Content management - metadata
Who
This is the work area of editors who create articles or compile material written by others. In this capacity, they are ideally positioned to determine the keywords using which content is best classified. These keywords are added as content metatadata.
New keywords, not found in the available reference structures, can be reported as candidate concepts, but on this level editing of concept data itself is not allowed. So for this workflow a thorough global overview of the knowledge domain is not necessarily needed.
What
Content metadata can be modified on an editorial level. The metadata associated with the content plays a key role in the creation of links. For instance, when editors add keywords to content this in turn can result in new links with concepts.
The editing of content metadata often requires a close link with available reference structures. If a particular set of words (controlled vocabulary) has to be used during the assignment of metadata keywords, these words will be generally supplied by the reference structures.
In order to be able to include proper metadata, editors must know which reference structures are available, and which concepts are present in these structures. Editors must also be able to view the associated data (the concept card) for each concept, e.g. in order to check if any synonyms or alternative notations are available.
Linking of concepts of reference structures and content is ususally done from within the content. This is the best way to safeguard the flexibility of the reference structures.
How
Editing of content metadata is generally done in a "regular" content management system. Reference structures act as controlled vocabularies for adding keywords to content.
Contribution of candidate concepts is done with specialised functionality.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007