Author-it say 'œMake it Work' to Content Management Professionals

David Heath
Friday, 07 March 2008 10:40

IT Industry - Strategy

Author-it, Australasia’s leading content management vendor recently announced the appointment of CEO Paul Trotter, a recognised industry champion, to the board of Content Management Professionals (CM Pros).

For the uninitiated, content management is a technology that permits the separation of content from presentation, allowing for the development of multiple maps; leading to viewable documents based on a common source.  For instance, an organisation may develop a library of standard legal clauses and rapidly produce “boilerplate” output based on a simple plan of the document required.  They may also modify one of the clauses and quickly re-publish only those documents incorporating that clause.

Training organisations also rely heavily on content management systems.  The ability to manage overlapping content is key to rapid updates and control of extensive, potentially multi-lingual instructional manual content.  Alynda Brown, Global Educational Services Manager at Citect Ltd, a leading process automation vendor and active user of the Author-it product noted that “with over eighty courses in six different languages we needed a centralised approach to documentation storage and creation.  Author-it’s content management system has provided us with a methodology to create, author and manage our materials whilst giving access to our content developers located in different geographies.”

A New Zealander, Author-it’s CEO, Paul Trotter is a recognised leader in the content management industry, noted for his practical "make it work" approach that has made him a sought-after presenter at numerous industry events around the world.  He was the original architect of the Author-it product, which was born out of the frustrations he experienced producing documentation in the telecommunications industry. His stated vision was to solve the problems that content writers face - not simply provide a cure for the symptoms.

On announcing his elevation to the board of CM Pros, Trotter said in the company’s press release "I am delighted to join the board of such a prestigious and influential group in the content management industry.  I believe my experience, practical approach and vision will be instrumental in making this organization an even more valuable asset, not only to its members but to the entire content management community."

Trotter also noted that he intends “offering a practical voice to ensure that CM Pros is seen as an organization that offers value to its members.”

With locals to the fore, we await the invigoration of the industry body.