How replacing their feature-limited documentation management software with an up-to-date DITAworks from *instinctools empowered a manufacturing enterprise to fully automate manuals’ publication in multiple output formats and accelerate overall document management processes by 27%.
The initial situation at Fujitsu Enabling Software Technology GmbH was characterized by typical challenges with the product documentation:
Since managing the documentation had become increasingly complex, there was an urgent need for an editorial system that would support the documentation projects optimally and yet seamlessly integrate into the existing development process.
Existing content based on an earlier version of the DITA standard needed to be migrated to the current status.
As the editorial team had been using XMetaL as an editor for quite some time, this preferably needed to be retained. Even the long-established publication process needed to be (initially) retained.
In response to these diverse challenges, Fujitsu Enabling Software Technology GmbH selected the software DITAworks from *instinctools, after an extensive trial.
Fujitsu Enabling Software Technology GmbH deployed the DITAworks solution for Eclipse, which also has special functions for the documentation of Eclipse-based applications.
Existing content and the model were carefully analyzed.
Recommendations for the migration to the latest DITA standard and integration with the existing development and publication process, as well as the XMetaL-Editor, were developed.
*instinctools completed the implementation of the recommendations in consultation with Fujitsu Enabling Software Technology GmbH.
Even before the beginning of the project, Fujitsu Enabling Software Technology GmbH utilized many of the advantages of single-source publishing, using DITA standards for the documentation: content once created is used in several different documents, and the publishing process allows output in various formats (Eclipse Help, HTML, PDF).
After the existing content has been migrated to the latest DITA standard and its adoption completed in DITAworks, there are no obstacles to the immediate use of the convenient options that DITAworks offers. The editorial team of Fujitsu Enabling Software Technology GmbH is now optimally equipped for further documentation of their applications.
Integration with the development process
Specific transformations and validations for Eclipse Help
Assignment of help contexts and synchronization with the source code, thanks to a plug-in for the Eclipse IDE
Eclipse Help deliverables (such as contexts, live actions and cheat sheets), thanks to the DITA specialization for Eclipse Help
ID Wizards help documentation and development teams with synchronization
Possibility for technical writers to work with their preferred editor
Support of dynamic context ID mapping (DTP approach)
Import of existing Eclipse Help Plug-ins
With growing documentation requirements, we saw a need for a tool that would help us to manage our product documentation based on the DITA standard efficiently and comfortably, as well as publish the documentation in different formats. With DITAworks, we found the right solution, and, after careful analysis, the *instinctools team was able to bring the tool into our production environment in a short time.
