[Sigia-l] Content Modeling Process Questions

[kate.simpson at freshfields.com]

Hi Nancy,

> - First of all, is 'content modeling' the generally accepted term for this process? 

I'm currently putting together a project plan for our Content Modelling Process - I schlepped around looking for an appropriate name for what it was we needed to do. All the terms I considered from the below list had definitions that just didn't seem to cover it (my project needed a name after all - although having looked at other project names here at the firm I coulda just picked a Roman/Greek God...).

Here are some of the terms I reviewed before plumping for "Content Modelling" : information audit, info modelling, content inventory, content analysis, metadata attribute inventory, information lifecycle analysis...
I then split this process into two distinct steps and looked for further terms I liked and created my own definitions for them: 
(1) Information Flow Analysis where we'll document the information flows of the various systems and processes around the firm by capturing a whole bunch of info about the systems, users and processes, then 
(2) Content Analysis where we'll go one level deeper and analyse and compare all of the metadata and taxonomies of the content within each system for standardising further down the road. 

Sorry if I've abused anyone's much-loved terms by doing this. I did find that some of the terms above already "had a history" within the firm and had to be avoided. I guess as long as you can document well what it is you intend to do within the process/project then calling it Bacchus or Dionysus would be fine too (it is Friday after all).

> - What tools do people use for analysis at this stage - Excel, database, other?  

At this early stage I'll be using .xls for the storing of this information. I know it won't scale well so will have to investigate "proper" tools at some point...

> - Is there any example documentation out there beyond conceptual stuff? 

>From your description it sounds like we're doing slightly different things but I'd be happy to share my broad steps with you if you're interested.

Good luck!
Kate

Kate Simpson
Information Architect
Knowledge Management
kate.simpson at freshfields.com
 
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