CA Technologies introduces Xinfo (short for extensible information), a content management methodology with three major components:
-Scenario-based content
-End to end content access
-A wiki-enabled content library
All three components support an interactive and collaborative customer community whereby users can find what they need, when they need it.
2. agenda
Xinfo & Bleeding Edge
Our Challenge
Our Resolution = Xinfo methodology
Closing
Q&A
2 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved.
3. introduction: Xinfo
What is Xinfo & Why Bleeding Edge?
The sum of Xinfo represents a methodology that gives
clients:
the content they need
when they need it
modern deliverables
With the added benefit of a streamlined documentation
footprint and lower localization costs.
3 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
4. our challenge - research
We knew we needed to get closer to our customers and
modernize our content management strategy and philosophy
so
We talked to our customers.extensively
Internal customers
External customers
Analysts
Essence of results:
Too much info
Hard to find what I need
Need easily consumable help with day-to-day tasks
4 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
5. challenge resolution: Xinfo
Xinfo = Four-pronged approach to address each pain
point:
New roles
Scenario-based content
Just enough documentation
End-to-end view
5 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
6. Xinfo roles
New methodology & focus requires new organizational roles:
Technical Information Architect
Product Manager of Technical Information for a given product
Work closely with Product Managers to ensure consistent, clear, and
concise message across all materials
Plan the information delivery roadmap what are we going to
document and when
Provide vocal input into documentation and product design
Technical Information Engineer
Design, create, test, and publish technical information deliverables.
Collaborate with IAs/team/clients to identify scenarios and content
6 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
7. scenario-based content
What is a CA scenario?
Business processes: explanation of how and where the product or
solution is addressing a business need
Roles: identifies the jobs that are involved in the processes and
workflows so it is in context with the users day-to-day
responsibilities
Multi-media: enhances content with graphics/video for quick
comprehension
Bite-size, stand-alone: the content is an autonomous information
unit & content is modular and article-like so it can be quickly
scanned by the reader and understood
Location: Resides in traditional guides, as standalone Knowledge
Base articles on a CA product page, or both.
7 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
8. sample scenario main page
8 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
9. just enough documentation*
Embracing and stressing the just enough doc principle:
Focus on marquee and high priority use cases for our scenarios
Integrate reference information in the producta self-documenting UI.
For example: If you have simple UI-based wizard with intuitive screens to
step through coupled with hover text for complex technical terms, you
dramatically decrease the need for procedures or scenarios.
Benefits:
Improves search relevance by reduced footprint
Reduces localization costs
Reduces potential errors
* Scott Ambler and others have authored many articles about just enough doc .
9 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
10. end-to-end view
10 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
11. end-to-end view
Information Architect works with stakeholders to identify key articles
to add to a our bookshelf. For example:
Traditional user guides & scenarios that Tech Info creates
White papers
Demos (usually showing best practices or prominent use cases)
Training materials
Support articles
Broad view of the information for a CA product.
Internal and external contributors
Non-Tech Info authors
11 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
12. end-to-end deliverables
End to End Bookshelf (now)
Technical Information Center (future)
A wiki-like structure that provides a gateway to all CA Technologies internal content, and
enables integration with public web content & images including peer networking and
collaboration forums.
Collaborate
Customers will be able to annotate/update the editable version of TI content
IAs/IEs can review customer annotations/updates to determine whether they should be
incorporated into the next locked, published version
Customers will be able to collaborate with their peers, partners, and customers from
the TIC by linking to communities and other public forums
End to End View
Customers will be able to access/search across other pertinent end-to-end product
information
12 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
13. CA Technical Information Center Wireframe - Home
Separate
portlet
Consolidation instance per
of product info product
Help for Technical Information Center
Stay Connected
Social sites
per product
Our other sites
Associated Products
Tag Cloud
Context of
Latest info from
visitor
forums, wiki, ann
ouncements
13 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
14. CA Technical Information Center Wireframe - Collaboration
14 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved
15. wrap up
Challenges
Response = Xinfo
New Roles
Scenario-based content
Just enough documentation
End-to-end information (present)
Technical Information Center (near future)
Thank you to all of you for attending.
Thank you to STC for inviting me to present.
Future comments/questions: Brian.Everett@ca.com
15 May 21, 2012 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright 息 2012 CA. All rights reserved