Service — Content Digitization & Transformation

Turn Legacy Content
Into Discoverable,
Reusable Digital Assets

We convert print, video, and analog content into structured, accessible, multi-format digital assets — built for reuse, discoverability, and global distribution across platforms and audiences.

WCAG 2.1 AA accessible output
Multi-format & multilingual
Volume-scale production
Content Transformation Pipeline · Batch 7 of 12
Source (print PDF)
Output (WCAG HTML)
Annual Report 2019–2023
5 PDFs → Tagged HTML + EPUB
Done
Field Operations Manual
Print → WCAG PDF + HTML
Done
Training Curriculum Vol. 3
Scanned → Searchable PDF + XML
Processing
Policy Library 2010–2024
Archive → Structured JSON + HTML
Queued
847
Files done
14wk
Delivery
100%
Accessible

What We Do

Unlocking the Value
of Stranded Content

Every organization has decades of knowledge locked in formats that are invisible, inaccessible, or unusable: scanned PDFs that can't be searched, print manuals that can't be updated, training materials formatted for one platform that can't be reused on another, video archives with no transcription or indexing. This content has real value — but in its current state, it costs more to maintain than it delivers in use.

Content digitization is the process of liberating that value. At AFI Digital Services, we work with enterprises, NGOs, academic institutions, and international publishers to convert legacy content into structured, accessible, multi-format digital assets that can be discovered, repurposed, distributed, and maintained. We don't just scan documents — we transform them into structured information objects with proper semantic tagging, accessibility compliance, and metadata that makes them findable and functional across any platform.

We handle all content types and all scales: a library of 1,200 legacy publications digitized in 14 weeks, a decade of policy documents transformed into a structured knowledge base, a catalog of training videos transcribed, captioned, and republished in five languages. Every engagement is run with the same rigour: a content audit first, a defined output specification before any transformation begins, and quality assurance at every stage.

Our output formats cover the full spectrum — from WCAG-compliant HTML and accessible PDF to EPUB, SCORM packages, structured XML/JSON data, and custom CMS-ready formats. We design the output to fit your infrastructure, not force you to change it.

Capabilities

The Full Content
Transformation Stack

Eight specialist capabilities covering every type of content transformation — from scanned paper archives to interactive digital publications, across every output format your audience needs.

01
Document & Archive Digitization
High-volume conversion of scanned, print, and legacy digital documents into searchable, structured, platform-ready formats. Includes OCR processing, metadata tagging, classification, and quality validation — at scale, with chain-of-custody documentation for regulated environments.
02
Accessibility Remediation (WCAG & PDF/UA)
Remediation of existing PDFs, documents, and web content to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and PDF/UA standards — including proper heading structure, alt text, reading order, colour contrast, form field labelling, and table tagging. Essential for public sector, UN, and education sector compliance mandates.
03
Structured Content & XML/HTML Conversion
Transformation of unstructured legacy content into semantically tagged XML, HTML5, or JSON — following custom DTDs, DocBook, DITA, or client-defined schemas. Ideal for knowledge management systems, digital libraries, and content repositories requiring machine-readable, interoperable output.
04
Interactive Digital Publications (EPUB / HTML)
Conversion of print publications, reports, and books into richly formatted EPUB3, interactive HTML5 publications, and digital flipbooks — with embedded media, hyperlinked indexes, responsive layouts, and offline-capable delivery. Used extensively for NGO knowledge products and academic publishing.
05
Video Transcription, Captioning & Indexing
Professional transcription and caption creation for video archives — in SRT, VTT, and embedded formats — meeting FCC, WCAG, and Section 508 requirements. Includes speaker identification, time-coding, and full-text indexing to make video archives searchable and accessible across devices and languages.
06
Multilingual Content Transformation
End-to-end localization of digitized content into multiple languages — including translation, RTL layout adaptation (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi), font embedding for non-Latin scripts, and cultural review. We maintain translation memories and terminology databases for consistency across large document sets.
07
Metadata Architecture & Taxonomy Design
Design and implementation of metadata schemas, controlled vocabularies, and taxonomy structures for digitized content repositories. We work with your information architecture team to ensure every asset is correctly classified, discoverable via search, and interoperable with existing DAM or CMS platforms.
08
Print-to-eLearning Content Conversion
Transformation of existing training manuals, instructor guides, and reference materials into SCORM-compliant eLearning content — restructured for self-paced digital delivery, with added interactions, assessments, and navigation. The bridge between content digitization and our eLearning development practice.

Our Process

How a Digitization Engagement Works

Five structured phases from content audit to final repository delivery — with defined quality gates, format specifications agreed upfront, and full chain-of-custody documentation throughout.

