HR191 JOB DESCRIPTION NOTES Forms must be downloaded from the UCT website: http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/sapweb/forms/forms.htm This form serves as a template for the writing of job descriptions. A copy of this form should be kept on file in your office. For re-evaluations, this form must be sent to your relevant HR Advisor/Officer Position Title (current title) POSITION DETAILS Content Analyst/Developer New position title Status of Post (tick) New Post Re-evaluation Job Grade (current grade) 9 Faculty (if applicable) Department Section (if applicable) Section name change Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS) Content Architecture section of Systems Division (was ACS) Date of Compilation Original May 2005, revised in 12 July 2010, replaced in July 2011 Job Title Date of Grading Grading Result FOR OFFICE USE ORGANOGRAM Director, Systems Division Content Architecture Team Leader Senior Content Analyst/ Developer Content Analyst/ Developer Records Management Systems Analyst PURPOSE The main purpose of this position is to perform content analysis and content development, (managing information and standards, modeling processes, performing usability testing, and planning, developing and maintaining technical writing solutions) for Systems Division, ICTS and administrative departments of UCT in a standardized, professional, efficient and serviceorientated manner. 5 August 2009 Page 1 of 7 HR191
JOB CONTENT Key Performance Areas (4 6) 1. Information management and content publishing (Area: Information strategy) 2. Business modelling (BSMO) (Area: Business change management) % of time spent 15% Information management: 10% Activities / Objectives / Tasks Results / Outcomes Competencies Maintain information handling procedures. Ensure the availability, integrity and searchability of information through the application of formal data structures and protection measures. Comply with relevant organisational policies and procedures, taking into account the risks around the use of information. Ensure that information is presented effectively. Based on business requirements, maintain document type definitions Maintain document types into the metadata architecture (and file plan, if required) Maintain core metadata and additional metadata requirements for document types Maintain taxonomies, vocabularies and metadata schemas Maintain XML validation rules Document and model content sources Information content publishing: Specifies and creates content management processes to meet the needs of users. Uses agreed tools to make finished material available on appropriate platforms. Strategising Conduct audience analyses on behalf of customers. Research and advise customers on the pros and cons of different technical writing solutions and technologies. Models current and desired scenarios as directed. Selects appropriate modelling techniques for meeting assigned objectives. Gains agreement from subject matter experts to models produced. Reviews resulting models with stakeholders and gains resolution to resultant issues. Information is managed proficiently to the required standard. Document Type Definitions and XML schemas are maintained such that they identify which content is to be displayed where, and how it is to be formatted in different information channels (such as portals, print media, mobile sites...). Customers are given recommendations (based on research) as to their communications strategy, as necessary. Audience analyses are completed, as necessary. Research is undertaken to inform TC strategy. Business processes are modelled according to required standards and are approved by stakeholders and business owners. ECM practitioner qualification Understanding of information management principles Knowledge of XML and XML publishing (DTD, XSLT, XML Schemas) Data and process modelling Knowledge of metadata methods and standards Ability to define taxonomies, controlled vocabularies and thesauri Ability to normalise data and manage semantic disambiguation Ability to analyse, synthesise, structure and abstract large amounts of information Understanding of editorial and publishing processes (print and electronic), Excellent English language and communication skills Commitment to quality Ability to work according to prescribed standards Conversant with techniques covering full range of modelling situations. Data and process modelling Knowledge and understanding of the business functions Strong interviewing and communication skills Have knowledge of organisation- 5 August 2009 Page 2 of 7 HR191
Key Performance Areas (4 6) % of time spent Activities / Objectives / Tasks Results / Outcomes Competencies standard techniques. Visio 2007, Visio 2010 3. Information content authoring (INCA) (Area: Solution development and implementation Systems development 55% Planning Analyse scope and resource requirements, and calculate time to complete allocated work. Build plans for completing allocated documentation work, coordinate and facilitate collaborative process. Monitor progress of allocated work Content authoring Liaises with clients/users to clarify details of requirements. Designs, creates and tests moderately complex, well-engineered information deliverables/solutions with specified content and layout using appropriate tools. Create drafts for review of information format and content and manages the review process. Organise the production and distribution of approved documentation items. Manages the configuration of documentation items and files, within own area of responsibility. Scope, resource requirements and time for allocated work are assessed and calculated accurately. Plans are created and carried out within the prescribed time frame. All documentation/help solutions delivered in line with UCT standards and to customer s expectations (as indicated by their sign off where appropriate) Note: Information deliverables could include new forms, new or revised topics for online help projects, new online help projects, revised content sets associated with system upgrades, help topics associated with change management, etc. Knowledge of and ability to apply the UCT styles and standards Interviewing skills Excellent English writing skills Word 2007, Word 2010, RoboHelp X5, WinSCP, Captivate proficiency Ability to work well in a team Effective planning, time management and organisation skills Commitment to quality Proofreading and analytical skills Ability to work under pressure on a variety of tasks 4. Usability evaluation (USEV) (Area: Solution development and implementation /Human factors) 5. Learning and development: Education, training and delivery (ETDL) Continuous learning Maintain and manage existing information deliverables within area of responsibility. 