Here’s a look a Structured Blogging in Movable Type.

Sometimes, these things just have to be seen to be understood. After you install the Plugins, your MT entry screen changes significantly. Under the current 1.0 vision, a user would begin a structured blogging session by selecting the type of entry they want to write. For example, a review or an event.

The list is already long, and bound to get longer. In my opinion it is too long. But as I explain below there is an easy way to fix this, and still allow for growth and flexibility.

What follows is an example of a structured blogging book review. Step one in the process is to select a review blog entry type. Step two, shown below, is to select the type of review, in this case a book review.

Now things get both interesting and onerous. The following is a shot of the full book review form that needs to be filled out.

While I am very excited about the idea of capturing Microformat information using blogging tools, the complexity of the process outlined above is a clear indication that more work still needs to be done.

Successful new technology leverages existing workflows and existing infrastructures. Embrace and expand, rather than replace. In this case, the “iPod” like simple answer is to make users feel like the structured elements are being inserted within existing posts. Just as I insert a picture, I could insert a Structured Blogging Microformat element. I outlined how this could work in my post on How Structured Blogging and Microformats can Help Your Company Innovate.

Diggable