Symantec restructured its knowledge delivery process to use a topic-based XML workflow to reduce localization costs, enable simultaneous product releases globally, and improve customer access to self-service support information. The new process uses XML, content management systems, globalization management, and machine translation to publish over 16,000 online support topics. This has led to localization cost savings over $2 million, French product releases within a week of English, and over 5 million monthly support topic page views. Symantec plans to further expand self-service support using search and a knowledge management system.

1. Structure 2.0
Knowledge Delivery at Symantec
Tristan David Bishop, Sr. Principal Business Analyst
Originally presented to STC Summit - Atlanta, May 4, 2009

2. Introduction

3. Symantec
• Operates in more than 40 countries
• FY 2009 revenue = $6.2 billion (Enterprise=$4.4b, Consumer=$1.8b)
• Over 17,500 Team Members
• Revenue by Geography:
– Americas. . . . . . . . . . . . 55%
– EMEA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30%
– APJ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15%
• Backs up half of the world’s data
3

4. Immediate access to data has
become a cultural expectation
Carolyn Lawson, Director of
eServices, State of California
4

5. Knowledge 2.0
• Web 2.0 changed our customers
• They expect immediate answers
• They use browser search to get them
• Our hidden answers had no value
• We decided to restructure content into topics
• We decided to remap our knowledge delivery paths
5

6. If they can’t find it, it doesn’t exist.
Sarah O’Keefe,
Scriptorium Publishing
6

7. Agenda
1 Objectives
2 Solutions
3 Results
4 Plans
7

8. Objectives
1. Reduce localization (L10n) costs
2. Facilitate simultaneous shipments
3. Improve customer access to knowledge
4. Increase self-service support
8

9. Solutions

10. Symantec - Knowledge Data Flow
10

11. XML
Why XML?
• Previous strategy required L10n DTP
• XML eliminated need for L10n DTP
• Page layout handled automatically
• DTP charges = ($/page/language)
• Massive l10n DTP savings realized, >$2,000,000
11

12. XML Authoring
JustSystems XMetaL Author
• Topic based writing
• Concept, Task, Reference
• Create English topics
12

13. Quality Assurance
Acrolinx IQ Suite
• Controlled Language
• <25 words/sentence
• Terminology Checking
• Style Checking
13

14. Content Management
Vasont
• Create, manage and repurpose multilingual content
• Integrated Unicode character sets
• Advanced link management
• Native workflow functionality
• Built-in API
14

15. Globalization Management
SDL Idiom WorldServer
• Topic-based L10n
• English XML section serves as master document
15

16. Globalization Management
• Correlated XML in 20+ languages
16

17. Machine Translation
Systran
• MT support for 7 languages today
• Reduces word-count routed to vendors
• Symantec case study featured on Systran web site.
http://www.systransoft.com/systran/corporate-profile/translation-case-studies/symantec
17

18. Reasons for G10n Management
Traditional Translation Automated Translation
•Labor-intensive •Tool-driven
– TM and human cycles – Also uses CMS, GMS and MT
•Book-based •Topic-based
– Occurs at the manual or help level – Occurs at the topic level
•Driven by Release Schedules •Driven by Availability
– InfoDev drops content to L10n for – Completed topics route to L10n,
translation within tight timeframe. balancing workload.
•Delayed Global Release •Simultaneous GA across markets
– Up to 30 days later – Sometimes within 24 hours

19. Data Transformation
• XSL based automated process
• Saxon for HTML
• Saxon and Antenna House for PDF
19

20. Cloud-based Production
• Internal Web-Based Scheduling Software
• On-Demand or Recurring
• InfoDev reported up to 50% time savings
20

21. Source Control and Packaging
• Source repository integration
• CVS, Perforce
• Dev Builds
• Shrink Wrap
• Retail
21

22. Knowledge Management
• Web Publishing
• Topics and PDF
• Search Tuning
• Self Service
22

23. Web Delivery
• Support Web Site
• Knowledge Integration
• Metadata
• Browse access
• Search access
23

24. Symantec - Knowledge Data Flow
24

25. Results

26. Results
1. Reduced L10n costs
2. Facilitated simultaneous shipments
3. Improved customer access to knowledge
4. Began increasing self-service support (more to come)
26

27. Results: L10n Costs
Example Product Release
– 450,000 English source words
– Acrolinx enforcement of “controlled language” rules
– MT for French, Italian, German and Spanish (FIGS)
MT Project Scores by Language
French: 73%
Spanish: 68%
Italian: 59%
German:57%
• MT accomplished over half of the work for FIGS
• Fewer words left for translators to consider
• Saved $125k for one release of one product

28. Symantec is one of a few
companies doing a superior job
paying attention to the global
marketplace during the writing
process.
Val Swisher, CEO,
Oak Hill Corporation
28

29. Results: Simultaneous Shipments
Sample Product Release
– MT handled high % of words
– Human translators had less to do
– Less overall time was required for L10n
– New process reduced "Time to Market“
– French GA only one week after English
– Timeliness facilitated global sale
– InfoDev process efficiency created
revenue for Symantec

30. Results: Knowledge Access
InfoDev Web Publishing Metrics
1. Published initial 2k
InfoDev web topics in Feb 6,000,000
2008 for pilot product
5,000,000
2. Pilot so successful, 58
other products followed 4,000,000
path
3,000,000
3. In the past two years, InfoDev
Symantec InfoDev teams 2,000,000 Topic Web
Hits
have published >16k web
1,000,000
topics
4. InfoDev web topics 0
received >5 million hits in
Feb 2010 alone!

31. Plans

32. Plans: Self-Service Support
• InQuira Information Manager
• Leads Gartner Magic
Quadrant
• Content organized by type
• Search engine determines
likely intent
32

33. Plans – Self Service Support
• Topics tracked
and scored by
usefulness
• Direct
customer
feedback
• We will learn if
there are
missing topics
3333

34. Plans – Self Service Support
• We already have
translated XML
topics stored in our
CMS
• We will deliver them
to the web through
the InQuira KMS
• InfoDev will facilitate
self-service support
across global
markets
• We hope to drive
down incoming
support call
volumes, saving
money for the
company
3434

35. Conclusion

36. In Summary
Topic-based XML delivery:
• Reduces L10n costs
• Facilitates simultaneous
shipments in multiple locales
• Increases customer access to
knowledge
• Potentially reduces incoming call
volumes
36

37. Thank You!
Tristan David Bishop
tristan_bishop@symantec.com
Twitter: @KnowledgeBishop
SYMANTEC PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL – INTERNAL USE ONLY
Copyright © 2008 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.