5% Usability evaluation (USEV) 10% Training delivery Assists in the preparations for evaluations and in the operation of the test environment. Maintains the test environment and evaluations, as applicable. Deliver training on technical writing and content architecture principles, skills and tools to a variety of audiences using a range of instructional techniques. Continuous learning Internalise and promote best practice technical content authoring principles, philosophy, practices and styles and standards. Acquire and maintain knowledge in the field of information management, technical content authoring, business process modeling, and usability testing and in order to provide appropriate guidance to customers. Stay abreast of new technologies and approaches to user assistance. Support for usability testing is given to customer s specifications and expectations and adds value to the system/content development process. Required sections of the TBW course trained accurately and completely and assistance provided to course participants. Seminars/workshops presented accurately and completely and assistance provided as necessary. Work and attitude reflects continuous education and learning Ability to create usability tests according to requirements. Understanding of usability principles. Analytical skills and report writing skills Word 2007, Visio 2007 and PowerPoint 2007 proficiency for developing and maintaining training materials and presentations UCT documentation template Training/presentation skills, patience when assisting with exercises Business process development experience Continuous learning ability and focus 5 August 2009 Page 3 of 7 HR191
Key Performance Areas (4 6) % of time spent Activities / Objectives / Tasks Results / Outcomes Competencies Communicate new technologies, opportunities and standards when appropriate. 6. Form creation 5% Create new forms in liaison with SD Administrative Officer If necessary, act as a backup to the SD Administrative Officer for form maintenance Develop and maintain help documentation for forms on request. Regular interactions User departmental supervisors and managers Systems analysts and developers Other ICTS staff and management Vendor staff and management All documentation/help solutions delivered in line with UCT standards and to customer s expectations (as indicated by their sign off where appropriate) Knowledge of and ability to apply the UCT styles and standards Interviewing and communication skills Strong English writing skills Word 2007 or 2010, WinSCP, FrontPage proficiency Planning and organisation skills Commitment to quality Proofreading and analytical skills LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY Decision making Is the requested additional metadata acceptable and to the correct standard for this content type/object? What approval needs to be acquired before changing it? Do the requested changes fit into the existing metadata standards in use? Are there applicable controlled vocabularies, taxonomies for any additional metadata? Are the content types documented to the correct standard for import into the content management system? Are the content type templates up to date? What are the alternative solutions for this content analysis/development problem? Which solution would I recommend, and why? Is this system/documentation/metadata/business process meeting the user s needs and easy to use? Has this business process been clearly mapped using the correct mapping tool and style for either system use or end user consumption? Have all the necessary questions been asked? Is there agreement on the as is and to be processes? Do the stakeholders approve of them? How much time will it take to carry out these project tasks and what resources are needed? What plans need to be specified? Why is this project work not going according to plan? How can the plans be changed? Is the content accurate and up to date? Has it been tested from the reader s point of view? Has the documentation/training material been prepared to the necessary levels of quality for publishing? Does this piece of writing meet all the standards for language, style and phrasing? Do the web page and its navigational features work in the published copy? If not, what HTML errors might be present? Have customer queries/complaints/challenges been handled professionally, knowledgeably and to the customer s satisfaction and to the enhancement of the relationship? Has the necessary consultation taken place in the team for meeting deliverables? 5 August 2009 Page 4 of 7 HR191
