Holistic Approach to Spreading Your Knowledge? Anat Jacoby Ph.D. Managing Director, ExperTeam Documentation & Training

Erika Yanovich Manager, Technical Documentation Department, RAD

Dan Shalem Training and Documentation Manager, Allot Communications

Does your company possess a holistic

approach to its messages and information?

Should it?

How do you Spread your Knowledge

to your customers?

Agenda

Conclusions / tips

Models Introduction

Case study by RAD

Case study by Allot

Models

Separation

Merge Integration

Cooperation

Model 1: Separation

Disadvantages

Advantages Could have multiple deliverables Less synchronization of messages Different language

More focus on objectives per specific deliverable

Customer

Less sharing of resources More personnel needed Hard to merge skills & tools Parallel processes Possible waste of SME time

Organizationally more flexible

Unique profession Easier to find resources

Organization

Lack of professional growth

Stay within comfort zone Stay with area of specialization

Content Developer

Disadvantages

Advantages Usually multiple deliverables

More focus on objectives per specific deliverable Synchronization in language

Customer

Less sharing of resources More personnel needed Hard to merge skills & tools Parallel processes More time consuming Possible waste of SME time

Organizationally more flexible

Unique profession Easier to find resources

Organization

Possible competition

Helps seeing the big picture

Content developer

Model 2: Cooperation

Model 3: Merge

Disadvantages

Advantages

Less focus on each deliverable

Synchronization in messaging Uniform language & messages

Customer

Organizationally less flexible

Unique profession Harder to find resources

Sharing of resources Fewer personnel needed Merging of skills & tools No parallel processes Saves SME time More direct customer access

Organization

Might not have direct access to SME

Allows growth Peer review

Content developer

Disadvantages

Advantages

Less focus on each objectives

Synchronization in messaging Uniform language & messages

Customer

Unique profession Harder to find resources

Sharing of resources Fewer personnel needed Merging of skills & tools No parallel processes Saves SME time Easy to operate resources

Organization

Less focus

See the big picture Variety

Content developer

Model 4: Integration

Case Study#1 – RAD Communications Model 2: Cooperation

Making Cooperation Happen

Erika Yanovich Manager, Technical Documentation Department, RAD

Why cooperate? • Customers: more consistent, streamlined contents • Organization: more efficient contents creation process • Content Developer: can see the big picture

How to cooperate?

• Map customer-facing contents • Hold monthly update forums • Leverage training events

Agenda

Content by Target Audience and Owners Business Partners End Users Prospects

Technical

Marketing

Tech Tools Release Notes Product Training Support KB

Manuals Video Demos Product Training

PoC Test Plans Technology Blog

Product Training Newsletter Roll-out Plan

Data Sheets Brochures White Papers Catalog Videos Application Notes Testimonials Press Releases

Newsletter

Technical Writing

Training

Marcom Technical Support

CTO Product Management

Business Ordering Info Price List Partners Program

Content Type

Channel Marketing

QA

Content Owners in the Organization

Marketing

Technical Writing

Marcom

Product Management

Global Services

Training

Technical Support

R&D

CTO QA

Channel Marketing

Monthly Update Forum – Sample Outcome

Technical Writing Training

Editing Services

Useful Tools

Videos

Manual Contents

Examples

Training events are a platform for tech writers to: • Meet the target audience and get their feedback

• Learn

• Observe in real time which tasks are easier/more difficult for the participants

• Provide tech tool knowledge/updates by demonstrating the tools and by including usage of tools in workshops and exam

Leveraging Training Events

Keep Going

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Case Study#2 – Allot Communications Model 3: Merge

Knowledge Delivery Agents

Training Development Part of CS Dept Outsourced

Technical Documentation Part of PM Dept 1 writer + occasional outsourcing

Knowledge Management Part of TAC team (CS Dept) Engineer + writer

Marketing Documentation Part of MKT Dept 2 writers

Problem #1: SME Time

T

19

D K

Problem #2: Parallel Processes

PM R&D QA CS

Release Notes

Hardware Guides

Install Guides

Operation Guides

Admin Guides

Ppt Slides

eLearning

Webinars

KB Items (Int)

KB Items (Ext)

Support Notes documentation training km

Problem #3: Internal Competition

21

Allot User Guide

Rev 1.3

Allot Training Manual

Rev 2.1

• Task oriented? • On the job tool? • Up to date? • Accurate? • Useful? • Missing Key info?

Problem #4: Inconsistent Offerings

User Guide Student Guide

22

• Inconsistent terminology • Processes divided up differently • Directly contradicting information

Installation Procedure 1. Pre-installation

checks 2. Interface

Connection 3. Software

installation 4. Network

configuration

Installation Exercise 1. Connect cables

2. Check connectivity 3. Install Package 4. Basic Params 5. Extra Params 6. System Check

Breaking Down the Walls

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Documentation Training Knowledge

Management

D K T

How Did It Happen

Key to pushing it through:

• No extra resources required

• Solved organizational problem

• Small team

Reduced impact of:

• Organizational politics

• Ego / Resources wars

• Defense of traditional territory

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New Department

D K T

Initial Challenges

• Resistance to change

• Training developers and technical writers are different animals. Need to: – Learn each other’s language

– Learn to work together

• Model required for knowledge synch

• Defining new role within company: – Do we now own knowledge or

knowledge delivery?

– Are we now expected to have the answer to all questions?

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One Happy Family?

So How Does It Work?

PM R&D QA CS

Release Notes

Hardware Guides

Install Guides

Operation Guides

Admin Guides

Ppt Slides

eLearning

Webinars

KB Items (Int)

KB Items (Ext)

Support Notes

documentation training km 26

PM R&D CS

documentation

training

QA

gathering writing checking

Mkt Background:

What need does it

meet?

Features: What is

it supposed to do?

How does it work How to install

How to configure

How to use

How to

troubleshoot

knowledge items

So How Does It Work?

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Conclusions / Tips

• What is best for the customer

• What is best for the specific organization

• Flexibility

• Increase cooperation