Has your Airline decided to switch documentation management solutions for the sake of leveraging xml-based content originating from sources such as your OEM manual suppliers? Or does your organization already have a system in place but is looking for an alternative solution to manage its complex documentation landscape more efficiently while always providing reliable, role-based content to its end-users?

This short article aims to briefly summarize some of the aspects that we believe should be considered when evaluating providers that indeed support xml-based content management while claiming to fulfill the aforementioned objectives.

Data Import / Export

Whether your organization already has a system in place or not. Chances are that it depends on flexible data import / export options. Be it to initially import legacy documentation from a previous system, automate the reconciliation management between OEM manual providers (e.g. FCOMs from Airbus, Boeing) and your customized documentation (e.g. OM-B) or to export documentation to various, standardized formats to further leverage the information in 3rd party applications.

Importing Legacy Documentation Efficiently

Regardless of whether an Airline switches from one xml-based system to another or aims to transition from a PDF/Word-based system to a more sophisticated, xml-based solution. Make sure you understand if and how your legacy documentation can be imported into the new environment, preferably without involving extensive manual effort.

While Yonder allows for xml legacy documentation to be imported directly, it also provides a process to translate PDFs to xml and generate modularized content in the process, which consequently can be further refined with additional information and functionality.

Figure 1: Importing legacy documentation to Yonder

To state but a generic example: If your legacy OM-A happens to be PDF-based, our solution provides efficient means to convert it to xml and further refine it thereafter, e.g. by attaching module-specific tags that consequently allow users to limit the visible content to what’s relevant to their particular role and mission.

Importing OEM XML Manual Packages (e.g. Airbus / Boeing FCOM, MEL, QRH)

If your aircraft supplier indeed offers xml-based OEM documentation for your fleet, it certainly makes sense to leverage this information and ensure proper import of that content including key metadata into your new system. Especially larger fleets will also appreciate functionality that allows for a more efficient approach to managing revisions between the manufacturer’s and the operator’s customized documentation. Thus, make sure you thoroughly understand to what extent a given CMS can automate these processes as it can save your publication and technical team considerable time in the long run while ensuring compliant output at all times.

Whether for a one-off import or recurrent, differential imports: Yonder is capable of importing OEM manuals such as the ones from Airbus and Boeing including effectivities and customizations.

In fact, Yonder can even automate the reconciliation management between the manufacturer’s OEM manuals and your customized documentation, as briefly illustrated in the image below.

Figure 2: Change handling for manufacturer manuals and sync to operator's manuals

Export to XML and PDF

Sure, it might seem overly cautious to contemplate how your organization might transition content from a solution it hasn’t even subscribed for, to yet another hypothetical one perhaps many years down the road. But it should indeed already factor into your decision-making process today, as it might save you from unnecessary (costly) challenges once that day arrives. To that end, we believe it’s reasonable to favor solutions that allow for exporting data to a flexible, non-proprietary format at all times, thereby ensuring a seamless transition to the yet unknown at some point.

Raw XML is certainly a viable option, as it preserves both the structure and all of the metadata related to the content within a document. Having non-proprietary export options bring about further benefits, including but not limited to leveraging the data across your existing system landscape. In short: Exports should be possible to formats that maximize accessibility while ensuring long-term preservation of your documentation, including content-specific metadata.

Yonder permits export to raw xml and therefore ensures reusability of your content, for example to publish your content to a 3rd party EFB App, if so desired. It also ensures that your organization is not locked into the solution, meaning that you will not be facing any avoidable hurdles when aiming to transition your content including module-specific metadata to another solution. And since Yonder strictly separates content from layout, your organization can still export documents to PDF based on any number of stylesheet and reflect specific use cases even for one and the same document, e.g. present a revised document for approval to your authorities and / or mark one and the same document as an uncontrolled version for another use case.

Streamline Manuals

Airlines tend to accumulate more information than in the past and this increase is likely to be accompanied by a similar rise in complexity of that information. This brings about its own set of challenges, both as it pertains to managing the related content and presenting it to the end-user. There are solutions available on the market today however, that can simplify these challenges for your organization. Yonder allows you to consolidate manuals and limit the visible content to what’s actually relevant to a particular end user, as schematically illustrated by the hand drawing in the image below.

Figure 3: Tag-based content disply for end-users in Yonder

Example: Instead of managing the documentation for an Airline with multiple AOCs in parallel (e.g. AOC-specific Operation Manual Part A), all of the related information can be managed in a single document and displayed to the end-user in an AOC-specific manner. Or, instead of managing tail-specific FCOMs or OM-Bs, the related xml-data can be consolidated while conserving tail-specific metadata including effectivities and tags that would allow to filter the content for a specific tail, to state but one additional example.

Result in both cases: Less Duplication, streamlined revision processes and an overall increase in transparency for your authors, subject matter experts and end-users.

Such a streamlined manual can then also be exported (incl. as PDF, if so required) for a given use case, e.g. filtered by AOC for approval by the National Aviation Authorities.

Summary

Whether you are taking the leap from PDF to xml-based content management or you’re looking to replace your existing xml solution with a fully digital one: Compare import/export capabilities and how it can simplify your revision processes by means of automating repetitive tasks, such as the revision management between the manufacturer’s OEM manuals and your customized documentation.

Get a sense whether the solution you’re currently evaluating supports your efforts of increasing transparency for all user groups (e.g. by means of streamlining documentation and displaying its content on a by role or mission basis) while promoting a most efficient way to managing your documentation including its revisions.

Our team at Yonder has extensive expertise in dealing with xml-related content and will gladly answer any questions you might have.

Yonder is an all-in-one SaaS solution that includes everything an airline needs to account for its crucial documentation management. From creating and publishing your content all the way to revising it based on your internal revision processes without constraints: Yonder delivers reliable, role-based information to your frontline employees at all times. Both via web browser and the offline app that is available for tablets and smartphones.

Contact us to learn more about our fully digital approach to your documentation management in aviation.

Discover more insights and news