From Standards to Smart Content: Bridging the Gap Between SDOs and Publishers

Content is evolving. Whether you’re creating technical standards or publishing specialised materials, the challenges are strikingly similar. Both Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) and publishers are navigating the same waters: how to make content more accessible, useful, and integrated into users’ workflows.

The Shared Challenge

In our research for a series on smart standards and content strategies, we’ve discovered a fascinating parallel: SDOs and traditional publishers face nearly identical transformation pressures. Both are being pushed beyond static PDFs toward dynamic, modular, and contextually rich content experiences.

The old paradigm – monolithic documents consumed in isolation – is giving way to something more fluid: content that adapts, integrates, and responds to user needs. This shift isn’t just technological; it’s fundamental to how we create and deliver value.

What SDOs Are Already Getting Right

Standards organizations, particularly those working in technical fields, have pioneered approaches that publishers would do well to study:

• Modular architecture: Breaking content into semantically structured components that can be versioned, repurposed, and distributed across multiple touchpoints.
• Workflow integration: Embedding information directly into the tools where users work – engineering systems, regulatory frameworks, and compliance workflows.
• Layered content approaches: Moving beyond one-size-fits-all documents to provide base standards, workbooks, practical guidance, and localized adaptations.
• Stakeholder collaboration: Balancing diverse interests through transparent, consensus-driven processes that enhance both content quality and adoption.

As David Tsipenyuk noted in a recent IFAN webinar, these attributes are evolving toward “Standards as a Service (StaaS)” – a model where content becomes responsive, accessible, and contextually relevant.

Bridging SDOs and Publishing: The Learning Opportunity

What makes this intersection particularly exciting is the complementary expertise. SDOs excel at structured content and consensus-building, while publishers bring strengths in user experience, narrative clarity, and audience engagement.

The opportunity isn’t just about borrowing techniques – it’s about reimagining what’s possible when content becomes truly smart:

• From documents to services: Treating content as a dynamic service rather than a static artifact.
• From reading to using: Focusing on how content enables action rather than just conveys information.
• From creation to evolution: Building content systems that adapt based on usage data and emerging needs.

Organizations like Electrosuisse in Switzerland demonstrate how this approach can work: modular outputs, transparent review cycles, and user-centered content design that spans from core standards to practical implementation tools.

The Smart Content Revolution

Smart content represents a fundamental shift from static documents to dynamic, integrated experiences. By combining layered strategies, modular design, data-driven optimization, and AI-enhanced accessibility, both standards organizations and publishers can create content that truly serves evolving user needs.

This transformation isn’t merely technical – it’s strategic. Organizations that embrace these principles will enjoy more engaged users, sustainable business models, and content that delivers measurable impact.

What’s your experience with smart content approaches? We’d love to hear your perspectives.