Digitized product information.

Modern information technology provides the means for people to consume information on a device of their choice, wherever they are and whenever they need it. This has not only changed peoples’ behaviour related to consuming information, but it also provides companies with opportunities to increase the user experience and add value to their products and systems by providing the right type of product information through multiple channels.

Digitized product information is an important part of an optimised aftermarket business in terms of revenue, profit and customer satisfaction. For example, digitized service and repair information enable technicians to perform their work quicker and with fewer errors. Digitization can make information easier to find through filters, more pedagogic through augmented reality and more accurate as it can even be product unique, based on the product identification number (VIN-number).

At Semcon we support and guide our customers on how to develop digitally distributed and consumed product information, including:

An information analysis, where the needs and wants of the different information user groups are identified and understood. This will for example ensure that no more and no less information than required is produced.
Standardisation of information, for exemple based on DITA. This enables proper reuse of information to increase quality, reduce costs and shorten production lead times. Reuse also promotes information consistency, including brand consistency.
Moving to topic-based authoring, instead of writing “books”. Topics are small, searchable and independent units of information, optimal for digital formats. The reader may move freely from one area of interest to another, not bound by any structure but the personal preferences. The user has full flexibility when looking for, and consuming, information via different interfaces, like a mobile app or the web.
Defining an information architecture, which determines and describes the structure of the information at all relevant levels, including the reuse strategy. The information architecture provides prerequisites for users to filter information and navigate efficiently, enables personalized information and, ultimately, increases the user experience of a product.

Listen to our experts talk about the importance of understanding the end users and their needs in order to make the most optimal product information solutions.

At Semcon we continuously invest to be in the forefront and progress in the area of digitization. A recent example of this is our Artificial Intelligence Based Reuse Analytics tool (AIBRA) to efficiently identify, measure and improve reuse and quality in large amounts of text.