Avoid Content Management Failure: New Roles Require New Skill Sets

�Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.� (Mark Twain, �Pudd�nhead Wilson�, 1894).

If your organization is planning a move to content management, it�s likely you�ll need to obtain training from experts who understand the challenges content management projects introduce. Because content management is a paradigm shift that requires the creation of new roles, modifications to existing roles, and the development of new skill sets, it�s best to identify—up-front—what new knowledge your staff will need to succeed. Organizations that have failed to build a formal training component into their content management strategy often find themselves in the unenviable position of trying to learn-as-they-go. This on-the-fly learning approach is costly and often opens the organization to a trial-and-error learning curve that damages the return on investment made possible by a properly planned and implemented content management strategy.

New Roles Require New Skill Sets

Implementing a unified content strategy designed to support your content needs involves the adoption of new roles and new skillsets. For your convenience, we�ve matched some typical content management project roles with a list of skills needed for each, and provided links to training sessions designed to provide exactly the type of knowledge required for each job.

To learn more about content management roles, read A Unified Content Strategy: Changing Roles And Responsibilities.

Enterprise Project Coordinator

Skill set required

Broad understanding of organizational business needs across the enterprise
Ability to determine an effective unified content strategy that meets � even exceeds � your organizational needs
Ability to manage diverse requirements
Negotiating and communication skills
Strong people management talents

Suggested Training

Information Technologist

Skill set required

Designing and developing Document Type Definitions (DTDs) and other supporting content frameworks
A thorough understanding of metadata design and usage
Authoring and publishing Stylesheets
Creation and maintenance of authoring templates
Designing and implementing workflow
Designing repository structure

Suggested Training

Business Owners/Analysts

Skill set required

Broad understanding of business needs
Ability to determine an effective unified content strategy
In-depth understanding of customer needs and the ways in which a unified content strategy can support those needs
In-depth understanding of the unified content lifecycle and the requirements for success

Suggested Training

Information Architects

Skill set required

Broad understanding of content management analysis techniques and strategies (analytical problem solving, content analysis)
Experience in content design (content and element models, metatdata, usability, interface design, information retrieval)
In-depth understanding of relevant standards (usability, content creation and delivery, regulatory, etc.)

Suggested Training

Authors

Skill set required

Ability to work in a collaborative environment
Creating structured content and authoring to a model
Authoring reusable content

Suggested Training

Content Owners

Skill set required

In-depth knowledge of content analysis
Information design experience
Ability to determine an effective unified content strategy
Negotiating and communication skills
Strong people management capabilities

Suggested Training

Editors

Skill set required

Broad understanding of your unified content strategy
In-depth knowledge of content and element models
Strong editorial skills
Experience writing for multiple media, information products, and audiences
Experience editing structured, modular content

Suggested Training

A solid strategy is the foundation of any successful content management project. Training enables your staff to obtain the skills and knowledge necessary to develop, support and maintain your content management efforts and assure your project is a success.

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