Why are Documentation Managers using a CMS for their technical document solution?

Proving the need for a Content Management System (CMS) can be challenging for Documentation and Training Managers, but the need to save time and money couldn’t be simpler. As part of your role, you’re charged with developing and preserving technical documentation to help customers operate and maintain your equipment- this material impacts key partners within your own firm, too. Engineers, operators, trainers, help-desk personnel, and even legal, marketing, and IT groups all rely on the quality of your material in some capacity.

While it’s true each business unit has its own priorities, there’s a uniform need to improve customer satisfaction, reduce downtime, and intelligently manage content. Decision-makers understand how a CMS can support these needs, but they’re under pressure to prove its value. Because we regularly provide clients with technical documentation solutions, we’ve noticed a few key themes driving demand for CMS implementation. Does any of these sound familiar?

• • Legacy data must be maintained, but publication backlog and development cycles are too long, so end users have outdated or no support information. Reformatting or updating disjointed data with each engineering change or parts upgrade is a drain on your time and resources.
  • Accessibility issues quickly become lead-time pitfalls. If you can’t dynamically generate your technical information to distribute to web or mobile environments, your end-users can’t get the real-time support they need. And, system integration barriers often exist, making it next to impossible to incorporate necessary information from other business applications.
  • Compliance and language requirements from relevant transit authorities, governing bodies, or industry-specific specifications can put you in the weeds as you work tirelessly to meet standards. The documentation development process can be grueling and costly, not to mention risky. Failing to meet specifications could result in end-user confusion, injury, or worse. Customer safety and your reputation are at stake.

Whether you have files created internally, outsourced to a strategic business partner, or a combination of both approaches, a solution like ONEIL’s ONePUBS™ CMS acts as a one-stop-shop with complete authoring, publishing, and interactive delivery of technical content that can be reused, updated, and even translated in real-time. Bonus: it also provides configuration control, tracking, and orchestrating updates to conform to the scheduled update cycle.

How’s that for traction? Download our brochure to be the MVP of your organization’s next technical documentation meeting with our CMS for technical documentation.