It's rewarding to set a technical goal and build a solution that works. This project started as a manual task and evolved into an automated workflow that saves time and improves consistency. The Challenge: Converting Links for Our LCMS The task was to convert a list of topic-related links into structured, clickable XML blocks that … Continue reading Streamlining XML Link Generation for Our LCMS
We’ve reached a major milestone—our minimum viable product (MVP) for content migration is complete. We highlighted this achievement at our recent customer conference, and it marks the beginning of a broader transformation in how we manage and deliver content. We’ve migrated all priority content into our Learning Content Management System (LCMS), which moves us closer … Continue reading We Hit MVP: Advancing Our Content Migration and Optimization Efforts
If you're a Component Content Management System (CCMS) vendor, the features you build directly affect how efficiently authors create, manage, and deliver content. A well-designed CCMS improves an author’s workflow, reduces frustration, and boosts productivity. To refine your product, focus on key features that simplify authors’ daily tasks. These features are just the tip of … Continue reading Essential Features Every CCMS Should Have for Content Authors
Migrating content is never easy, but it’s always transformative. Our Technical Writing team is currently transitioning from Google Docs to a Learning Content Management System (LCMS) to improve collaboration, streamline content reuse, and enhance the user experience. This isn't my first migration. I've led or contributed to four in my career, including transitions from SDL … Continue reading Behind the Scenes of Our Content Migration
If you're a Technical Writer migrating to a new Component Content Management System, you know it's a massive undertaking. Our team is currently preparing for such a migration, which involves: Moving all content into a new system. Converting unstructured content into structured content. Shifting from features-based documentation to topic-based user documentation. This is a simplified … Continue reading CMS Migration Project: Human versus ChatGPT
I am currently documenting a command line interface that supports CRUD (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) operations for a variety of objects. As you can imagine, every object uses many of the same arguments. For example, when creating an object, the user can: Describe the object Activate the object Identify the type of data the … Continue reading Why conrefs are wonderful
If you have read my article, What IS it that you do?, then you might already know that one of my passions is helping my customers. One of the ways that I do this is by writing embedded help. Embedded help is user assistance that is integrated into the user interface so that users can get … Continue reading Four examples of Embedded Help. Do you offer this to your users?
While working for a smaller company, fulfilling many roles, my title didn't matter, and it never changed. This didn't affect me until the company I worked for was acquired in 2014. The larger organization did a mapping by title, and I fell directly into the Information Development (ID) department. I was not happy. I had … Continue reading What IS it that you do?
Tara English-Sweeney 