Editing, content management or CCM systems are designed to make a structured working day more efficient and easier to achieve. However, in the case of a number of solutions, users often find themselves asking what the advantages and disadvantages of each system are and which one is the right solution for them. A German manufacturer has determined that professional support from experienced service providers like KERN Global Language Services can open up unimagined possibilities.
Using efficient editing and content management systems saves time and on costs. However, choosing the right system can be problematic, as there are significant differences between them in terms of functionality. The efficiency of cross-system data management via CMS is largely dependent on the individual product palette as well as on the aspirations and requirements of the company in question.
The challenge of choosing the right software
A number of variables will decide which editing system has the best potential for improving work processes; from the length of the product cycles to the amount of data right up to customer-specific connection options. What’s more, introducing an editing system causes changes to existing work processes – some of which are fundamental changes. As such, taking professional advice that includes consideration of all the relevant facts when searching for an appropriate system can be of immeasurable value.
- Length of product cycles
- Rate of updates
- Involvement of customer specific terminology
- Conformity with the law and norms
- Necessity/frequency of translations
- Input/output formats used
- Price
- Modularization functions
- Ability to use from different locations
- Version management
- Support for authors.
The following example is intended to show how advantageous a tailor-made solution can be.
The customer
An internationally-active manufacturer of multifunctional disposal machines approached KERN Global Language Services with the aim of implementing their own CMS. Due to their excellent sales in various European countries, they required a large amount of professional translations. On top of that, the customer regularly requires several variants of operating manuals and technical information due to the fact that individual adaptations need to be made for approximately 20 percent of the devices sold.
Modularization and version control
After a detailed analysis of the original situation, KERN Global Language Services planned to implement a web-based XML editing system in the form of Smart Media Creator (SMC), as this has been deemed to be the best solution for the challenges facing the client. The flexible module sizes offered by the Component Content Management System enable different content that has already been translated to be re-used quickly and efficiently. This can account for the high level of repetitions that are a feature of technical editing and it effectively avoids content that has already been translated being translated again and again. The fact that version control can be carried out securely supports the whole process of workflow management and greatly reduces the amount of time and money expended by the customer.
Organising translations in the languages needed was considerably more efficient after SMC was implemented; this is due to the fact that the XML content saved can be accessed jointly independent of medium, regardless of where the users are located. Expanding the work to include use of the KERN translation services enables further options, such as the simple connection with our translation memory management system portal4client™ Advanced and cross-media publishing; these improve the workflow, make working processes more efficient and to reduce the costs of translation.
This example shows in detail how relevant it is that an editing system be properly tailor-made. Taking the customer’s wishes into account when selecting a system is essential. Especially experienced services providers like KERN Global Language Services, a full-service service provider in the field of technical documentation are aware of exactly this and are able to take the customer’s wishes into consideration to the fullest extent.
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