Instruction manuals, users guides, and other types of documentation have always been the way manufacturers distributed the how-to information about their products to customers, as well as sales and support staff and other employees. This kind of catch-all, one-size document forces every user to sift through irrelevant information, applying their own context to find solutions to their problems. Even when they are successful, users remember the experience as painful and tedious. There must be a better way. In 2008 Kees van Mansom and Thei Geurts developed the concept of Documentation 3.0. Using semantic technology, we can create the smart documentation that guides each customer through the actions, decisions, and choices they can take to maximize their user experience.

1. Documentation 3.0
Thei Geurts
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2. Introduction
• In the year 2008 Thei Geurts and Kees van Mansom developed the
concept of Documentation 3.0.
• We presented the concept in the same year at the ISTC Conference
in Eastwood.
• Some time after the presentation, we renamed the concept of
Documentation 3.0 into Smart documentation.
• This presentation contains the slides that were presented to the
members of the ISTC in Eastwood.
The last page contains links to the speaker notes, a blog article
and a white paper about Smart documentation.
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3. 3
Documentation 3.0:
the next phase in technical communication!
ISTC Conference 2008
24th September 2008
Thei Geurts
Kees van Mansom

4. 4
Introduction
Who are these guys? And what are they
talking about?
Kees van Mansom
Thei Geurts

5. 5
Introduction
Who are these guys? And what are they
talking about?
Introduction
• Context and impact
• Documentation 1.0 and 2.0
• The shift
• Documentation 3.0
• Feedback

6. 6
Context
People Stuff
Deals
make
is used by
do about

7. 7
Stuff

8. 8
People
Documentation
Manufacturing
Purchase
Product Development
Service
Users
Marketing
Sales

9. 9
Deals

10. The challenge
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Content Context
Content Context

11. Documentation
Manufacturing
Purchase
Product Development
Service
Users
Marketing
Sales
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High impact
• Continuous change
• Control
• Agility
• No splendid isolation
• The whole chain
• The whole lifecycle
• Customer centric approach
• Context sensitive
• Focus on use
• Focus on re-use
No time to lean back

12. No revolution, but evolution
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13. Documentation 1.0
• Product centric documentation
• Task and function based
• Focus on generic audience groups
• Multiple tools depending on the goals and audiences
• Documentation is an isolated process
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14. Documentation 2.0
• Process centric
• Primarily function based
• Focus on single sourcing
• Re-use
• Standardised toolbox
• Documentation is a collaborative
process
“This is only the box
The sheep you asked for is
inside”
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15. The shift
“Maybe we should
ask our users what
information they
need, instead of
just providing them
with everything we
want them to
know.”
“I want to shave my sheep”
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16. Documentation 3.0
• Customer-centric
• Based on the demands of the individual user
• Bridging the gap between content and context
• Focus on adaptability to constant changes
• Using multiple sources
• Increased focus on collaboration
• Adding semantic technology to the
standardised toolbox
• Using a knowledge-centered approach to documentation
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17. Semantic Technology: What is it?
Information
Context
Knowledge
Semantic Technology enables the transition from
information to knowledge 17

18. Knowledge = Information in context
Information
Context
My CAT unit is
not listening to
my voice
commands
I have not given
my CAT a
system name
yet.
I can’t issue voice commands because my
CAT unit can’t recognize it’s name yet.
Actions:
• Give the system a name
• Reinitialize the name repeatedly
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19. How does it work?
Data and
content
Meanings and
knowledge
Instruments
decision tree classification calculator dictionary search navigate
Knowledge
Models
CAT User’s Manual
How can I issue voice
commands to my CAT
Unit?
What actions
do I have to
perform?
Meanings and
knowledge
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20. Example: What to do with the unit during vacations
• Our context:
• We are the owner of a CAT
unit
• Our situation:
• We want to go on vacation
• Our question:
• What should we do with our
CAT unit during our vacation?
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21. Choices and options
• Relevant questions:
• Should I take my CAT unit with me?
• If yes: How should I transport my CAT unit to my
destination?
• If no: Should I store the unit onsite or offsite?
• What do I need to do for onsite maintenance and
storage?
• What do I need to do for offsite maintenance and
storage?
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22. 22
User experience: let the computer decide for your users!
Context model

23. Who benefits from it?
• Customers
• Service employees
But also:
• Product architects
• Sales employees
• Marketing
• Business partners
• Field engineers
The whole product life cycle!
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24. Product life cycle support
Documentation
Manufacturing
Purchase
Marketing
Product Development
Sales
Users
Service
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25. What do we need to get started?
CMS or other authoring
environment
High Quality technical
documentation
Models & taxonomies
Instruments
(Web) Application
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26. Feedback
Would this work for you?
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27. Further reading
• A blog article about Documentation 3.0 and Smart documentation
can be found here.
• The original ISTC presentation with speaker notes can be found on
www.eurosapiens.com. Please look for Documentation 3.0.
• A white paper with the title "Improve Product and Brand engagement
through smart documentation” can be found here.
• See also the other publications on www.eurosapiens.com.
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