When Kodak sold off their Health Imaging business unit, Amy Friend and the employees that went to the new company had to set up new operations to provide over 42 unique communications related processes. They also had to migrate regulated documentation in a way that maintained the quality of content. The schedule was tight and there were strict rules on how the regulated documentation and training had to migrate to the new company. Amy Friend, Manager of Technical Communications and Linda Schlauch presented this session at STC Spectrum Conference in Rochester NY. They address rebranding, content migration, sourcing strategy, quality systems, and resources required for this complex process migration. Amy Friend is an Associate Fellow of STC and a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

1. Transitioning a Technical
Communications Department
Linda Schlauch
Amy Friend
When your job becomes a cardio workout!

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Situation
Transition our function from Kodak’s Technical Knowledge
Management organization to become a stand-alone
technical communications department for a new company,
Carestream Health in a way that:
• continues to provide product communications & training
timely and within budget
• ensures continued sales effective Day 1/May 1

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Kodak

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Carestream Health

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TKM

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What we offer

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Problem Statement
• How do we rebrand all of the publications currently in
production?
• How do we migrate content and systems over and remain
functional?
• How do we do the work of 36 FTE with 15?

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Expectations
• Deliver on the same functions as TKM
• Remain a competitive provider (cost & quality)
• Zero-based budget
• Enable new company to begin May 1
• Exit Transition Service Agreements with Kodak

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• Rebranding
• Content Migration
• Systems
• Resources
Areas To Address

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What does it mean?
• Make Changes
• QA Changes
• Approve
• Implement
Rebranding

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Input Process
Identify the publications to convert to the new brand
Identify labels on machines and packaging,
(required in a medical environment)
Identify labeling changes
• All new part numbers
• All company references and addresses
• Trademarks
• Service References
• Disposal Labels
• CD labels
• Binder Covers and Spines

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Output Process
Produce English Source files marked for changes
and unmarked for finishing
Produce final Pdf
Localization
• 100 X 13 = 1300 document files
Production
• Prints
• CDs

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Three months to do it….
…and we didn’t know what the
company name was going to be

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Here’s how we did it
Coordinated rebranding activity among manufacturing,
Corporate Design & Usability, localization, and
publications groups
Maintained communication with Regulatory
Used a master list of labeling
Generated a spreadsheet of all publications to change;
tracked all activity on a daily basis

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Final Steps
Archived all legacy documents and new Carestream Health
documents in Documentum

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What systems?
• Documentum
• File Shares
• Servers
• Scripts
• Applications
• Databases
What content?
• Doc
• Online help
• Web content
• Localized content
• Technical illustrations
• Digital assets
• Process documentation
• TRACS
Migration

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Some Challenges
• Smaller infrastructure, can’t bear same cost
• Lack documentation and system architect for old systems
• FDA Regulated content
• Business change: entitled access needed
• Data center issues, compatibility
• Lack enough server/space

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How Are We Doing it?
Follow structured change process:
1. Define requirements
2. Assess options & risk
3. Design solution
4. Test/pilot solution
5. Migrate

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How do we:
• fulfill on the work of 36 FTEs with 15 people?
• maintain a competitive cost model
• remain flexible/lean during a transition period
Resources

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Sourcing Strategy
Reevaluate:
• Co-locate writers with development
• Vendor relationships
What skills do we keep in-house?
Key partnerships inside
Standard process/work (reduce variation)
Strategic vendor relationships
• Contractor/vendor
• Global resources
Timing & justification for requests

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Capability Development
Content Creation
Content Management
Advanced Technology
Localization
Project Management

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Content Creation Localization Content Management Production

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Lessons Learned
• Importance of a process
• TSA’s: deadlines and costs
• Get on transition lists
• Team (outside help, process owners, project manager)
• Skills / input of stakeholders
• Standard work
• Not perfect, be patient

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Change Management
Communication
Training
Involvement
Coaching
Have Need Gap

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Linda Schlauch
Linda.schlauch@carestreamhealth.com
Amy Friend
Amy.friend@carestreamhealth.com
Questions?