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XML… and the Changing World

of Rules Automation:

Impacts/Opportunities

Barry Schaeffer

NASS February Meeting 2009

Content Life-cycle Consulting

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XML… What is it, Really ?

• A data coding format for… virtually anything.• Grew from SGML to simplify and update it for the

evolving Internet age.• Like SGML, perhaps the only good way of making

text logical for computers… (“SGML can do nothing more than enable documents to act

like databases” SGML developer Charles Goldfarb)

• Uses “embedded” instead of “positional” identifiers to describe content.

• Uniquely capable of fully recording the detailed logic and flow of textual data.

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XML Characteristics (in brief)

• Defining XML?– Structural Notation: rules for defining

languages, not the languages themselves.– Not a programming language– Made up of Tags, Attributes, “Maps”:

• Tags: <Name> content </Name>• Attributes: <Name ATTR=xxx> content </Name>• Maps: (machine readable)

– Document Type Definition (DTD)– Schema

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XML Characteristics (in brief)

What can XML do?• Identify content via elements and tags.• Describe elements (metadata) via attributes.• Describe hierarchies within documents.• Describe relationships among elements, within

and among documents/elements, etc.• Support processing via machine-readable

maps (DTDs/XML Schemas)• “Type” content and metadata via XML

Schemas (not supported in DTDs)

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A Quick History

“DATA”

Punched Cards(Rows and Columns)

Business Computing

Database Theory(Relational/Hierarchical)

RDBMS Software

SQL (query language), etc.

“TEXT”Morse code…

Teletype, paper tape, etc.

Embedded CodingComputer Typesetting

Page1/GML/SGMLContent Mgmt. Syst.

XMLDOM, XQuery, XSLT,

etc.

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A Directional Modelfor Text Automation Planning

Drives

LimitsRequirements Resources

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The Text Automation Life-Cycle

Delivery

Rendering

Manage-ment

AcquisitionCreation

The Classical Approach: Process Based

Development (software) Driven?

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The Text Automation Life-Cycle

The Evolving Approach: Content Based

User/Provider Driven?Raw

Content

Source Content

Deliverable Content

User Demands*

* The ultimate measure of success

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Source Content?

• WP (Word?)• Word (OML)• XHTML?• XML?• Other?

Source Content?

• WP (Word?)• Word (OML)• XHTML?• XML?• Other?

A Concrete Example:

Deliverable Content

• XHTML (web)• PDF (pages)• XML (system) • XML? (Web)

User Demands

• Web navigation• Web query• Metadata• Associations• History• Downloads• Paged products• Personalization• Simplicity• Approximation

Raw Content?

• Word new• Word old• WP• Paper• TXT•XML/SGML

Drives Limits?

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• Understand your consumers’ current and coming needs FIRST!

• Understand the limits of your providers and sources to provide raw content, next.

• Design your source content to meet those needs, taking your limits into account.

• Focus your initial software acquisition and development on content creation, revision and delivery.

• Resist the temptation to start with a high- priced Content Management System.

Some Foundation Suggestions

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Know the Consumers and their Needs You must know…

• Who they are.• What information they need and

want from you… do you have it?• What behaviors and information

you need and can expect from them.

• How much they are likely to know or care about your system.

• How much help they will need from you to use the system.

• The consequences, for them and you, if they fail.

Understand the intended Consumers

Understand TheirNeeds,

Anticipate their Demands

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Understand the Providers and Sources You must know…

• Who and where they are.

• How much control you have over them.

• What information you want from them; in what format/s.

• Their level of ability, willingness and mandate to consistently meet those needs.

• What it will require & cost to complete their raw input once you receive it.

• The consequences, for them and you, of their failure or refusal to participate.

Understand your sources/

providers

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Define & Understand the Content

• Notation (XML, images, etc.)

• Input architecture (what can you get from the providers?)

• Target source content architecture (what you keep and deliver)

• Delivery architecture (what drives response to consumers)

• Content functionality: multi-media, reuse, finding aids, transformation, revision, etc.

• Content volume, volatility

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• Consumers• Functional needs\• Risks and mitigation• Content definitions• Sources/providers• Content volume• Transaction volume• Load/growth pattern• Staff support needs• Technology• Funding requirements,

etc.

NOW… Use all of it to Conduct Rigorous System Development

System Design/Development

Staff Training

System Test

Operation/ evaluation

Requirements/ Resource

Assessment

Success?