Managing a World of Content

Blast-Off

by Rose Blessing

Ever sit around brainstorming about a new product idea? Before World Book embarks on the creation of a new product launch, these are some of the questions that development teams typically consider, Ross explains.

Concept and Content

What kinds of content do you plan to use? Photos, illustrations, text, graphs, charts?

How will you get it&emdash;assign it to on-staff writers or illustrators? Derive it from previous products? Gather from a third party?

Should a new technology be incorporated, like a hot new kind of image or animation? How much value will it really add?

What is the audience? Is it entertainment? How-to? Education? A blend?

Is the concept sustainable? How will it be maintained? When might it become obsolete?

If the concept is new: Is it filling a slot or breaking new ground? What would be competitors' barriers to entry in that market once it is broached by World Book?

Commercial Success

No matter how great the content of a product, its commercial success also depends on product presentation, branding, titling and pricing being right, too.

Producing the Work

Books are not written; they are produced.The best thing a leader can do is put together good teams, because book teams are more like film crews than single authors.

In the Long Run

It is important for a publisher to build an asset base of talent, while maintaining a balance between outsourcing and in-house creation.

Bells and Whistles

The Deluxe edition of The World Book Encyclopedia contains a full arsenal of "bells and whistles" --a major investment the company makes to help ensure the product's commercial success.

Although some of these features are used over and over gain, new ones are added every year. Features that involve programming enhancements include

1. Every word instantly defined when the reader double-clicks on it.