SubscribeCDG - Supporting Your S1000D Requirements
Our Commitment to S1000D
As we recognize the growing demand for S1000D standards based support services from our customers worldwide, CDG has made a firm commitment to continue to enhance its S1000D technical authoring and consulting services capabilities in both our U.S. and U.K based facilities.
S1000D Committee Representation
With a strong understanding of the tremendous benefits that S1000D can bring to the technical publications community in both military and commercial sectors, CDG has firmly committed itself to proactively support the further development of the S1000D standard. Our commitment includes allocating dedicated CDG representatives serving in prominent positions on the Electronic Publications Working Group (EPWG) in both the U.S. and Europe, as well as the U.S. Implementation Group.
Our Pioneering Efforts in S1000D
Until recently, S1000D was specific to technical publications supporting aircraft, but it has since been adapted to accommodate land-based and marine equipment. CDG was the first technical publications provider to apply the S1000D standard to Land Based Defense Systems in the U.K.
Our Commitment to Providing Highly Skilled Teams
To support your S1000D requirements, CDG offers the following services:
- S1000D Technical Authoring and Conversion Services - Our highly skilled technical publications specialists in our U.K. offices have proven experience in authoring of S1000D-based publications, and can also assist in conversion of existing legacy publications into S1000D compliant format.
- S1000D Consulting Services - CDG can also provide services to assist your organization with the writing and development of business rules to support your S1000D-based projects.
What is S1000D?
S1000D is an international specification for technical publications, utilizing a Common Source Database. It was originally introduced to the European community by the Association Européenne des Constructeurs de Matériel Aérospatial (AECMA), representing the aerospace industry.
By definition: "S1000D is an international specification for the procurement and production of technical publications." While this definition appears to restrict its use to technical publications, it has been found through application that the principles of the specification can also be applied to non-technical publications.
Today, the S1000D standard is supported by the successor to AECMA, the AeroSpace and Defence Industries of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA), and is controlled by the Technical Publications Specification Management Group (TPSMG), which has the full responsibility of maintaining the specification. The TPSMG includes members from both government agencies and industry. To address the rapid development of information technology, a group of specialists, the Electronic Publications Working Group (EPWG), supports the TPSMG in technical matters.
Benefits of S1000D
Most experts will agree that the single greatest benefit offered by S1000D is the ability to reuse data. With S1000D, specific data modules are created (containing text and/or graphics), and then stored in the Common Source Database (CSDB).Through the use of data modules, data can be broken into smaller pieces or fragments of repetitive steps that can then be reused within the same publication, in other publications, and even in other projects. This can bring a tremendous amount of time savings to the authoring process, as data modules are simply "plugged in" to any publication or project documentation as needed. In short, with S1000D there is no longer a need to recreate the same information over and over again for each individual publication.
Some of the other related benefits of using the S1000D specification are:
- S1000D is based on internationally agreed neutral standards
- Many different output forms can be generated from a single data source, thus ensuring consistency of data delivered to users
- Cost savings associated with reuse of information (vs. recreating new information each time)
- Facilitates complete configuration control
- Reduces maintenance costs for technical information and overall Product Life-Cycle costs
- Allows sub-sets of information to be generated to meet specific user needs
- Facilitates transfer of information and electronic output between disparate IT systems
- S1000D data module concept can be applied to legacy data
- It is non-proprietary and allows neutral delivery and management of data
- Incorporates data storage in electronic form while supporting output of information as either paper or IETPs (Interactive Electronic Technical Publications) or IETMs (Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals) using XML and web technologies
- Provides a single standard to support communications and data exchange among all participants in a given project
- Standard data exchange format can also readily support future development projects
- A very active standards body keeps up with evolving technologies while keeping an eye on backward compatibility, thus ensuring that the standard stays up to date as well as protecting your existing data investment.
Quality Assurance
With an extensive volume of work performed for government agencies, the defense sector and airline industry, CDG facilities must adhere to stringent security standards, thus ensuring confidentiality of customer information and documents. CDG utilizes an ISO 9001 accredited Quality Management System, and built its reputation by providing the highest level of service, security, quality and responsiveness to customers.
