloud based solution), and networking requirements are needed. It is often best to try to re-use existing infrastructure when possible.
  5. Create a blueprint
    Now that the Requirements have been gathered, wireframes established, technologies decided upon and an infrastructure has been outlined, it is time to do parallel analysis of each section of the overall application. Analysis will help to draw out further requirements, streamline the application flow and provide a solid foundation of information for the actual design of the system.
  6. Design the application
    With the overall application’s vision clearly defined, architects can start to design the integration, infrastructure, and application elements that will bring the overall system to live. It is recommended that proofs of concepts be made between application integration points. Design process should include a method for editing both the requirements and the application walk through or wire frame. Conceptual testing and validation within the design stage will help to eliminate wasted development tasks caused by unrealistic expectations.
  7. Build the solution
    As mentioned, good analysis and thorough design work helps prevent extra time in development. With all the puzzle pieces together and instructions on how they fit into a cohesive image, it is time to build out the security models, metadata models, look and feel, application integration points and code required for the application. While most organizations go through a User Acceptance Testing (UAT) process, it is preferable to test often as you go through the development period. Unit testing should be a required part of any development task. Additionally, don’t skimp on the documentation. It is one thing to build an application as quickly as possible, it’s entirely a different story to keep it running when all the developers are gone and no one understand how it was put together. Taking the extra time to document the development process will save time and headaches when it is rolled out to production and has to be maintained.
  8. TEST, TEST, TEST
    For very complex applications like a company portal, there are so many moving parts that it is easy to miss a problem. Create a well-defined test plan for each aspect of the site and make sure that it is tested in every conceivable way. Remember, the portal is the world’s view into your organization. How well it works can be a huge deciding factor on whether or not someone does business with you. It is common for testing to take as long, and in some cases, longer, as the development cycle.
  9. Go Live
    All the work has been done, the site has been thoroughly tested, and now it is ready for the world to see it. Make a production out of it, externally AND internally. You’ve worked hard to roll out your portal application and you should be proud to show it off. Create a media campaign and press releases to give it exposure. Have a team party for a job well done. And now that the work is done, get ready to maintain it and start gathering information from the users on how to make it even better and more efficient. Portals never stop growing. Well-designed portals lend themselves to continued enhancements in order to better facilitate both internal stake-holders and external users. Make sure that you provide a way to gather feedback so that that you have a good foundation of requirements for the portal’s next phase growth.

Oracle WebCenter and other Oracle Technologies Make it easier.

As mentioned in the original article I posted, many companies are combining Content Management and Portal technologies as a suite of products to provide a complete solution.  Oracle’s continued focus on providing integrated platforms to solve real business requirements is showcased very well in the WebCenter suite of products.  By providing Content Management (WebCenter Content), Web Experience Management (WebCenter Sites), Enterprise Portals (WebCenter Portal), and Enterprise Social and Collaboration services (WebCenter Connect), Oracle is providing a platform that allows business users, administrators, developers, and consultants to orchestrate meaningful online business experiences.  These applications leverage (and are leveraged by) many of the other Oracle products allowing organizations to maximize on their investment while reducing overall cost of ownership.

Because the WebCenter technologies fit so well together, the tasks of Mapping the Technologies is simplified, Defining the Infrastructure is streamlined, Designing the Application is more intuitive, and Building the Solution is more straightforward.