White Paper Aerospace & Defense Publishing: How S1000D Changes the Game If your organization produces equipment or components used in the Aerospace and Defense industry, compliance with S1000D is likely to become a requirement for your technical documentation in the not-too-distant future. This white paper provides an overview of key S1000D concepts and their impact on both the production and consumption of aerospace and defense technical publications. It explains how S1000D content managed in a Common Source Data Base (CSDB) and published as Interactive Electronic Technical Publications (IETPs) provides the opportunity for a radical departure from existing technical publications processes, changing the way that technical content is authored, managed, interchanged, and consumed. This paper also explores how the right technology can enable your organization to fully leverage the S1000D standard and enjoy the benefits of having truly intelligent content. Introduction S1000D is an international specification for technical publications that was developed to support multinational projects across Europe, utilizing a common framework. It was derived from the Air Transport Association (ATA) Specification 100, so it has always been wellsuited for aerospace; however, work on the specification over the last several years has now extended its applicability to include land and sea systems. Because of its broad support for technical content in its myriad forms, S1000D has recently become recognized as the de facto standard for aerospace and defense technical publications. One reason for this trend is that the wide adoption of S1000D promises to ease data interchange between suppliers, manufacturers and operators, as well as civil and military organizations, and various multinational defense bodies. But there is much more to the S1000D specification than its ability to facilitate data interchange. The modular nature of S1000D facilitates content consistency and reuse, and supports significant automation in the creation and management of data modules and other information resources based on variables such as product, system, component, classification, content type and task category. This automation will almost certainly require significant changes to the way an organization manages, interchanges, and publishes technical content. The words utilizing a common source database appear in the title of the specification, and this is only the first indication that technology is required to fully realize the benefits of using S1000D. While it is possible to manage an S1000D project on a file system, it can quickly become complex and unruly, particularly with large and distributed authoring communities. In addition, S1000D mechanisms such as Process Data Modules and applicability can only be fully leveraged when content is delivered in an Interactive Electronic Technical Publication (IETP). For these reasons, S1000D specifically describes the use of a Common Source Database (CSDB) and provides functionality guidelines for both print and IETP. When XML is delivered to the information consumer as an IETP, S1000D s robust applicability model allows content to be tailored to the user, the current conditions, and the equipment being serviced. This means that technicians see only information
relevant to their given situation, an improvement that alone can result in shortened mean time to repair and significant cost savings for equipment maintenance. But when you also consider the advanced functionality of S1000D Process Data Modules for fault isolation, and the availability of multimedia resources such as 3D models, videos, animations, simulations, and virtual task training, it quickly becomes evident that the potential benefits to the information consumer are considerable. You can find details about the S1000D specification on the website: www.s1000d.org. An Overview of S1000D Terminology Although S1000D prescribes the use of XML schemas, the specification is actually about how to author and manage data in a CSDB, package it for interchange, and publish it to page-based publications and IETPs. A CSDB is populated by units of information called data modules which can be of several types, including descriptive information, procedural information, fault isolation information, illustrated parts data information, and others. Each data module contains an identandstatussection element and a content element. The identandstatussection, through its child elements, provides a unique address called a Data Module Code (DMC) which is used to identify the product, system, and type of information associated with a data module. The identandstatussection element is the same for every data module type, while the content element structure varies according to the type of data module. For example, a descriptive data module will have a very different structure than an illustrated parts data module. The data modules to be used in a given project are specified in a Data Module Requirements List (DMRL). A DMRL can then be used to automate the creation of data modules and their metadata in the CSDB. When data is interchanged between organizations, a mechanism called a Data Dispatch Note (DDN) is used. A DDN is an XML instance that lists all of the data modules in a given dispatch and can be used to automate CSDB import/export and validation processes. A print or electronic publication is built from data modules in the CSDB through the use of a Publication Module (PM). A PM describes a specific publication and provides the sequence of data modules it contains. With data modules providing reusable chunks of content and PMs ordering them for various output requirements, S1000D provides the ultimate modular content model. But with flexibility comes complexity, and one result of this highly granular approach is that there are many disparate pieces of content that need to be managed, versioned, and tracked within a single project. This is where the CSDB comes in.
