Whether this chunking process is slow and manual or quick and automated really depends on how much legacy contact was created using standardized styles and content properly. If the answer is no, then there is a great deal of manual evaluation that must be done.
The most important aspect of the chunking process is thorough training and supervision of the people who will be doing this important work. Consistency is the key. Select a single process, train everyone in that process and conduct that process.
NOTE: The importance of thorough and consistent content editing increases by several orders of magnitude when content is entered into the database. Enter it wrong once ... use it wrong many times.
.6in .5in "Organizations that implement highly configurable or customizable products need to rely on their software vendor to meet the early training needs of the planners and technicians. To the degree that they wish to own or control product configuration, customization, and the ongoing support of those modifications, they also need to be prepared to invest in the staff development required to enable those capabilities."[6]
There are two approaches to legacy content that are usually successful. The first identifies a small select team of designers who work on converting content and nothing else until the original body of required content has been put into the database. The other way is to spread the conversion among all the design team and for each member to work on converting documents in and among their other duties, but at least x number of hours per week.
The advantage of the first method is that you generally obtain a more consistent conversion with fewer errors. The advantage of the second method is that you train your entire group in the XML database and process. You may also learn some things early on that allow you to modify the database or your processes so that they are more applicable to your training. Those who follow the first method may find themselves with a fully functional content base and no one trained to use it.