The Linux Foundation is one of the world’s largest non-profit open source organizations. They connect tens of thousands of companies through several hundred open source projects. Through these partnerships, the Linux Foundation has created the largest shared technology investment worldwide.
Due to its vast network of members, partners, and contributors, the Linux Foundation is uniquely positioned to deliver the most prominent research on emerging technological trends and open source projects’ global impact. It does this through Linux Foundation (LF) Research, which is designed to be the go-to repository for open source insights for the benefit of organizations and governments the world over. And as a complex and global network of contributors, maintaining consistent editorial standards is essential to delivering the best technological research.
LF Research is responsible for researching and creating content to share with their customers. They keep them informed and up to date on the latest in industry. LF Research, though, was in need of some support. Not only did they have too much writing and research to do, they also realized they were too close to the content to sufficiently copyedit their own work–a dilemma many writing teams can relate to. Thankfully, Linux knows the value of a second set of eyes when it comes to finding bugs.
“We always value a second set of eyes. One of the tenets of our organization, known as Linus's Law, is that with many eyes all bugs are shallow. The same is true for editorial bugs!”
At first, they hired freelance editors to help take the burden off their writers. But, LF Research soon encountered issues many companies face. The freelance editors could not meet their deadlines or expedite high-volumes of work. This, coupled with the editors not working from the same guidelines, resulted in content lacking consistency and cohesion, which did not meet Linux’s high standards.
Due to the nature of Linux’s content, they had reservations about outsiders effectively proofreading their jargon-heavy content and getting familiar with their writing style. So, when we connected with Linux Foundation, we began a month-long pilot test to assure them that we could handle their writing style and meet their deadlines.
During the pilot test, our focus was to create a tailored set of editorial standards and clearly outline them in a dedicated style guide. This way, all their content would be consistent and cohesive across their vast network of contributors and members. We also wanted to offset their demanding editorial work so they could focus on their research and achieve quicker turnaround times.
“We engaged in a month-long pilot program to make sure the service was right for us. And we were pleased with the service quality and regular check-ins and follow-ups.”
After the successful pilot test, we joined forces, providing them with effective and efficient proofreading services. Adding a style guide to LF Research’s editorial process helped leaps and bounds in creating more consistent content. It allowed the researchers to clearly lay out their writing style and high standards for each piece of content we proofread. It also meant that their research was consistent and cohesive regardless of who was writing, editing, or proofreading it from within their vast network of contributors. After some additional collaboration, we fine-tuned our editorial process so that the extent of our edits matched their expectations.
Since then, we’ve proofread newsletters, cover letters, reports, articles, and more for LF Research, providing error-free, high-quality, and consistent content. They also no longer worry about copyediting and proofreading hindering their deadlines since Proofed has a dedicated team of editors working on their content. As a result, we’ve reduced their turnaround time by two to three days per report.
“The Proofed team is always professional, courteous, and helpful. They are a pleasure to work with and a vital part of our team's workflows.”
The main benefit Linux reports from working with us is the load lifted off LF Research as a result of standardizing their editorial practices in a set style guide, reducing their turnaround times, and Proofed editors ensuring their high standards. Before, they were forced to forgo content quality to meet deadlines. Now, they can focus on writing innovative and informative content for their large community while letting proofreading experts do what they do best.
They also have peace of mind when they publish content because they know it’s consistent and professional. However, its Linux Foundation’s customers who reap the ultimate reward: They get to enjoy reading about the innovative work Linux is doing from high-quality content.
Thousands of businesses, from award-winning startups to Fortune 500 companies, have benefited from partnering with Proofed. Learn more about how we can help streamline your editorial process by checking out our business editing service or schedule a call below.
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