Product Development and Differentiation in the Digital Era

By Marie Brown
President and CEO, Brown Publishing Network

Is it harder for publishers to differentiate their products in a digital marketplace?

From Gutenberg’s first printing press to Amazon’s electronic reader, Kindle, new publishing technologies will come–and occasionally go–but superior content is what remains the constant measure of excellence.

Content is, was, and always will be king. So, how does a digital publishing perspective change the product development process?

Some parts of the process have changed; some have not.

Publishers need to do what they’ve always done–provide excellent, error-free content. However, a digital-publishing perspective, as opposed to a traditional print perspective, requires an evolution in the development process. No longer can correlated technology components be seen as an “afterthought” to the print components.  The digital era demands that all content be created for use in multiple environments, enabling both print and tech products to be developed simultaneously and to be intertwined in ways that best suit the learner.

Next, all content should be correlated and tagged to skills, standards, pre-cursors, post-cursors, and cross-curricular connections and must be prepared for use in adaptive, highly engaging, easily accessible digital applications. This approach will provide more flexible products for users and faster rollouts for publishers. With diligently prepared, high-quality content, technology enables publishers to introduce powerful, adaptable products in record time, with the ability to customize them to meet the varying needs of differentiated learners and specific state standards.

In our experience, publishers are becoming increasingly strategic in their development efforts. We have developed digital content, following our clients’ complex specifications for skill interdependence in adaptive programs. We have also authored and tagged content with XML and other proprietary codes for publication in multiple media. At the same time we have coordinated print and digital content development for maximum pedagogical benefit and development efficiency.

Additionally, publishers have to consider other factors in order to separate themselves from the pack. Because Web 2.0 technologies make it easier for anyone to publish content, brand equity is even more important in the digital marketplace. With such a plethora of material readily accessible online, savvy educators, however, will look first and last at brands that are known and trusted. Publishers, therefore, should develop high-quality products with strong branding. They should also consider new pricing strategies, such as offering competitive pricing with subscriptions for ongoing services. Products with excellent content, strong branding, competitive pricing, and follow-up support will be the winners in the digital marketplace.

In the ever-changing landscape of digital publishing, and with unyielding deadlines, diminishing in-house personnel, and unprecedented economic pressures, publishers need to rely on trusted developers more than ever. There is no room for missteps or errors. Developers need to be ready to meet the challenge by staffing teams with content expertise and with sensitivity to the challenges and opportunities inherent in digital publishing.

For 25 years, Brown Publishing Network has embraced the evolution of educational materials and has grown the company to match and anticipate trends in educational publishing. We are up and running to meet the demands of digital publishing. We have unparalleled in-house expertise in editorial, technology, art and design, and production services for publishers of pre-K-12 Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, and ELL products. We have an external network of more than 1,800 tried and trusted publishing professionals.

We are constantly growing and refining our network with an eye toward the future. We call upon the best people in the industry to provide the full service requirements for projects. We also have partnerships with established and proven software developers, audio engineers, video and animation houses, and printers.

Brown Publishing Network has been at the forefront of educational publishing for 25 years. We look forward to the next 25 years and the exciting opportunities ahead.

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Marie Brown has devoted her entire professional life to education and educational publishing. Six years of teaching at the elementary level early in her career led to Marie’s keen interest in the prospect of writing educational materials for children. Her first position in the industry was as Director of Instructional Programming at a new educational development company, Multimedia Education, Inc. In 1983, Marie founded Brown Publishing Network in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Energized by the challenges of leading a business in this dynamic field, Marie never forgets the importance of the mission she has established for her company–to help create instructional materials that will best educate students.