There are many similarities between writing code and writing content. Whether you are writing in Perl or English, at the most fundamental level, both are about expressing ideas in a structured way. The processes around developing content and developing software are also similar. You have to design, develop, test, and package.

There have been numerous books, articles, and even academic research on the topic of software development, yet relatively little attention is paid to the process of developing content. Since they are so related, we in the content development business should borrow liberally from the software industry. The guys at the Pragmatic Bookshelf have made some strides in this area, but there is still much that can be done.

For example, one of the more popular methodologies today is Agile. As I look at the Principles behind the Agile Manifesto much if it applies. Just replace “software” with “content”. Additionally, there are many opportunities to learn from best practices in software project management and estimation.