Typical Engagement Timeline

Week 1–2
Content Audit & Scoping
Week 3
Output Specification & Pilot
Week 4–12
Batch Processing & QA
Week 13
Client Review & Sign-off
Week 14
Repository Delivery
Timeline scales with volume. Large archival projects (10,000+ assets) follow the same phases with extended batch processing windows. We provide a volume-based delivery schedule at proposal stage.
Phase 01
Content Audit & Inventory Assessment

We begin by auditing your existing content estate — cataloguing all assets by type, format, volume, age, and current accessibility status. We assess the condition of source materials (scan quality, original file formats, language variants, rights clearances), identify content that requires special handling, and produce a prioritised Content Inventory Report. For large archives, we provide a stratified sample analysis before committing to a full scope estimate.

Asset cataloguing Condition assessment Accessibility audit Priority matrix
Phase 02
Output Specification & Pilot Batch

We agree the full technical output specification: formats (HTML, PDF/UA, EPUB3, XML, SCORM, JSON), metadata schema, naming conventions, folder structure, accessibility standard, language variants, and delivery packaging. We then run a pilot batch of 20–50 representative items — covering the most complex cases in your collection — and present the output for your review and sign-off before full production begins. No surprises at delivery.

Format specification Metadata schema Pilot batch review Client sign-off
Phase 03
Batch Processing, Transformation & QA

Full-scale production runs in structured batches — typically 10–15% of total volume per cycle — with a defined QA checkpoint after each batch before the next begins. Quality assurance covers OCR accuracy, structural tagging integrity, accessibility compliance (automated + manual review), metadata completeness, and output format validation. Issues found in QA are logged in a shared tracker and resolved before that batch is signed off. Every asset gets a unique identifier and is tracked through the pipeline.

Batch production OCR & tagging QA Accessibility validation Issue tracker
Phase 04
Client Review, Sampling & Acceptance

Before final delivery, we provide structured access to the complete output set and a random sample review pack — covering items from each batch, each content type, and each language variant. You use our review template to flag any issues. We run a final rectification pass on all flagged items and provide a conformance certificate covering accessibility compliance and format validity for the complete deliverable set.

Sample review pack Rectification pass Conformance certificate
Phase 05
Repository Delivery & CMS Integration

Final delivery of the complete output set — packaged to your specified folder structure, naming convention, and delivery medium (secure transfer, cloud storage, or direct CMS upload). Where required, we provide CMS integration support to ingest assets directly into your repository, DAM, or knowledge management platform, including import mapping, bulk upload scripting, and post-ingestion verification. Full delivery manifest and metadata export included.

Packaged delivery CMS integration Delivery manifest Post-ingestion check

Case Studies

Content Digitization in Practice

Two recent large-scale engagements — demonstrating how legacy content becomes a live, accessible, distributed digital asset.

1,200 FILES 14 WKS HTML5 WCAG 2.1 AA EPUB3 Searchable + Tagged PDF/UA Screen-reader ready 3 FORMATS · 100% ACCESSIBLE
Content Digitization Publishing
Digitizing 25 Years of a Development Publisher's Backlist — 1,200 Publications in 14 Weeks
An international development publisher needed to make their entire archive of 1,200+ legacy publications — spanning 25 years — accessible, searchable, and redistributable in modern digital formats, without disrupting their ongoing publishing workflow.
1,200+
Publications digitized & made accessible
14 wk
From kickoff to complete delivery
Read the full case study
ACCESSIBILITY REMEDIATION Heading structure Alt text coverage Colour contrast 100% 3,400 DOCUMENTS · WCAG 2.1 AA
Content Digitization Accessibility Remediation
WCAG 2.1 AA Remediation for a Government Ministry's Entire Public Document Library
A national government ministry faced a public sector accessibility deadline requiring 3,400 existing PDFs and HTML documents on their website to be fully WCAG 2.1 AA compliant within six months — with no internal resource to undertake the work.
3,400
Documents remediated to WCAG 2.1 AA
100%
Compliance achieved before deadline
Read the full case study

Technology & Tools

Platforms & Standards We Work With

Purpose-selected tools for each stage of the digitization pipeline — from high-volume OCR and document processing to accessibility validation and structured content authoring.

Adobe Acrobat Pro
PDF Accessibility & Tagging
OCR
ABBYY FineReader
OCR & Document Recognition
CommonLook PDF
PDF/UA Compliance Verification
Axe & WAVE
Accessibility Testing Tools
oXygen XML Editor
Structured XML / DITA Authoring
3
Sigil EPUB Editor
EPUB3 Production
Adobe InDesign
Print-to-Digital Layout
Custom QA Pipeline
Batch Validation & Tracking
Output Standards
WCAG 2.1 AA
PDF/UA
EPUB3
HTML5 / XML
SCORM 1.2 / 2004
DITA / DocBook
Section 508

Related Services

Often Paired With Content Digitization