Typical scenarios

Several types of assignments are available in IXIASOFT CCMS Web. The type of feedback that you want to receive determines the type of assignment you create.

The My Assignments page is the default page that opens when a user logs in to CCMS Web. The list of assignments displayed on that page depends on the type of assignment, the status of the objects included in the assignment, and the role given to the user.

You might be creating assignments for:

  • Content contributors
  • Reviewers who are allowed to edit the content directly
  • Reviewers who provide feedback on content, but cannot edit the content
  • Approvers who approve or reject the final version of a topic.

Creating an assignment for a content contributor

A content contributor can be a subject matter expert who is expected to write the first draft of the content. In this case, the technical writers refine the content written by the subject matter experts.

For example, a typical scenario could be (depending on the configuration in your deployment):

  • The information architect or writer uses IXIASOFT CCMS Desktop to create the topics that require content.
  • The information architect or writer then assigns these topics to the person with the role of content contributor (however that role is configured in your deployment), and changes their status to the appropriate one for the topics to become active (for example, changes status to Authoring:contribute or the equivalent).
  • The assignee opens CCMS Web and sees these topics in the My Assignments page. The assigned topic will only appear on the My Assignments page once the topic is in the appropriate status (for example, Authoring:contribute or the equivalent).
  • The assignee clicks Edit to open the topic in the Topic Editor, enters the required content, and checks it in. The content is then saved in the Content Store.
  • Once saved, the information architect or writer can see the updated content in CCMS Desktop.

For the SME to be able to see the assignment, the following steps are required:

  1. If the SME is a new user, the administrator creates a user for the SME in IXIASOFT CCMS. This step must be done only once.
  2. The administrator assigns the contributor role (or the equivalent) to the SME. This step must be done only once.
  3. A user (typically the writer or information architect) assigns the topic as a contributor (or the equivalent) to the SME. This step must be done for every topic to which you want them to add content.
  4. A user (typically the writer or information architect) puts the topic in the appropriate state (for example, Authoring:contribute or the equivalent). This step must be done for every topic to which you want them to add content.

Once these steps have been performed, the SME will see his or her assigned topics when logged in to CCMS Web.

Creating an assignment for a reviewer who can edit the content directly

When you want to ask a subject matter expert, copy editor, peer, or other to make edits in the content, you can assign the topics you want them to review and they can edit them in CCMS Web.

For example, a typical scenario could be (depending on the configuration in your deployment):

  • Once the topics are written, the writer assigns the topics to the SME and then puts them in the reviewing status (for example, Authoring:review or the equivalent) .
  • The SME starts CCMS Web and sees these topics in the My Assignments page. The SME clicks on a topic to open it in the Editing page and changes some of the content and adds an image. The SME checks in the topic. The content is then saved to the Content Store.
  • The topic returns to its workflow in the CCMS Desktop.

For the SME to be able to see the assignment, the following steps are required:

  1. If the SME is a new user, the administrator creates a user for the SME in CCMS. This step must be done only once.
  2. The administrator assigns the reviewer role to the SME. This step must be done only once.
  3. A user (typically the writer or information architect) assigns the topic to review to the SME. This step must be done for every topic to review.
  4. A user (typically the writer or information architect) puts the topic in the reviewable state (for example, Authoring:review). This step must be done for every topic to review.

Once these steps have been performed, the SME will see his or her topics to review when logged in to CCMS Web.

Creating an assignment which sends content to several reviewers as a Collaborative Review

When you want to ask subject matter experts, peers, or others to check or proofread the content but want them to provide feedback only by annotating the content rather than editing the content directly, you can send them a Collaborative Review assignment in CCMS Web. Several reviewers can use a Collaborative Review to simultaneously review content, add annotations, and reply to each other's annotations.

For example, a typical scenario could be (depending on the configuration in your deployment):

  • Once the topics in a map are ready to be reviewed, the writer creates a Collaborative Review and assigns it to several reviewers.
  • Each SME starts CCMS Web and sees their Collaborative Review assignment in the My Assignments page. Each SME clicks on the Review button for the assignment to open it in the Collaborative Review page and begins adding annotations on the content.
  • Once the writer wants to begin incorporating the feedback from the annotations into the source content, he or she can close the Collaborative Review so the assignments are no longer accessible in CCMS Web.
  • The writer opens the Collaborative Review in CCMS Desktop and begins incorporating the feedback from the annotations.

For the SME to be able to see the assignment, the following steps are required:

  1. If the SME is a new user, the administrator creates a user for the SME in CCMS. This step must be done only once.
  2. The administrator assigns the reviewer role to the SME. This step must be done only once.
  3. A user (typically the writer or information architect) creates the Collaborative Review.

Once these steps have been performed, the SME will see his or her Collaborative Review assignment when logged in to CCMS Web.

Creating an assignment which sends content to several approvers as an Approval

When you want to ask subject matter experts or others to sign off on the content, you can send them an Approval assignment in CCMS Web. Several reviewers can use an Approval to simultaneously review the final draft and approve or reject it.

For example, a typical scenario could be (depending on the configuration in your deployment):

  • Once the topics in a map are ready to be reviewed, the writer sets all the content in the map to either the Authoring:complete or Authoring:done status and sets the map to Authoring:approval.
  • The writer creates an Approval and assigns it to several approvers.
  • Each approver starts CCMS Web and sees their Approval assignment in the My Assignments page. Approvers click on the View button for the assignment to open it in the Approval page.
  • Each approver reviews the content and either approves or rejects the final draft.
  • If the Approval is approved, the writer opens the Approval in CCMS Desktop and moves to the next phase or publishes. If the Approval is rejected, the writer reads the comments the approver added to understand why it was rejected and make any required changes.

For the approver to be able to see the assignment, the following steps are required:

  1. If the approver is a new user, the administrator creates a user for the approver in CCMS. This step must be done only once.
  2. The administrator assigns the approver role to the user. This step must be done only once.
  3. A user (typically the writer or information architect) creates the Approval.

Once these steps have been performed, the approver will see his or her Approval assignment when logged in to CCMS Web.