Remember when you had to actually install software on your PC to write technical documentation. That wasn't entirely terrible, but if you think about it... you had to worry about so many unnecessary things like system requirements, enough free space, security, and many more. Working from home wasn't such a big thing until recently, but it would be just as troublesome when dealing with software.
You would need to get remote access permissions, otherwise, you would have to install the software on your home PC, so all the above-mentioned things would give you trouble, plus, most likely, you would have to carry an extra license for the software in your pocket. We are moving away from all these issues now when documentation portal as a service comes to play. It is a new, easier way of authoring technical texts of any kind with a huge emphasis on convenience, efficiency, and security.
The ABCs of Documentation Portal as a Service
What makes documentation portal as a service so great? Many things, actually. We will cover them in a bit. But one thing that immediately comes to mind is the usability. Documentation portal as a service feels right - its work is based on the same principles we got accustomed to by 2020. It’s just what you would expect from a modern platform - the speed, security, collaboration, and intuitiveness. It hits the golden standard.
Once you start working with documentation portal as a service, going back to desktop software for technical writing is going to feel like a serious setback. Now, let’s delve into details.
Security and Reliability
When cloud services became available for the general public, security was questioned a lot. This is a popular misconception that storing data on your own hard drive/server is safer. It’s just our mind playing tricks. You can see your PC, you can touch it - here it is, all the sensitive data, safe and sound! In reality, companies who provide data hosting services are much more prepared for any calamities.
ClickHelp is working with some of the top hosting companies that passed security certifications (DIN ISO/IEC 27001 for one!). Descriptions of their data centers sound more like Marvel supervillain prisons: physical access control, electronic keys, 24/7 surveillance cameras, early warning fire alarm systems... Your data will be happy to be stored there: 10+ data upstreams, redundant UPS facilities, climate control for max uptime. Learn more here.
ClickHelp, as documentation portal as a service, relies on professionals when it comes to these sensitive matters. And, Single-Sign On brings more data safety your way! SSO is a great way to improve security which is also available for ClickHelp clients.
Easy Access
Documentation portal as a service gives you a lot of freedom. You can access it from anywhere with a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet... All you require is an Internet connection and a browser. And considering how much humanity relies on the Internet, this ‘requirement’ can’t be even taken seriously anymore. We might not possess a super powerful PC or laptop, our smartphone could be not brand new, but we do have the Internet.
As for the readers of your technical documentation, you can turn reading user manuals into a great experience for them. Documentation portal as a service means that you can store all user manuals in an online documentation portal and, if need be, create outputs of any kind. Your documents can be printed, exported to any popular format, and sent along with the product or embedded into the product interface.
Teamwork
Teamwork features are at the top of the checklist for technical writers looking for a new help authoring environment. In case of documentation portal as a service, it is created with collaboration functionality in mind. Let us name some of the features ClickHelp provides in this regard:
- Email notifications
- Review comments
- Locking help topics
- Topic statuses (including custom statuses)
- Version history
- Assigning topics
All these tools will help you build the documentation workflow that works best for your team.
Conclusion
Documentation portal as a service is a new and improved reality for technical communicators. Working with such portals brings help authoring to the next level. Technical writers won’t have to worry about anything but delivering quality content.
Good luck with your technical writing!
ClickHelp Team
Author, host and deliver documentation across platforms and devices