The Xplanation has the conclusion of its textbook publishing series today:
Over the past month, I have written a series of posts on the future of textbook publishing in the digital age. In the series, I have addressed new business models, new product models, a formula for digital product profitability, and specific product opportunities. In this final installment, I want to address the need for new publisher workflows in the coming decade.
A focus on digital content that leads to greater product diversity and flexibility, will force textbook publishers to introduce a number of changes in both conceptualizing and managing their content. The most significant difference will be that, in the future, profitable textbook publishing companies will adopt a “digital-first” strategy that focuses first on the digital collection of content, separate from any print or other specific product concepts.
Successful companies will shift to common discipline-based content repositories from which new products can be tested and launched quickly and cost-effectively. Moreover, this approach will facilitate new subscription and self-publishing business models as well as allow textbook publishers to create coveted relationships with their end users, both instructors and students.
We agree with your view that in the digital world textbooks will need to be developed as “digital first” and DynamicBooks has that vision already in the works. For example, why keep to the traditional format of chapters when a digital foundation can offer more flexibility for authors to create their books? We currently have author teams working on a new generation of online interactive textbooks created from a digital perspective. These books will be better aligned to how students learn rather that how textbooks are structured. This will create a more cost effective product and bring savings to students.
Karen Lippe
for DynamicBooks
http://www.dynamicbooks.com