The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

The Institution of Engineering and Technology

Introduction

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has a rich history, formed by the merging of two historic institutions dating back to the late 19th century. With nearly 160,000 members worldwide, IET is dedicated to advancing the global engineering community by promoting technology innovation to meet societal needs. This case study explores how IET significantly improved its publication processes, slashing time-to-publish by 75%, through strategic technological implementation.

IET’s mission is to inspire, inform, and influence the global engineering community. It offers world-renowned knowledge resources, including 27 specialist journals and over 400 eBooks covering five key sectors. However, IET faced challenges with its print-centric workflow, which led to a prolonged content creation and publishing cycle. The organization needed a more efficient, media-neutral process that could streamline asset management and automate workflows.

The Challenges

• Print-Centric Workflow: IET’s existing workflow was heavily reliant on print processes, resulting in delays for digital product availability.
• Limited Automation: Inefficiencies in status tracking, notifications, and asset management hindered IET’s ability to deliver timely content.
• Metadata Management: Enhancing metadata capture was essential for managing book creation and improving discoverability in the marketplace.
• Content Reuse and Linking: Practitioner Books required significant manual effort to recreate links across editions, limiting content reuse and increasing time-to-market.

The RSuite Solution

Contiem was engaged to devise a comprehensive content solution using its RSuite Component Content Management System (CCMS). Key aspects of the solution included:

• Implementation of DITA for Publishers (D4P) Framework: This allowed IET staff to edit structured content using RSuite’s browser-based XML editing module, with built-in tools for linking and content management.
• Automation with RSuite CCMS: Automated ingestion of journal articles post-peer review, managing the publishing process through to completion.
• Adobe InDesign Integration: Automated placement of content into InDesign for print layout, eliminating conversion costs and reducing publication time.

Key Benefits of RSuite:

• Improved Workflow Efficiency: RSuite CCMS automated many aspects of the publishing workflow, including date stamping, tracking, and reporting.
• Enhanced Metadata Management: Easy creation and updating of metadata simplified ONIX generation and delivery.
• Maximized Content Reuse: Content reuse capabilities were expanded without loss, simplifying updates across new editions.
• Time Savings: The new process reduced the time to create print books from two months to two weeks and delivered digital content three months sooner.

Results Achieved

The implementation of RSuite CCMS and DITA XML-based content authoring has transformed IET’s publication process. All journals, academic books, and standards books are now managed within RSuite, leading to substantial reductions in publication time and cost.

IET’s successful collaboration with Contiem has resulted in a more agile, efficient, and cost-effective publishing process. The organization’s ability to deliver timely content aligns perfectly with its mission to inspire and inform the engineering community worldwide.

Conclusion

The IET case study demonstrates the power of strategic technological investments in transforming organizational processes. By partnering with Contiem, IET not only enhanced its publication efficiency but also positioned itself as a leader in delivering high-quality, timely engineering content. This case study serves as a testament to the potential of modern content management systems in driving organizational success and competitive advantage.