VIOPS is now driving too many docs for a small team to manage, and therefore needs to more clearly define the process and use some queuing tools to manage the workload.
There are many daily suggestions for VIOPS content and these get lost in the noise and dropped off the priority list with the current system: this is an attempt to fix that because all of the suggestions are great and deserve better.
- The content pipeline does not include VIOPS project deliverables like the VI3.Blueprint project.
- The pipeline collects unplanned and unexpected requests and makes sure they get managed.
The first of these is the Content Pipeline which is implemented on VIOPS as a task list.
The four-step process to use the Content Pipeline is as follows:
1) Create task Potential VIOPS content is identified by any registered user by creating a new task in the Content Pipeline.
2) Task Info In the task information, the specification for the content should be entered and this should be simple an introduction, intended audience, outline, resources, authors.
3) Assign Task The task should be assigned to the person submitting the content, if they want to write it themselves, or assigned to Steve Chambers or one of the other community members. Assigning it to Steve means he will either do it or find someone else.
4) Due date The task date should be within the quarter, ie. if the task is created in Feb then the quarter is Q1 (Jan-Mar).
Any documents that are submitted for approval will be checked against the Content Pipeline - if they are there, they will be marked as completed by the approver. If they aren't there, then the doc will still be approved and added retrospectively to the task list as an exception.
The process is light-weight and helps us get even more content onto VIOPS with the same resources.
Without this kind of process we will all drown in documents, people will get frustrated and move on: let's avoid that, and make this a well managed, easy place to live.
Use the Content Pipeline, and feel happy 
Steve Chambers says:
in response to: Rodos
Great stuff, but not sure I have any answers yet - thanks for helping us iron out some gremlins
1) Four steps - yes, there are assumptions, any registered user can create tasks but that doesn't mean a doc will be published as they are contained within that doc. The admins/mods have full control over it and so far we haven't had one problem (not to say we won't...)
2) At the moment we aint big enough, but we might be when we get the vSIGs up?
3) I can only think of putting in it in the task for now, or linking from the task to a discussion thread is also possible - it's got to be really easy, and I mean really
Thanks, Rodos! if you were in London I would buy you a beer!
Some points.
1. The four steps assume that every suggestion will be accepted and worked through. If anyone can create them how are they validated. What if its not really something that VI:OPS should deal with?
2. Would it be easier for a pipeline for each of the 5 categories? The list could be very big. This may make it easier for people to look for one to do based on their skills. However it may create fragmentation and more places to look. Maybe the category should be an attribute of the task.
3. How do we capture contributions before a document owner is allocated? Many people, including the task creator and reviewer may have some data (such as links or resources) which may be helpful. These should not be recorded in the task. Should there be a process to create a thread or discussion per task for collating info that feeds the authoring of the document?
Rodos