Adobe RoboHelp is the software tool that creates, authors, and manages software help contents, user manuals, and knowledge bases.
ITSM = Information technology service management
Key Features:
- It gives support for DITA XML by enabling the author to create online help content systems, eBooks, and PDFs.
- Provides tools for managing topics and maps visually.
- For Teams That Require Web based help systems or Knowledge Bases.
Procedure Outlined for Technical Writers to use this Tool:
1. Setting Up New Project
- Open RoboHelp and create a new project.
- Choose a template that best meets your needs (Responsive HTML5, PDF, etc.).
- Organize content using Topics, Folders, and TOC (Table of Contents).
2. Write and Format Your Content
- Use Authoring Editor to write content using rich text, insert tables, place images and multimedia.
- Use CSS styles to maintain consistent treatment.
- Use snippets (reusable content blocks) for frequently used text.
3. Structure the Help System
- Create a Table of Contents (TOC) for navigation.
- Improve searchability and findability through keywords in indexing and search.
- Set up cross-references and hyperlinks for better navigation.
4. Add Interactive Elements
- Dynamic content filters for customizing content to different audiences.
- Add FAQs, Glossaries, and Callouts for better readability.
5. Review and Collaborate
- Use Review Mode to collect feedback from SMEs and members in the team.
- Track changes and version history.
6. Publish and Deploy
- Publish source content to many formats: HTML5, WebHelp, PDF, Microsoft Word, or EPUB.
- The publications can be optimized for mobile and responsive design.
7. Maintain and Update
- Update topics and republish content on a regular basis.
- Use Conditional Tags to manage multiple versions of the documentation.