Why you need a CSDB In product-oriented approaches, planning largely involves books and electronic manuals to be produced in support of hundreds of individual products, with the implied costs of reuse and re-authoring buried under the surface. But with a modular approach like S1000D, the challenge of identifying hundreds of products is supplanted with the challenge to identify thousands of data modules to support these hundreds of products. A CSDB can leverage the content reuse capabilities inherent in the S1000D architecture while automating data module creation and providing suitable infrastructure for working with and managing S1000D projects. Data Module Code Management Each project must develop, maintain and adhere to a coding scheme based on both system engineering and information needs. The architecture must support this and the coding scheme must be implemented across the entire framework. Each data module must have a unique address, called a Data Module Code (DMC) that describes the system and the type of information it contains. At the heart of the DMC lies the Standard Numbering System (SNS), which provides for an association between the data module and the component it represents. Similarly, illustrations are identified with a unique Illustration Control Number (ICN) that also contains the SNS component. A CSDB is able to leverage the S1000D concept of DMCs and Illustration Control Numbers (ICNs), providing the ability to manage the SNS and other codes that make up the DMC and ICN.
The information used to create the DMC is contained within identandstatussection, allowing a CSDB to derive the DMC from the content and metadata of identandstatussection s children elements. A CSDB may even be able to create the appropriate system/subsystem hierarchy in the repository based upon the information contained in identandstatussection. Searching While many authors will become intimately familiar with the DMCs used with particular subsystems, there remains the need to search the repository based on content and metadata. The CSDB can provide the capability to perform searches based on content, metadata, and DMC. Using DMRLs One challenge of S1000D that will quickly confront managers is determining which data modules are required for a particular project and then creating the associated DMRL. The DMRL contains references to all of the data modules included in a project, and provides support for configuration control, reporting, and production. The good news is that a CSDB can use the DMRL to help manage the project and automatically create data modules and much of their identandstatussection content and metadata. A good CSDB will provide tools for working with DMRLs and may even support.csv as an input, allowing DMRLs to be created in familiar tools such as Excel. Creating Data Modules and Pre-populating identandstatus- Section Once your DMRL has been created or imported, a CSDB can automatically create data modules with the appropriate structures and metadata, providing the author with a customized starting point for content creation. Each type of data module has a content structure unique to its type, but all data module types contain an identically structured identandstatussection metadata section. Since some of the important metadata information is already present in the DMRL, it is easy for a CSDB to generate a data module of a particular type with the appropriate pre-populated metadata. Without a CSDB, this information must be entered manually for each data module. Collaboration and Controlled Content Creation Many CSDBs include integrated workflow management tool. These tools allow workflows to be created, initiated, and managed, providing a controlled authoring and review process. Once an author is assigned to work on a data module, they can make the needed changes or additions and then promote the data module to the next step in the workflow, typically a review process. Upon completion of the appropriate review/approval process, data modules are versioned and checked into the CSDB. A CSDB with integrated workflow can clearly distinguish between work-in-progress and approved publishable content, and can control viewing and access to data modules based on user roles and project status, provide locking mechanisms to prevent inadvertent parallel editing and provide information and reports on due dates and the status of data modules in the workflow. Project Tracking and Validation As mentioned earlier, more granular data means more components to be managed and tracked. All required data modules and publications are identified in the DMRLs and PMs, but project managers still need tools to manage and track status and completeness of work packages. In addition to thorough status information for both data and publication modules, the S1000D metadata contains an issue number that is used for tracking the formal releases of data modules, and an inwork number that is used for tracking changes during the drafting process. Validation is key. Data modules and publication modules contain many references to other data and publication modules that themselves contain references. Managers must be able to verify which data modules are not present and based on business rules, be able to create them and assign them in an efficient manner. It is critical to know whether references within the data modules are valid, including image references. When working with PMs, it is important to know that all of the components are available for publication. Without a CSDB, the validation of this chain of references becomes a tedious and daunting task, but all of this validation can be made readily available through a CSDB. Version Control Managers must know not only which data modules exist, but what their status is and which versions have been released for publishing. A CSDB provides the life cycle perspective of a data module and through the use of data modules metadata, it can locate, report on, and assemble data modules from a given point in time. Data Interchange S1000D prescribes the use of a DDN to help with data interchange. The interchange package itself includes all of the data modules in the project, all of the associated graphic and multimedia images, the DMRL, and any status lists and associated
