Ivana Djeric: What is single-sourcing?

Source(rer): In life or technical communication?

ID: Is there a difference?

Source(rer): It depends on the source.

ID: What about its application in technical communication?

Source(rer):  You want to describe a strategy for delivering a documentation project more quickly and less expensively?

ID: Yes. And with reduced effort, if possible.

Source(rer): To a degree.  And the article and strategy is to be printed?

ID: Correct. 

Source(rer): And it may also be a learning module in an online classroom?

ID: I didn’t think about it. But it could be reused if the opportunity arises.

Source(rer): So, if the opportunity knocks you’ll open the door.

ID:  Yes.

Source(rer): And will you have the key that fits? And will this be the single-door?

ID: Why? 

Source(rer): And will the opportunity be small enough to squeeze itself through the door, or larger than life…and the door?

ID: I don’t know. I imagine I’ll find the key, possibly have a single door, and likely get out in time to catch it.

Source(rer):  But you don’t know?

ID: Not really.

Source(rer):  And will you have the tools that the opportunity requires, knowledge to use them, and rules of sharing them?

ID: I’ll get them when you need them. Who needs an umbrella indoors? 

Source(rer): Or on a hot summer day without a cloud. Are you sure your opportunity will knock on a rainy day? 

ID: What is your point exactly? That one should not rise to the occasion? 

Source(rer): Plan upfront. The source is one but destinations are many. Choose your destinations before you choose the path.

ID:  Is this a single-sourcing commandment? 

Sourc(rer): Mostly common sense. And while planning, define an appropriate process and templates for the job.

ID: Isn’t there a single single-sourcing template?

Source(rer): Do boats and cars look alike? And yet, both cross the distances.

ID: OK.  I’m jotting it down.

Source(rer): But back to your article. Will it also be reused on the Web?

ID:  Of life? Or the Wide World? 

Source(rer): Both are appealing. And hard to weave successfully. Start with the smaller task though. Chunk your effort to a manageable degree. 

ID:  I need to manage something?! I thought the source took care of itself. 

Source(rer):  Hmmm… Is not the electricity the source of light in your home?

ID:  Yes.

Source(rer): Does it manage itself or you have a switch, bulbs, and outlets to control when, how, and where it will be used?

ID: I understand. Single-sourced documentation projects need to be planned upfront, chunked appropriately, managed carefully, implemented with the appropriate tools and technology, delivered in different formats, and responsive to the needs of the audiences.
The same light may look differently to different people?

Source(rer): Naturally. Separate the content from its format. Adapt the light (of your document) to the bulbs and eyes (of your readers). 

ID: And I can write the content once and reuse it many times?

Source(rer): Yes. 

ID: Is this content management? 

Source(rer): Content Management (CM) is a broader concept. A CM system fully separates content and presentation, ensures version control and revision tracking, manages the workflow and oversees the information repository, often at a level of an entire organization. Single-sourcing is a solution for reusing information, delivering it in multiple formats, providing a unified structure, strategy and voice, and producing documentation quickly. 

ID: And really…all from the same source? Can that be? 

The single-source(rer) looked up and smiled.
Sure. All roads lead to it.