Ideas and Innovation for Publishing

I stumbled across a video today by Michael Tamblyn, CEO of BookNet Canada, and although its a 28-minute long video, his six ideas (or projects) for progressive development in the publishing industry aroused my curiosity. What were these ideas? How progressive and innovative? After watching his detailed and humorous presentation, not only was I impressed, I agreed with many of the thoughts and ideas he shared.

The six ideas,

Bibliographic data in The Cloud
XML Publishing Workflow
Date Repulsion Mode/Digital Management
Collaborative Commerce
Online Browsing that makes you want to buy things
Technology Innovation Culture in Publishing

question and examine how publishing can change and progress forward during this period of rapid technological change. Tackling the availability of the vast stores of data collected, information sharing through XML, what we market to people, how we market to people, and how sales materials and techniques can change via online availability. I think keeping an eye on what comes of these project ideas will keep us on the pulse of what’s new and important for our evolving industry.

Also, BookNet Canada is alloting the funds they had planned to use for their booth at BookExpo Canada (cancelled, unfortunately), and using them to underwrite the expenses at BookCampTO, as their official sponsor. Tamblyn wants people to get together and communiate, to help them bring technology and innovation to their companies; “decide what [we] want [our] revolution to be” he says. Great. If people can really embrace and explore ideas like this, then we stand on the edge of something very new and exciting, I think.