Joe Gollner: A Multi-layered Definition of “Content” – Episode 205

Joe Gollner As recently as 40 years ago, we didn't have much need for the word "content." But as soon as we started delivering the same information via multiple channels, we needed a way to identify the essential elements of content assemblies and to work with them independent of their various manifestations in information products. So the concept of "content" was born. Joe Gollner has worked with content from its earliest days and has crafted a multi-layered definition to account for is many aspects. We talked about: his work at Gnostyx Research and the research he's doing for his PhD program at Lancaster University the origins of the "birth of content," made necessary with the arrival of the ability to deliver the same information across a number of channels how to keep authors and audiences connected in decoupled content systems an animated dinner conversation he had many years ago with a developer around the intent of markup languages his distinction of the differences between content and information his seven-layered definition of content: terminological - content as that which is contained conceptual - content as potential information process - accounting for the variety of content roles in the creation of information experiences physical - content as a complex, composite artifact structural - content described at a simple, common base level, separate from the semantics about it organizational - content as an expression of organizational intent business/financial - content as an enterprise asset his desire that the content community convene a "meaningful, grounded, academically robust and business-meaningful" conversation around content so that we can bring more to our cross-disciplinary enterprise relationships Joe's bio Joe is the Managing Director of Gnostyx Research Inc. where he specializes in providing objective and research-based guidance on the development, management, and strategic use of content technologies. In this field, he is a veteran implementer with over 30 years of experience, and he is well-known for mixing leading-edge ideas (and all too frequently concocting them) with highly pragmatic implementation tactics. He has Masters degrees from both the University of Oxford (Literature) and McGill University (Management), blogs about Content and Management, is working on a book about “Engineering Content”, and is pursuing doctoral research into the role of AI-enabled text analytics in the management of organizations. Connect with Joe online LinkedIn Gnostyx Research Inc. Content and Management blog Video Here’s the video version of our conversation: https://youtu.be/W8qVCIkrciM Podcast intro transcript This is the Content Strategy Insights podcast, episode number 205. Forty years ago, we had little need for the word "content." Books were books. Manuals were manuals. Life was simpler. But as soon as we started putting the same information between the covers of a book, on a CD-ROM disc, and then on the web, we had to sort out the content from its delivery channel. Joe Gollner has worked with content from its earliest days and has crafted a detailed, seven-layer definition of this foundational content-strategy concept. Interview transcript Larry: Hi everyone. Welcome to episode number 205 of the Content Strategy Insights podcast. I am really happy today to welcome to the show, Joe Gollner. Joe has been around the content world for a long time and is very experienced. He's currently the managing director at Gnostyx Research. We could literally talk for hours about content stuff, but today I really want to focus in on what are we even talking about when we talk about content. So welcome Joe. Tell the folks a little bit more about what you're up to these days. Joe: Hi Larry. I'm really happy to be here. It's a great way to kick off a day from British Columbia. I guess, in addition to my,