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Creating an E-Content Architecture that Gets Results
Organizations are looking for results from their e-projects in areas that range from reduced customer service costs, to improved operating efficiencies, and increased product sales. To achieve these results, organizations must be willing to look beyond the e-technologies they have implemented to take a hard look at the content itself – how it is developed, accessed, and used.
The key to developing a successful electronic information system is your e-content architecture. To be effective, e-content must be structured deliberately at both the macro and micro levels based on the needs of the users and the how they will use the information.
Macro E-Content Architecture
At the macro level, answers to the question “What do users have to do in order for our e-initiative to be successful?,” and “What do they need to know in order to do it?” will help you understand what content your system must contain. Next, you must understand how users will access the information, because those answers will provide you with a framework to categorize and organize the information into logical “buckets.” Finally, you must plan on how the information will be connected. The ultimate success of what you build depends on the effectiveness of your information structure blueprint.
Micro E-Content Architecture
Your electronic information system will collapse if you populate it with poorly constructed or sub-standard content. Even at the document and page levels, you need to be sure your content is structured and organized effectively so users can find what they need easily. Adopting a standard for content development is critical. E-content writers need to be instructed in how to develop and connect well-structured information modules in a consistent and effective fashion. Applying a consistent micro e-content architecture throughout an electronic information system will not only ensure that users can find what they need, but will also facilitate information re-use and maintenance.
By developing and applying a consistent e-content architecture at both the macro and micro levels, organizations are realizing impressive results. Some organizations have reported the following results from their e-initiatives: 50% reduction in training time, 20% reduction in call center costs, and a 100% increase in customer satisfaction.
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