Web 2.0 - MadCap Feedback Review Part 2

online collaboration,workflow collaboration,madcap feedback,madcap flare,web 2.0,technical support,technical writing,technical communication

First impressions: MadCap Feedback Service

Continuing with the Web 2.0 MadCap Feedback review, I opened up the small, 17meg download for the Feedback Server today and scanned through the help file and the Getting Started Guide (PDF). Seemed pretty simple so I decided to jump right into it.

Simple workflow diagram which explains how it works conceptually. What really grabbed my attention was the External and Internal Feedback models. I’m going to have to check out how this works in detail… The Getting Started Guide has a matrix / section I’ll analyze later.

Where’s the Web 2.0?

How about how to moderate comments? How easy is this for say… the Technical Writer to use? Well, if you’re used to the original Flare interface, it’s pretty intuitive.

A link from within the Feedback Explorer from File | Help | Comments (Recent or Topic) brings up the Comments Explorer (my term).

Still pretty intuitive. I like how it was underneath Help - as I was hitting the high spots of the software it jumped at me.

Next we’ll look into how to link this into an existing project. I’m working on a real world review of a client’s file (confidential of course) but I’m going to try and plan on implementing Feedback Service to help me in my Workflow Collaboration for the review process and see how this works.

** Note: This is if it will work in my specific limited case of Apache Server with root level password access. I’m not sure the security layer will allow Feedback Service to work with it in this version. OF course if this is true it will give me a chance to put in a request with MadCap to add accessibility as a feature.

By the way, according to the Forums there are several people using the Feedback Service rather than the Server for supporting Apache.

Additionally, there is a firewall mod for those using it through a corporate firewall.

Update: As I was looking through the Feedback Service user to user support forums I found this icon, giving me a valuable clue to the KB skinner’s identity.

Seems like the mystery of who reskinned the Knowledge Base is well afoot! Or solved.