documents. The DDN is an XML file that includes references to the contents of the interchange package. Besides identifying the data modules in the package, the DDN also identifies the XML schema and schema release versions that created the data modules. The DDN also contains information that identifies the sender and receiver of the data. A CSDB can automatically create the DDN and package the data modules for export from the repository. Multi-channel delivery The true value of S1000D content lies in the ability of data modules to be assembled into print and electronic products that serve the needs of information consumers. Thus, the authoring and production environment must provide for ways to preview and interact with complex data module types and provide a mechanism to assemble and publish data modules according to the appropriate publication module and S1000D applicability. A CSDB contains the framework and data that may be used to provide a meaningful interface for the generation of multi-channel publishing to paper/pdf and IETP. Why You Need IETP Software As explained in the introduction, S1000D concepts such as process data modules and applicability as well as multimedia information resources can only be fully leveraged when content is delivered in an interactive electronic technical publication. Some of the more compelling reasons for using an IETP are described below. Applicability Filtering An IETP leverages applicability markup in your XML data and can filter content at runtime based upon product, skill level, environ ment al conditions, or any other type of applicability. Locator Graphics and Hot Spots IETPs provide functionality to allow navigation between text and intelligent graphics using hot spots. A special type of hot spot or locator graphic may provide single-click navigation to lower-level assembly systems or subsystems without using the Table of Contents (TOC) or DMC. When a user clicks on the location of the component being researched, the applicable subsystems become visible. Hot spots also provide graphic-to-text linking capabilities for immediate retrieval of part/item information from an illustration. System Simulations Some IETPs support the ability to virtually simulate different states, allowing technicians to analyze systems and perform certain analysis tasks up front, which can reduce the length of a maintenance visit. Wire and Fluid System Tracing When the IETP provides the ability to electronically trace wiring and hydraulics systems within complex, detailed schematics and diagrams, it enables technicians to more quickly resolve electrical and fluid systems problems. In addition, sheet-to-sheet wire tracing provides visual assistance to technicians for navigation across multiple sheets and wiring diagrams. Animations IETPs typically support animations that allow graphical demonstrations of assembly and disassembly procedures whenever needed. This is particularly useful for new technicians performing a difficult procedure for the first time and can reduce part damage and breakage due to incorrect installation or removal. Fault Isolation and Process Data Modules The IETP may provide for navigation of fault isolation and troubleshooting data based on technician responses and inputs. Depending on user responses, the interface advances to the appropriate next step in the process data module or fault isolation procedure. Incremental Updates It is important for IETP software to support incremental updates to a body of technical content. Publishing only revised content makes distributing the newest technical data into the field easier and faster. Furthermore, there should be a method for tracking both incremental and major updates to fielded IETPs to ensure that revision status is always available for each workstation where IETPs reside. Revision Tracking The ability to track changes made to technical content across multiple revisions is another feature available with some IETP software. This functionality allows a technician to access a chronological listing of all normal or incremental revisions issued against a given technical manual, with a link directly to the updated content. S1000D and SDL A Winning Combination SDL has the experience, technology and track record to partner with you as you adopt and promote S1000D within your organization. We learned S1000D by dealing with it in real environments where our clients were facing real challenges. We ll help you get started, plan effectively based on your unique needs and constraints, and stay with you through the entire project to ensure your success.
SDL Contenta S1000D is SDL s Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) content management system that provides the Common Source Data Base (CSDB) prescribed by the S1000D specification, along with the automation and efficiency needed to deliver S1000D content reliably, repeatedly and effectively to your customers, partners and suppliers. It is used by authors, editors and program and publication managers for the creation, management and delivery of technical information. SDL Contenta S1000D contains an automated workflow that can clearly distinguish between work-in-progress and approved or published content, and provide status throughout the editorial and publishing process. It controls access to Data Modules based on user roles and project status, and it provides locking mechanisms to prevent inadvertent parallel editing. SDL Contenta S1000D can also manage legacy SGML and XML content written to other standards. Together, S1000D, Contenta, and SDL LiveContent provide an end-to-end solution that meets Aerospace and Defense industry requirements for standardization, efficiency, automation, and true content integrity. Implemented individually or as part of an enterprise-wide solution, SDL technologies enables your organization to fully leverage the S1000D standard and enjoy the benefits of having truly intelligent content. To learn how SDL s commitment to XML standards such as S1000D can provide value to your organization, please visit us at www.sdl.com or call 781.756.4400. SDL also integrates S1000D with publishing and interactive electronic viewing technologies. Called SDL LiveContent, SDL s IETP solution fully leverages S1000D s intelligent content with applicability filtering, locator graphics and hot spots, system simulations, wire and fluid system tracing, support for a full suite of multimedia, interactive process data modules, and incremental updates. SDL enables global businesses to engage with their customers in the language, the media and at the moment they choose. We help businesses manage their brands, drive global revenues, accelerate speed to market and enrich their customers experience. SDL s enterprise-ready innovative technology and service solutions span the entire customer journey and include social listening and marketing analytics, campaign management, language management and services, video and written content creation, web content management, dynamic technical documentation publication and ecommerce. SDL solutions drive global reach across multiple languages, cultures, channels and media. SDL has over 1,500 enterprise customers, 400 partners and a global infrastructure of 70 offices in 38 countries. For more information, visit www.sdl.com. SDL_wp_AerospaceDefensePublishing_EN_LTR Copyright 2012 SDL plc. All Rights Reserved. All company product or service names referenced herein are properties of their respective owners.