Id for techn. maintenance docs?

hi forum members,

 

sorry question not being specific , open discussion, i'm pretty new adobe software creating documents.

 

let me first introduce our department:

 

currently, have team of 12 engineers maintain ~120 ms word documents of 20-100 pages 'service' instructions / settings tables, 'fault finding help' etc. machines in our factory. includes tables, instruction lists, , lots of "picture-arrow-text". we're on windows 7 / word 2007, though of still on xp / word 2003.

 

of course, ms word has limitations. example, layout of pictures / arrows / notes relating pictures problem. also, it's hard users (mechanics) find right page / paragraph. it's hard add 'navigational buttons' in word, link text pitures, layout of lists etc.

 

of course, in these days, training funds limited. have suggested framemaker 11 content editors , 'pdf viewer' users, though old colleague of mine worked both fm , id said id easier learn, , if our engineers want make minor changes, work without training id while fm harder.

 

trend use more pictures , less text, , that's ex-colleague told id 'easier'. content should 'easy find' users, we're thinking html-like menu's: kind of 'hierarchy' of files can 'interlinked'. so, toc linking different chapters, , chapters containing multiple paragraphs. paragraphs might contain multiple 'pages', example multiple 'error explanation'.

 

my bosses stressed, longing 'app-like' documentation system works on tablets, in mechanics can find right paragraph in total of 12000+ pages (growing in future) "with few clicks".

 

html doesn't display same though, because of screen sizes / word wrap / browser differences, pdf may our best option. question is: can 1 in indesign make such 'hierarchies', or better put in 1 big file?

 

those pdf-files have loaded on wifi network though, cannot big.

 

does have experience dozen or of engineers having work indesign (or fm part) without / limited training? of course i'm worried not when have ask else make minor changes 'their' documents.

 

does have experiences 'creating file hierarchies / menu's" pdf enable fast searching , keep file sizes limited?

 

is indesign cs6 right tool job, or might framemaker 11 better?

 

are there more people switched ms word id (or fm?) maintenance documentation, , worth hassle / cost?

 

i've done lots of reading id / fm past few days, , understood fm no 'primary' product of adobe anymore (2nd class citizen?), while id in past 'artists' , flyers / posters / brochures , like, id changed in recent version support 'documentation' well. feeling right adobe merging fm features id? id more 'aimed @ future'?

 

thanks in advance replies / thoughts.

i framemaker trainer , user version 3 through fm 8. i've been volunteer participant in many fm , id , acrobat pre-release programs. personal opinion neither fm nor id easy casual user "pick up," , creating materials in them output pdf further manipulation in acrobat or other electronic distribution formats challenges. nor easy skilled user in fm or id switch other. if users in question have demanding primary project responsibilities, such product development, , time, effort, , training budget learning documentation tools minimal, craziness lies ahead.

 

i suggest team first evaluate successes in current ms word workflow , identify problem areas, , see improvements might needed meet goals, success might expected, , buy-in team members who'd need change working methods and/or learn new ones. word maligned, , in cases deserves criticisms. however, because many word users have "picked up," high degree of self-invented methods @ play causes of word problems.

 

if haven't posted questions on adobe fm user forum, techwr-l.com, , frameusers.com, worth while so, , ask workflow suggestions kinds of workers in workgroup, of proposed plans. tools matter, too, of course. several generations of experienced technical writers , documentation managers, on these forums have been through discussions , implementations of workflow , tool-choice strategies.

 

 

hth

 

 

regards,

 

 

peter

_______________________

peter gold

knowhow proservices

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