For documentation projects we can work with classic environments, based on wordprocessor tools and geared to production of hard copy or PDFs, or we can use more structured approaches to information capture and presentation using database or XML technology. We strongly recommend using XML, the potential benefits are huge.
Approaches based on XML, which separates the information content from its formatting and presentation, offer:
The source of productivity is the provision of structure, and the performance of the authoring environment. Availability of the knowledge workers who can provide the content is always a problem for documentation projects: they are likely to be the business area experts with many other pressing demands on their time and theoir own project backlog. They will be much more productive if they only have to supply words and pictures, and not have to become skilled in the use of wordprocessors, page setup and layout control. Compare asking them to fill in a form, which may already be part-completed by an editor or project manager, or asking them to open a word processor (for which they require training) and start with a blank screen.
There is no need to print and bind XML-based content, or even convert to PDF. It is ideally suited to online delivery, and can be displayed instantly on modern web browsers such as Internet Explorer 6 or Mozilla Firefox. The library can be stored on a web server for widespread publication over the internet, or simply placed on a network file server for internal use.
Designing for online delivery greatly increases the real value of the documentation to the business, by removing the barriers that would otherwise discourage users from referring to it. High accessibility can be provided by packaging the library with web-style indexing and navigation, and providing internal hyperlinks. XML content can be 'googled' using any indexing/search products.
Unlike wordprocessor-based documentation, XML content is open-standards and reusable: it can be immediately used for other applications, such as a source for websites, CD-ROMs and electronic or hardcopy publishing. Different stylesheets can be used to present a variety of extracts or presentations of the same material - no need for different versions for different readers. And because appearance is imposed by stylesheets (not embedded in the document as with word processor files), consistency of style and appearance is assured, and exercises such as customisation or rebranding can be accomplished without having to rework the underlying source.
There are many software products available for authoring, storing, organising, finding, presenting and printing XML-based content. One of these is our Manuals Machine, designed for authoring business and technical documentation that can be delivered onscreen using a web browser. These often require a combination of text plus images such as screenshots or photographs, and we claim that our XML-based Manuals Machine can provide productivity improvements up to tenfold, compared to using a word processor to prepare and maintain these types of materials. The benefits come from easy-to-use WYSIWYG tools (writing the copy reduces to a form-filling exercise), high modularity with structured top-down approach, automatic generation of tables of contents and indexes, and lightning-fast delivery. And if you need printed copy or camera-ready masters at the end, this can be done too - without your authors ever having to worry about media issues while they're writing.
We can demonstrate the options and advise on benefits and issues; you choose which products and approaches to use for your situation.
If you have special types of documents, such as facts sheets and technical specifications, we can develop XML Schema definitions for these (or perhaps your industry already has some), XSL stylesheets to display them, and purpose-built authoring forms. The resulting XML documents, as well as being source for typesetting, can also be electronically transmitted to your customers, posted on your website, delivered via your intranet, used for catalogues on CD-ROM, and viewed by your reps on their laptops.
Please refer to Custom XML Authoring Solutions for more information.