The document details the automation processes used by ExactTarget to enhance their documentation management as they produce rapidly evolving technical content. It highlights the challenges faced, such as high audience expectations and the need for efficient content creation, and outlines various approaches for automating documentation, including web-based delivery and content reuse strategies. The result is a highly responsive publication system that facilitates timely updates and assures content accuracy across diverse platforms.

1. Supporting Documentation Processes Through Automation ToolsCMS/DITA North America Conference

2. PresentersAmanda Cross Documentation ManagerCharles CantrellAutomation Engineer

3. WHO IS EXACTTARGET?Global software as a service leader (600+ employees)Power all types of digital messaging (Small Biz to Global Enterprise)Integrated platform (Email, Mobile, Social, Sites)

4. What it’s like to work at ExactTargetFast-paced environmentHigh rate of growthEmployeesScope of the productCooperative, friendly, casualHighly motivated and results-driven employeesCustomer-focused objectives and goals

5. challengesWe’re facing the same challenges you are:Highly technical productsRapidly evolving productsAudience with high expectationsAudience with highly diverse set of skillsNeed to produce more collateral with few writers

6. Our ApproachUse modern tech-writing methodologyDe-emphasize singular style/editing – not necessary for everyone, but sensible for usRequire writers to be experts

7. Our ApproachAutomate as much of the content creation as possible:Publication processes

8. Web Service documentation

9. Data extracted and presented from other data sets

10. Workflow automation

11. Content reuse

12. TemplatesTOOLSMindTouchDekiscriptDREAM API XML/XHTML/CSS other web technologiesMySQLTag-based processes and controlsC#PHPVirtual environmentsSQL queries

13. Publication ProcessThe Challenge: Deliver the documentation with same speed that we deliver the productThe Approach: Web-based delivery with two-tiered creation and publicationAutomation tools to move content from creation web to delivery web

14. Publication ResultHighly responsive publication system Documentation released with the product releaseStandard weekly updatesAd-hoc updates for urgent changes

15. Web Services DocumentationThe Challenge: The scope of the content was huge, rapidly expanding, and complexLarge numbers of objects, properties, and parameters Several methodsThe Approach: Move from a manually-maintained Word document to an auto-generated set of inter-related and hyper-linked web pages

16. Web Services ResultsIndividual page for each entity generated from the WSDLEntity associations hyper-linked automaticallyPages serves as a template for developers and other SMEs(short video demo of the process)

17. Data Extraction from qcThe Challenge: Identify the programming changes that go into the release Difficult to get information from a system to which the documentation department did not have access The Approach: Automate the extraction of the informationAuto-generate supporting documents to communicate release plans internally and to clients

18. QC Extraction ResultsAuto-generated web pages available internally to product management, documentation and developmentThese provide details of the individual projects for releaseAuto-generated work for writersAuto-generated PowerPoint of release projects

19. Data Extraction from 3sixty Social NetworkThe Challenge: Ideas submitted through ExactTarget social platform from customers were not actionableThe Approach: Extract the “idea” records from the social platform, and make them visible in a product management application, for tracking and development

20. 3sixty Data Extraction ResultsIdeas from clients are imported into a product management applicationIdeas are assigned to a development process and tracked through the release processIdeas are visible in an open user interface

21. Content ReuseThe Challenge: There was a need to repeat information in multiple contexts, while keeping it in “sync”The Approach: Use MindTouch functionality to “pull” information from primary source and display it where needed

22. Content Reuse Results“Terms” page generated automaticallyElements of the Solution Guides and Feature Guides are kept in “sync”TOC Generation – “internal” items removed from the external listWriters “reuse” content in an ad-hoc manner

23. CrowdsourcingTags identify “publication ready” pagesAny page edited by SME automatically tagged for reviewA daily report shows pages tagged for reviewAll content is completely version-controlled (for their comfort, as well as ours)

24. Questions?