blog
From Basic to Beautiful: How to Create Great Quality Content
Lots of what I read these days is about tools. Authoring tools, content management systems, translation management systems, terminology management systems, the list goes on and on. Tools are important. Tools have come a long way over the years. They provide many...
Six Tips For Acing Your First Content Industry Conference
You’re headed to your first conference and you have no idea what to do. Worry not, fellow conference-goer: you're not alone. Others have blazed the trails before you. Whether you’re a freelancer, working for a startup, or representing a big-name corporation, read on...
Confessions of a DITA Virgin: Is Your Formatting Automated?
Dear DITA Virgin, I’m glad to have found you – yep, I’m a DITA virgin, too. I have a lot of questions about something you said in your last post. You said, “we could write everything in plain, unformatted text - no bold, italics, heading 1, 2, or 3 styles, no...
How to Feed and Care for Your Independent Contractors
Close to one-third of the U.S. workforce is comprised of independent contractors. By the year 2020, this number is expected to grow to 40% of the U.S. workforce. Independent contractors have many roles, from legal consultants to software engineers to copy writers. At...
May is the Month for Anniversaries
May is a big month for us here at Content Rules: Content Rules turns 23 years old Our partnership with The Rockley Group turns 4 years old My marriage turns 27 years old Content Rules Turns 23! It's crazy, isn't it? Content Rules turns 23 years old this month. Some of...
Know Your T’s: Termbase versus Translation Memory
How multilingual terminology databases differ from translation memory. Translation Memory and Multilingual Terminology Management: Same Genus, Two Different Species "What is the difference between source terminology management and translation memory?" I am asked this...
Computing in the Age of Cognitive Systems
When I was at the Intelligent Content Conference a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Pavan Arora of IBM Watson. I listened to him speak about Watson and talk about the enormous content opportunity we have in front of us. I found his talks (both private and...
Confessions of a DITA Virgin: Are You Drowning in DITA Ignorance?
Dear DITA Virgin, I was so relieved to read your article last week. I too, am a DITA virgin. I’ve been in meetings where the term was used (our company is considering moving to DITA) but I really had no idea what it was. In context, it sounded like DITA was a system...
Confessions of a DITA Virgin: Are You A DITA Virgin Too?
My name is Tim Steele and I’m a DITA virgin. Oh, you’d never have guessed. When others talked about content models, tags, and information types, I’d nod knowingly as though I had plenty of experience myself. Listening carefully to my peers, I learned to use the words...
To Improve Translation, Wield the Period and the (Typographical) Bullet
In 2016, a team from Google visited 11 countries to review translated Help Center articles and customer support emails with experts in each language. We wanted to know how we could improve English source content to result in better translations. As it turns out, one...
A 10-Point Blueprint for Global Marketers
Every now and then, I attend a webinar or presentation where the presenter and I think completely alike. It's always a good feeling, as it validates what I'm thinking. I enjoy it ever more when the presenter provides me with additional information to consider. Last...
2017 Web Globalization Report Card is Out
Every year, my colleague John Yunker of ByteLevel research produces a comprehensive report on global websites. This year is no different. John released the 2017 Web Globalization Report Card this week. I have been following John, his thinking, and this report card for...
Hey Content Industry Professionals, Where are the Millennials?
Where are the millennials? As a mid-20 something millennial, one of the first things I do when I get to a conference is take a big look around the room. I first check to see if I know anyone, as it’s always great catching up with someone you haven’t seen since the...
Made in the USA: The Impact of the New Administration on Technical Communication
I’m not a politician. I’m a translation technology geek, a writer, and a wannabe linguist. But I have followed politics more actively during the last election cycle. I can’t avoid it. CNN is plastered all over every TV at my gym. The screens that aren’t carrying CNN...
Taxonomies Everywhere: Examples of Everyday Taxonomies in Use
Lately, I've been getting lots of phone calls about taxonomy. These calls come from companies who are just starting to think about organizing their content. They come from companies that have been using a taxonomy for many years, but feel that it is out of date and...
The Holy Trifecta: The Secret to Faster, Better, & Cheaper Global Content
Have you ever heard the saying, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts"? That's the secret behind what I've termed The Holy Trifecta of global content. The Holy Trifecta is made up of three parts: Structured Authoring Terminology Management Translation Memory...
I Took the Plunge – Musings from a Millennial
I was just a few weeks from moving from New York to San Jose to start my new job when I got the text: “By the way, you’ll be making a stop at the STC conference in Anaheim on your way over.” Just like that, I found out that on my very first day of work, I’d be getting...
Five Steps to Consistent Language Across Your Organization
Many companies underestimate the importance of linguistic consistency in their messaging, their corporate identity, and their product offerings. The underestimation is amplified if the company strives to create or maintain a global presence. As a company ventures...