S1000D Conversion: What It Means and Who Uses It

 [Approximate Reading Time : 4 mins]

Initially developed for the European aerospace industry, S1000D provides guidelines and standards that enable the development of technical documentation into internationally recognized data modules. It includes a structured methodology for the exchange of technical information between customers, suppliers and partners. Moving to structured content has significant advantages for businesses that have specialized and operational data that needs to be repurposed, with fine levels of applicability.

Benefits of S1000D

Although focused on the production and procurement of technical publications, the S1000D specification addresses all phases involved in the process:

• Planning
• Management
• Exchange
• Production
• Distribution

Due to its finely tuned structure, it supports the life cycle of sophisticated military and civil projects. Content is documented in data modules, rather than chapters, and each module represents a task. These tasks may be simple or complex. When complete, the data module must have meaning and be able to stand alone and be easily integrated into a larger publication. This type of documentation encourages a data-centric approach to content and promotes reuse. For complete transparency, associated files such as multimedia and graphics can be stored in the database with the module.

Reducing Life Cycle Costs

Updating and maintaining technical documents can be time-consuming and expensive. By using data modules instead of chapters, sections and subsections as traditional page-oriented documents use, the creation costs are minimized. Multiple methods of delivery lower distribution costs and enable efficient retrieval of the data.

Planning for Conversion

It’s difficult to have the foresight to write for future data conversion. As a result, there are some inevitable issues to the conversion process, such as formatting, deciding on which content should be converted and modifying existing content from chapter and section formats to independent modules.

At Amnet Systems, we offer S1000D conversion services that help you make content available across a variety of channels.. Contact us for a free quote today.