Case Study of Manual Creation Using Confluence Reducing the man-hours for manual creation and achieving ease of information sharing and version control

 Services Utilized

・Confluence* Implementation Support

- Manual Creation

*What is Confluence

This is a corporate version of Wiki. By using it as a manual creation/management tool, you can achieve information sharing, standardized processing of large documents, version control, and more.

Background

Dental Systems Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Dental Systems, with honorifics omitted) is a company that develops, sells, and supports a dental chart and billing system called POWER4G, used by dentists and assistants.

Due to legal revisions and other factors, the update frequency of POWER4G is not infrequent. While new features and screen changes are being implemented, there has been a situation where the manual revisions have not kept pace.

In July 2018, we received an inquiry from our President, Mr. Iwamuro, stating that he wanted to align the current system with the content of the manuals.

POWER4G Product Website URL

https://dentalsystems.jp/products/

Challenges at the Time of Request

"Revisions are difficult, and the manuals cannot keep up with system updates"

At Dental Systems, we were creating manuals in Word, but we were facing the following challenges.

We are actively working on this as one of the strategies to improve user customer satisfaction, which also leads to enhanced operator support services in call center operations.

The updates to the system are outpacing the revisions of the manual.

The information that should be read together is scattered, as it is being created while adding to it.

The manuals are divided into multiple files, and I want to manage them centrally.

I want to completely refresh the content of the manual, including updates to the displayed screens, in a short period of time.

I want to create an online manual

You had that issue.

In such circumstances, in November 2017, you visited our website, made an inquiry, and a selection process was conducted among several companies.

POWER4G Manual Before Improvement

Reasons for Choosing Human Science

The key is the ability to solve problems and create in a short period of time with flexible responsiveness.

We received a request to create approximately 300 pages of manuals in a short period while addressing issues related to manual creation and management. Therefore, Human Science proposed the following two points.

1. Writing by multiple writers

Since Human Science has many writers on staff, we communicated that we can respond flexibly to meet deadlines.

②Implementation of Confluence

We proposed the introduction of tools not only to improve the manuals but also to reduce the burden of creation and management.

We were selected for our high flexibility in human science, such as our ability to create manuals in a short period and our proposal to introduce Confluence for problem-solving.

The Process of Manual Creation

July 2018

(1) We implemented Confluence to adjust styles and conduct output tests.

(2) We have created a table of contents structure and a sample manuscript. The table of contents structure includes screen layouts and headings based on different purposes, providing an entry point from the user's perspective. In the sample manuscript, you were able to check the writing style of the text, including explanatory notes and supplementary information.

August to September 2018

We created the manual using Confluence.

Since Confluence allows for centralized data management, three writers edited the manuscript simultaneously. Additionally, by selecting the appropriate add-ons to export to PDF, we were able to output data from a single source without allocating man-hours to DTP.

As a result of working efficiently, we were able to create over 300 new manuals in two months.

Confluence Source Data

Export from Confluence to PDF

Effects After Request

"It has become easier to manage the information in the manuals"

The structure has been completely revamped, and the writing style and format have been standardized, resulting in a significant improvement in the clarity of the manuals.

We have adopted a responsive design that is compatible with both PC and mobile devices, significantly improving usability. The video manuals for beginner users are also well received.

Additionally, by implementing Confluence, we have been able to centrally manage manuals that were previously divided into multiple files. This allows us to smoothly export to PDF, enabling rapid distribution to our customers.

In the future, we are considering various uses, such as utilizing it as an internal information sharing tool. (President Iwanuma)

Evaluation of Human Science Co., Ltd.

"I am very satisfied with the implementation of Confluence and the manual creation in a short period of time."

Thank you for leading the project from the introduction of Confluence to the creation of the manuals. Thanks to your flexible suggestions, such as utilizing your knowledge about Confluence and adjusting the amount of information to achieve completion within a short deadline, we were able to resolve the initial challenges within the deadline.

Furthermore, even without specialized knowledge in dentistry, we were able to operate POWER4G, clarify any uncertainties, and complete the manual. The effort required on our part was less than expected, and we are very satisfied.

The specifications of POWER4G are updated daily, and since we have introduced Confluence, which is intuitive to operate, we can easily modify manuals in-house. Additionally, it is reassuring to have a reliable source to turn to in case of major revisions to the manuals in the future. (President Iwanuma)

Related Services

Creation of Manuals and User Guides