adobe robohelp,madcap flare,xml,dita,madcap blaze,workflow collaboration,online collaboration,xbox,gaming,technical communication

In order to keep the train of thought, I’m repurposing some of my previous blog entry… Just to stay on track, we’re still focusing on the Documentation side of gaming and the Xbox example.

Check out this screenshot from the XBox 360’s Media Center (well, any Media Center has this) and notice that they break things down into four sections, Help | Forums | Tips | Hardware Center. There’s a lot of content within these sections… not all of it from a single source and not all of it from a single company.

Consumer Electronics Support Challenges to Technical Communication

Without XML or other similar technology designed for repurposing the content, this will be an update nightmare. Most important, with so much blending between hardware, software, users, tech support, engineering and marketing, keeping the channels of communication open between departments simply cannot be limited to email and screenshots.There has to be a transparent workflow or cycles take far too much time to be cost effective.

People, we’re talking about saving real money here. A workflow must be organized, efficient, and structured. That is the true pain that people are feeling within organizations, particularly Consumer Electronics.

All of that content must be updated or it becomes irrelevant. Then the support phone calls start coming in and everyone starts spending money to support their product.

What software plays well with gaming / Consumer Electronics Fusion?

The question I have is – what software provides the best method to integrate this content?

With the feedback server and the XML framework of Flare, I would have to say the advantage goes to MadCap Software beyond all the other competitors, including Adobe RoboHelp and Quadralay’s option.Blending Web 2.0 elements and reporting is critical within the consumer electronics world.

XML / DITA / Wrangling Content

Repurposing content and integrating a smooth workflow seems to be more of the focus of MadCap Software than simply a head-to-head comparison with RoboHelp.

In the specific gaming industry study I’m looking at now, the XML framework is critical to keeping content ‘wrangled’. I’m also hearing quite a bit about how Blaze, MadCap’s new product offering, is going to measure up.

From MadCap Software’s Blaze site:

XML Foundation. MadCap Blaze features a unique patent-pending visual XML editor, fully driven by schemas and cascading style sheets (CSS). However, no knowledge of XML is required in order to use Blaze.

Blaze has the potential as described by MadCap to become a market leader within the Consumer Electronics fusion space.

MadCap Software is integrating Disruptive Technology directly within it, and it will work with their existing products.

xbox,gaming,technical communication,consumer electronics,technical support

Continuing from the other article, let’s look at the Documentation side of Technical Communication.

What forms of Documentation?

First, let’s understand that we have time to absorb the role of docs in gaming. Having an understanding of the gaming world never hurts but it’s not yet critical in most tech writer’s immediate applications.

Documentation for gaming is still being written in traditional methods however it’s becoming supplanted by user-fed wiki sites across the net. 

Nutshell of the Gaming Wiki phenomenon:

Traditional published gaming guides must now compete with a free-based model, often times supplemented from their own content which is rehashed from the user reading the manual.

Looking forward at the blurring of lines between straight-text tech writing and rich media, it’s clear that help files are starting to take more forms and their importance within the Xbox framework and the Consumer Electronics framework and value in support reduction cannot be underestimated.

Yeah, ever had a hard time returning a software package? Now imagine your $400 to $800 entertainment set-top box (or in this example XBox 360) has problems you can’t resolve. How hot would you be? Who would you call? Who are your resources?

Check out this screenshot from the XBox 360’s Media Center (well, any Media Center has this) and notice that they break things down into four sections, Help | Forums | Tips | Hardware Center.

All of that content must be updated or it becomes irrelevant. Then the support phone calls start coming in and everyone starts spending money to support their product.

In the Consumer Electronics world, people tend to hate to spend money on products they’ve already sold. The less the better. If their channel partners offer a quick and easy solution to their support headaches, even just by integrating their navigation and cutting out the normal ‘google the error’ path things are made better.

Reducing Call Volume? Oh, that’s saving REAL money now.

Now break down the challenges that the Media Center team faces in keeping all of this content from different sources managed. Imagine what it would be like to be on this team, facing the deluge of information that they deal with.

What’s their techcomm workflow like?

A workflow must be organized, efficient, and structured. That is the true pain that people are feeling within organizations, particularly Consumer Electronics. Without XML or other similar technology designed for repurposing the content, this will be an update nightmare.

Most important, with so much blending between hardware, software, users, tech support, engineering and marketing, keeping the channels of communication open between departments simply cannot be limited to email and screenshots.

Halo 3 was released in September with worldwide sensation.

This is important to understand: Halo 3 has outsold Star Wars. And Spiderman 3. And any other movie in history.

It is the single week record holder for any form of entertainment, period.

Not to mention, doing its part in improving Microsoft’s gaming platform sales:

Sales of the Xbox 360 console saw a sharp increase, more than doubling compared to the weekly average before the launch of Halo 3.

Even the Army uses the XBox handheld controller for their house-clearing robot. So it’s safe to say that XBox has penetrated many diverse markets. I’ve got some raw data from Microsoft about their game market penetration, but I’m talking about across complete Consumer Electronic channels more than the game aspect.

From InformationWeek:

Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)’s Halo 3 racked up $170 million in sales on its first day of availability, making it the hottest-selling title in video game history.

From XBox / Microsoft: Biggest Entertainment Launch in History

To date, over 20 million copies of the games in the Halo trilogy have been sold worldwide. The record week one sales comes on the heels of the previously announced $170 million in sales in the U.S. within the first 24 hours of the game’s release, which marked not just the biggest videogame launch, but the biggest entertainment launch in history.

The Xbox 360 title beat previous U.S. sales records set by blockbuster openings for entertainment events like the release of Spider-Man 3 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

How many people play XBox?

According to their figures, Microsoft says that 11 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold. So, for a game retailing at $60 the math is pretty simple that just about everyone owning an XBox 360 bought a copy of Halo 3.

How many people are in this core group? from Microsoft - http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/14595/Xbox-360-and-Xbox-Live-Facts-and-Stats/

Faster than expected, Xbox LIVE has eclipsed the 7 million member milestone and is on track to reach 10 million members by the end of June 2008. In fact, in the last year we’ve added a new Xbox LIVE member every 8 seconds.

Where does the TechComm come in?

eLearning and Documentation. You know it, love it and live it. I’ll explain how they converge.

It’s been really tough lately to even blog with all the stuff going on.
Such as
- San Diego Fires
- No internet connectivity after a move
- Construction schedule
- You name it, I’ve been doing it…

Check out this Workflow Collaboration online site…

Approver.com makes it easy to share documents with coworkers.

You can use Approver.com to create or upload documents, then invite friends or colleagues to provide feedback. You receive alerts when others review your document, leave comments or upload new versions.

If you ever sent someone a document as an email attachment and wondered if it ever got there, Approver.com offers a handy alternative.

So I’ll be checking this out first time I get a chance. I haven’t had a chance to even clear out my email box lately, so apologies to those affected!