A year ago, my family and I moved to a new house. The transition process involved careful planning for the layout, wall adjustments, electrical installations, modifications in technical specifications, and extensive renovations. We encountered various challenges requiring creative solutions.
We thoroughly assessed each room in our previous house to decide what to bring to the new one and what to let go of. We packed, collaborated with a reputable moving company, unpacked, and organized our belongings in the rooms of our new home. And today, we are living in the house of our dreams :-)
It is possible to compare and contrast the process of moving content from a previous site to a new one or between systems. The content itself is dynamic and transforms. In professional terms, we refer to this transformation as content conversion.
Before initiating content conversion, one must select a platform, features, and design templates, conduct application tests for components, categorize and update content for conversion, enlist content editors for high-quality work, establish viewing permissions, and redirect links and references to new pages. The outcome is an innovative website designed to enhance and streamline the user experience.
Currently, the projects I am involved in revolve around content conversion between external websites. In the past, I have tackled content conversion between different internal systems. I share insights into the process and execution and valuable advice based on my experiences, including challenges, strategies for overcoming them, and successes in my work.
What does the content conversion process entail?
Content porting involves transferring existing or selected portions of existing information from current hardware to new hardware. The transition to a new platform presents an opportunity to review and update existing content, reorganize the site structure and navigation menus, and create new content. Content encompasses text, images, videos, forms, and more. Even if all existing content is transferred, it is a chance to enhance its accessibility, innovation, engagement, and user-friendliness to improve the overall user experience.
The content conversion is crucial for redesigning the site/system and ongoing maintenance. It is a strategic and meticulous process that demands time and attention to detail. It represents the final step in completing the transition to the new platform.
Content conversion occurs within internal systems in an organization, moving from the current system to a new one, between external websites, transitioning from the current site to a new site, and during the upgrade/update of a version of the current platform. Regardless of the circumstances, it is essential to understand the project's scope to ensure the successful transfer of all content at the launch of the new platform.
How do I facilitate content conversion?
Content conversion can occur through automated and manual processes:
Computationally: Automated processes involve coding to transfer data, typically numerical data, reports, and files. The advantage lies in its cost-effectiveness and faster implementation.
Manually: This entails human intervention by content editors and information feeders. The process involves extracting existing information, copying and placing content on the new platform, manually uploading images and related resources, updating all links in navigation menus, and consistently monitoring and proofreading each piece of content. The advantage here is better quality, as it provides an opportunity to enhance the content. Additionally, manual content conversion is an excellent training exercise for content editors, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the new platform's functionality.
Key aspects of the content conversion process:
Up-to-date content: Optimize and validate existing content or generate new content.
Content structure: Define the new content structure and create uniform information templates, including headings, summaries, paragraphs, images, infographics, tables, bullets, and, if necessary, lists and forms.
Reader engagement: Maintain consistency in appearance, wording, and standard writing without errors. Edit content to be exciting and inviting to read, considering the customer experience. Ask yourself, "Would I enjoy reading this?"
Prioritization: Prioritize and distribute content according to a work plan to meet deadlines.
Digital accessibility: Adapt content according to website accessibility regulations.
Responsive design: Adjust content for mobile browsing.
Link references: Make necessary adjustments to current page URLs and ensure no broken links (when transitioning to a new platform, all links on the site will change).
My approach and best practices:
Understanding the new platform: Familiarize yourself with the components existing in the new platform, identify similarities to the previous platform, recognize new components and their features, understand system limitations, experiment with new components, and conduct quality checks (QAs) and controls before initiating content conversion.
Cracking the content: Analyze the existing content, its presentation, linked references, and accessibility in search. Read and comprehend the content before conversion to ensure it fits the correct information format, whether a page, list, form, etc.
Control and proofreading: Carefully read the written material after moving the content to the new format. Edit the information as needed, addressing aspects such as adding/removing commas, spacing paragraphs, eliminating duplicate spaces, correcting wording and spelling errors, and ensuring appropriate links with subsequent browsing checks.
Dynamism and constant learning: Embrace innovation and adapt the information to new features/templates. Explore the system/site's capabilities, fearlessly experiment, learn from mistakes/failures, and view criticism as an opportunity for personal growth. Acknowledge that customer requirements may evolve or encounter system malfunctions, requiring information rollback or starting afresh.
"There is no such thing as impossible." - Creativity and innovation: Find solutions that align with customer demand, brainstorm new ideas and directions to overcome platform limitations, and propose alternatives for enhancing content. Content editors must harness creativity when dealing with a substantial amount of data and strict platform limitations. If implementing alternatives is not feasible before launch, explore development options for a second phase post-site launch.
Implementation and solutions: Adapt the content template with optimal functionality, considering the ease of ongoing component maintenance post-launch and the ability for local content editors to update data independently, minimizing reliance on external providers.
The websites I edited gave me the flexibility of thought and creativity, allowing for the implementation of new components and templates. This process involved merging functionality with visual enhancements, creating an atmosphere and experience. Additionally, it encompassed information processing and content editing for a diverse range of content.
Highlighted among these sites are:
Rishon LeZion Municipality website: I participated in upgrading this external website, an impressive, advanced, and innovative platform designed and branded in the spirit of the city. It seamlessly combines the content realms of municipal services with activities tailored for city residents.
Teva's website in the UK: I contributed to one of Teva's opening sites in the UK, a significant and expansive platform influencing a broad target audience. The content transitioned from an old site to a new one, aligning with a unified platform across Teva's global sites while maintaining the brand's spirit.
In conclusion, by adhering to an orderly and organized work plan for content conversion, including rigorous quality control of the products, the result is an innovative and impressive site—much like the realization of the house of our dreams.
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