Pressure of work Content analysis /development professionals have the pressure of: ensuring that their content analysis is consistent with applied standards and results in maximizing the user navigation experience which is key to the success of content management. Thus there is great pressure to maintain content types, metadata and taxonomies that meet this need. keeping up with changes in the fields of technical writing, enterprise content management (ECM), usability and change management. Research is ongoing into user behaviour and how it impacts documentation development, business process modelling and content analysis methods and strategy, and how technical writing and content analysis solutions add value. meeting the expectation to stay current on the explosion in tools, technologies, terminology and research. having to constantly convince, motivate and sell their technical writing services as this function is often overlooked. The profession Technical Writing is relatively new in South Africa and at UCT. The lack of recognition / maturity of this profession has several consequences. It is also not centralised, as in more mature organisations, and we therefore have no authority over those we collaborate with, nor necessarily any formal connection between ourselves and others doing similar work. Technical writers constantly have to deal with these circumstances. This creates pressure around reaching goals, dealing with our colleagues, customers and their managers and compromises projects. It can undermine central principles in technical communications work, such as consistency. meeting customer s expectations for a quick response when asking for updates to online help, documentation, metadata, content types, taxonomies, templates. The QA and review process in particular must be quickly completed. meeting deadlines around system upgrades or ECM implementation projects, and in this case large teams from different departments must collaborate on meeting them. Other pressures result from: delivering training when presenting lessons, dealing with logistics, connecting with participants, sticking to a course schedule and evaluating and giving feedback on participant s performance. consulting when dealing with a new group of people and making the right planning decisions or recommendations. the extreme variety of work, in which each individual must be able to accommodate switching between different tasks and projects, on different levels, and must be able to plan and prioritise their own work. Controls and checks There are regular meetings between the Team Leader and all members of the team to report on work in progress. Regular goal setting and performance review sessions are conducted in line with the University s Human Resources policy. Customer feedback is an essential indicator of performance. QA and review is built in to the content analysis/development process and specifically the technical writing process at several stages. Help authoring software has a built in compiler which checks for certain errors. It also has reporting and troubleshooting tools which can be used. Certain audits are conducted on a yearly basis. Certain updates to online help are not QA d the incumbent must be relied upon to decide whether or not they should be reviewed. Customers themselves provide final sign-off on new content solutions and major changes to be published. Course evaluation information is collected from participants after each training course. Vigilance and Incorrect or inefficient metadata, DTD and content types could negatively impact on the success of the ECM system. 5 August 2009 Page 5 of 7 HR191
consequences of error If incorrect information is published in online help it could have serious consequences for data in administrative systems. If documentation is not ready, it may delay the roll-out of new functionality and training. Incorrect or out of date business processes could hamper business outputs. Usability of online help and forms can strongly affect perceptions of the system and employees in central admin. Incorrect technical writing strategy or inaccurate project planning can affect whether user assistance is available for training and whether is it used, which in turn affects work efficiency, and usability of systems. QA of documentation and communications ensures a high publication standard which raises end user perceptions of us, our customers and the system. Publishing information to the web and sharing help projects within the team, as well as managing metadata and content types requires extreme vigilance to ensure the correct versions are copied and loaded and files and folders are kept in order 5 August 2009 Page 6 of 7 HR191
Minimum Qualifications Minimum Experience Experience until fully effective Compiled by MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS A relevant B degree/ B Tech and significant experience (see below). Relevant business qualifications e.g. Technical Writing, ECM Practitioner, XML authoring Technical skills/knowledge required: Copy editing and technical writing skills ideally in the IT industry. Basic content analysis/information architecture skills High proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Visio Excellent English language skills in written and spoken form Knowledge about ERP systems, enterprise content management and information technology Business process modelling Usability testing skills HTML authoring and publishing to the web and knowledge of XML and XML publishing (DTD, XSLT, XML Schemas) Presentation skills, experience with audio visual aids, and ability to conduct technical training (of computing subject matter) Proficiency in a help authoring software package, e.g. RoboHelp Exposure to CBT authoring tools, e.g. Captivate, and project planning tools Audience analysis skills Indexing skills Experience required (one or more years): Developing and copy editing business and technical documents professionally Interviewing and research Working in the IT industry Information management, information architecture or librarianship Help authoring (HTML or XML) and creating user assistance materials Business process modelling Software training Experience on the job until fully effective: Experience advantageous: Developing training materials Web development University environments ERP or administrative systems System testing and usability analysis User support services Developing computer graphics One to two years of experience on a variety of activities within the team. AUTHORITY PRINT NAME SIGNATURE CONTACT NO. DATE Approved by Reviewed by 5 August 2009 Page 3 of 7 HR191