Xinfo at CA Technologies

Xinfo Initiative:STC Bleeding Edge Series

May 21, 2012

Brian EverettCA Technologies

Xinfo

agenda

2 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright © 2012 CA. All rights reserved.

—Xinfo & Bleeding Edge

—Our Challenge

—Our Resolution = Xinfo methodology

—Closing

—Q&A

May 21, 2012

—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.

introduction: Xinfo

May 21, 20123 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright © 2012 CA. All rights reserved

—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


our challenge - research

challenge resolution: Xinfo

5 STC 2012 Bleeding Edge: Xinfo at CA Technologies Copyright © 2012 CA. All rights reserved

—Xinfo = Four-pronged approach to address each pain point:— New roles

— Scenario-based content

— Just enough documentation

— End-to-end view

May 21, 2012

—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

Xinfo roles


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.

May 21, 2012

sample scenario – main page


— Embracing and stressing the just enough doc principle:−Focus on marquee and high priority use cases for our scenarios−Integrate reference information in the product—a 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 .

just enough documentation*


end-to-end view


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

May 21, 2012

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

May 21, 2012

CA Technical Information Center – Wireframe - Home


Context of visitor Latest info from

forums, wiki, announcements

Separate portlet

instance per product

Consolidation of product info

Social sites per product

Our other sites

Stay Connected

Associated Products

Tag Cloud

Help for Technical Information Center

CA Technical Information Center – Wireframe - Collaboration


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: [email protected]

May 21, 2012

Xinfo at CA Technologies

Technology

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