Given today’s fast-changing, cross-platform content workflows, it’s not surprising that content governance is a hot topic across the publishing industry lately. But what exactly does content governance mean? Why do you need it? And how do you successfully implement it?

Those questions are the focus of TFP’s book picks for March (also see this month’s Publishing Innovations blog). We’re highlighting a number of fresh perspectives on not only what effective content processes and practices look like and require, but also the value they bring in all media-related environments. Together, our recommended reads provide both a big-picture view of content governance along with concrete strategies your organization can use to successfully leverage it.

Content Governance Book Picks

The Content Strategy Toolkit  Enterprise Content Strategy  The Ultimate Guide  The Language of Content Strategy  Information Governance Concepts

The Content Strategy Toolkit: Methods, Guidelines, and Templates for Getting Content Right (Voices That Matter) by Meghan Casey
Content is everything. It’s a business asset that deserves strategic attention. Today, people who never thought much about content are being asked to tackle it and all its complexities, and they’re clamoring for information that goes beyond the theoretical and illustrates practical application. This book offers exactly that. It provides an abundance of examples along with concrete suggestions and action plans for how to implement strategies.

Enterprise Content Strategy: A Project Guide Paperback by Kevin Nichols
This step-by-step guide to building an enterprise content strategy outlines best practices for conducting and executing content strategy projects. Enterprise Content Strategy draws on Kevin Nichols’ experience managing one of the largest and most successful global content strategy teams, providing an insider’s look at how to build an enterprise content strategy. Full of definitions, questions you need to ask, checklists, and guidelines, this book focuses not on the what or why, but on the how.

The Ultimate Guide to Business Process Management: Everything you need to know and how to apply it to your organization by Theodore Panagacos
In this step by step guide, former management consultant and change management expert Theodore Panagacos walks you through the entire discipline of business process management. Learn how to fast track your organization’s strategy to govern processes, create a process culture, and measure business performance. Best of all, this crystal-clear, convenient-sized book can be put to work in your organization immediately!

The Language of Content Strategy by Scott Abel
This book defines 52 terms that are central to the discipline of content strategy. Each term has been defined by a contributor known for his or her depth of knowledge in that area of expertise. And each definition is accompanied by an essay that explains the importance of the term within the world of content strategy. The Language of Content Strategy provides a starting place for conversations among content strategy practitioners and between practitioners and clients.

Information Governance: Concepts, Strategies, and Best Practices by Robert F. Smallwood
This book reveals how, and why, to utilize information governance and leverage information technologies to control, monitor, and enforce information access and security policies. Written by one of the most recognized and published experts on document management, it provides big picture guidance on the imperative for information governance and best practice guidance on electronic document and records management.

If you’d like to share something you’ve read, drop us a note. And keep up with the latest industry news coverage by signing up for our This Week in Publishing emails and monthly Innovations newsletter.

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Posted by: Margot Knorr Mancini

Margot Knorr Mancini
A thought leader in the publishing industry, Margot Knorr Mancini has helped numerous publishers redefine their missions to become nimble content generators with the ability to repurpose content easily and efficiently. As Founder & CEO of Technology for Publishing, her analytical mind allows her to remain a step ahead of the industry, recognizing early trends and developing pivotal best practices.
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