The Single Sourcing House: Building, Expanding, Maintaining, and Living in the Single Sourcing House
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s Siemens Building Technologies Living in the Single Sourcing House The Writer’s Point of View by Heidi Sandler Senior Technical Writer Integration Department Siemens Building Technologies
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Presented by Heidi Sandler at Documentation and Training West, May 6-9, 2008 in Vancouver, BCThis presentation will follow along the hilly path as Siemens Building Technologies’ Integration Department took Single Sourcing documentation from concept to pilot project. I will use the “building a house” theme to explore the steps with a mixture of tasks, lessons learned, wins, and losses along the way. I will also discuss ways in which expanding and maintaining the single sourcing system, as well as using it every day as a department standard, is just as challenging as maintaining or expanding a home. A new home means a new routine, a new route to work, and a new grocery store. Our daily use of XML as our main writing tool also means new processes, procedures, and resources. A new home may also mean new neighbors, roommates, maybe even out-of-town guests. A writing team made up of six members, all with varying backgrounds and areas of expertise requires the same negotiations and discussions as living with people with different needs and schedules. And training another department - a new project scope altogether - can be a bit like accommodating guests who may not have the same appetites, sleep schedules, and interests.Find out how the Integration writing team faces these challenges every day, with every documentation set.
Transcript of The Single Sourcing House: Building, Expanding, Maintaining, and Living in the Single Sourcing House
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Siemens Building Technologies
Living in the SingleSourcing House
The Writer’s Point of Viewby
Heidi SandlerSenior Technical WriterIntegration Department
Siemens Building Technologies
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Siemens Building Technologies2
Background – Who is SBT?
Siemens Building Technologies (SBT) We provide everything necessary to optimize the
performance of a building’s infrastructure.
• HVAC controls
• Fire/Life Safety
• Access Management
• Systems integration
35,000 employees in 125 countries
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Pilot ProjectBuilding the House
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Checking out the Neighborhood
Showing the Need for Single Sourcing Convincing management to start Buy-in on small pilot project for department
• Big backlog• Similar doc sets for many flavors of the same product• Need for consistency – complaints from field
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Designing and Building
Choosing tools and resources Epic/Documentum XML interface Server Arbortext training Dedicated software developer Templates Text Entities
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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The House that Epic Built
Benefits Consistency (formatting, structure, content) New user interface Savings of over 30% in time and money
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Return on our Investment
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Why Move?
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
The Return on our Investment Efficiencies
• Typical three-month span during the first two years ofsingle sourcing = 150 docs with 6 writers
• Current three month span = over 260 docs with 4.5writers
Consistencies• Shared chunks = 3,500 in 19 templates (these are the
modules of content that we have set up to share)
• References to shared chunks = 65,000 (this is thenumber of times this shared content appears in variousdocs. Imagine what that would mean if we had totranslate our Integration docs!)
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A Few Numbers
(These Numbers Grow Every Day. They havedoubled since our last count.)
Volume• Number of docs in repository = 1,400• Number of graphics = 1,000 (1,750)• Amount of storage = 2GB
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Compare!
$5716.25 ($3913)$8415.00Dollars Charged
67.25 (43)99Hours Charged
Technical ReferenceStart Up
Installation InstructionsConfig & SizingProduct Update
Cut SheetIn Brief
Point Maps
Technical ReferenceStart Up
Installation InstructionsConfig & Sizing
Document Set
Epic EditorMicrosoft WordSoftware
20042000YearBackground
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Using the SystemLiving in the House
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Enough Bathrooms?
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions Do all users have the resources they need? Is it available when they need it? Are they trained in its use?
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Evenly-distributed Resources
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Change-of-Address
Communicating with Other Groups Illustrators, reviewers, document control Show benefits Will they need training?
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Dividing up the Work
Playing to your Strengths Specific projects and
deadlines
Community-drivenmaintenance anddecisions
Sets you up forsuccess
Take advantage oftraining opportunities
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Stuff
Features Stuff you wanted but never use
• Table database
Stuff you’ll never admit you love
• XML tags
Stuff you want but can’t afford
• Automated workflow
Stuff you need but can’tcreate yourself
• Customization
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Keepers of the Keys
Access Management Templates and native files
• Who needs access?• Why do they need access?
• Is there another way theirneeds can be met?
Don’t forget:• Developers• Reviewers• Document control• Illustrators• Editors
Background
Pilot Project
Using theSystem
ROI
Questions
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From the Ground Up
Starting Over Document Analysis
• Content• Format• Structure• Rules• Audience• Reviewers
Reinventing the Wheel• Tools• Training• Templates
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Take Down Your Tree!
One-offs (the occasional docs that don’t quite fit) Benefit of using Single Sourcing Template and regular maintenance is unnecessary May not fit the usual process Easy to do when needed Be sure to use on a limited basis!
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Vote Early – Vote Often!
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
A year from now, you won’t remember whomade which decisions. Or when. Or why. Besure to document these things.
Educate yourself about decisions beingmade, whether or not you get a vote. Makeyour opinions known either way.
Case in point:
In Canada, by law, 1 out of every 5 songs onthe radio must be sung by a Canadian.
You may not pay for a fifty-cent item withonly pennies.
In British Columbia, It is illegal to kill asasquatch.
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Fish and Visitors
Training Another Writing Team Will they need:
• Software, hardware, and licenses?• Access to content management or templates?• Resources?
Will they need to:• Be trained?• Communicate with their team members?• Find information on their own?• Make decisions?
What will their responsibilities be?
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
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Any Questions?
Background
Pilot Project
ROI
Using theSystem
Questions
