How can publishers protect intellectual property with shrinking time to market?

Device innovation @ explosive rate has disrupted what otherwise was a seamless content publishing process. Key questions I am often asked today are:

1. Can this content be delivered on iPhone?
2. And Whiteboard and iPad?How much will it cost?
3. Can we be ready in time with device launch?
4. What if flash is not supported or if ePub is not supported by that new device?

While I am already seeing early signs, I am certain that sooner or later educational publishing business will become like a home improvement business. One should be able to buy refrigerators, oven, cooking range from different manufacture and assume seamless integration or buy connectors to integrate them seamlessly. Basically, emerging trends will demand emerging standards of interoperability. However, till we reach there, each player will try to disrupt the standards & process with no sign of clear market leadership.


Just to give perspective to the market scenario, here are only some of the media, platforms, framework & standards that a publisher need to worry about in 2010.

Answer to this situation is defining organization content schema. Basically, content publishing should become plug and play and no better way of achieving this other then defining organization schema.


So how will organization content schema help?

• Protect against uncertainty of emerging devices & trends by easily reflowing information to new specs.
• Keep content separate from layout, instructions & functionality. A must considering content will be flowing on all sorts of devices.
• Ability to sell individual chunks. Need of the next generation

There are many other benefits. Long to midterm cost savings, ease of change management, easy rights & permission tracking, reusability, etc.


In my next article we will dive deeper into the content/schema framework in the evolving digital content marketplace.

Apple: iPhone OS supports open standards; Flash is closed | Mac - InfoWorld

Apple: iPhone OS supports open standards; Flash is closed | Mac - InfoWorld

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Finally eBook age seems to be here, what next?

Current publishing process has about 300 years of history with 20+ years of computerized publishing process. Procedures are set, rates are transparent, and partners identified. Suddenly all this needs to change and co-exist with increase in demand for digital content consumption. Educational Publishers are struggling to bridge process, people & business from conventional book publishing to digital publishing. eBooks are still considered to be glorified print matter (where print comes first). Most educational publishers feel adding digital flash cards, vocabularies, calculator, manipulative, quiz makes an enhanced eBook.

I feel This is still broadcast model of education. Net Generation (as described by Don Tapscott in Grown up Digital) does things differently. They prefer collaboration to broadcast, flexibility to rigid curriculum, customization & personalization to fixed design.

My reading is that the eBook age will soon transform from broadcast model of education to collaboration model.  

1. Teacher would like to contribute to eBook content. Include links, samples and other reference materials.
2. Student would like to personalize & customize eBook content. Ability to personalize the content based on reading ability, areas of interest & preferences.
3. Parents will have ability to pick & select content modules , customize learning paths independent of state/district standards
4. New Device makers will push the media to newer limits. 

eBook age is a much bigger shift then just providing content online. It has opened potentials for new marketplace & players. Traditional educational publishing marketplace as it stands today will cease to exist at an unprecedented pace.

Next I’ll write about digital content frameworks that will allow educational publishers to reduce time to market and protect Intellectual Property against what seems to be an age of device eruption.

About Vishal Dani

As a digital Publishing Consultant, I have worked in publishing industry since 1997and in that time have helpled, advised & successfully implemented digtial publishing strategy for publishers of all shape & size.

While being passionate about digital publishing, what truly excites me is the fact that this industry is on the cusp of convergence, a true paradigm shift. I truly believe that digital publishing will positively impact life, environment & experience.

What touches me is the speed at which innovation is revolutionizing this industry. New devices, platforms are opening frontiers to possibilities at speed unparallel to any in past.
As part of my job, I daily meet people and understand their challenges & problems. I feel there is a lot to answer, discover & connect in this field and hence this blog.
Please visit often & leave your valuable comment. If you wish to connect with me, please email me on vishal.dani@gmail.com.