27 January 2010: Steve Jobs presents the iPad to the public for the first time. And the digital world is changing, becoming a bit lighter and more mobile again. Technically, the differences between the iPad and laptop aren't really that big. But thanks to Instant On, its compact size, touch operation and low weight, the iPad offers clear advantages for use on the road – especially in the field of technical documentation.
Because in many application situations it is unfavourable if the information that is supposed to help the users has to be retrieved on a laptop or PC. Sometimes the computer is not available at all, sometimes it cannot be used due to environmental conditions, and sometimes it is simply not handy enough.
But if you want to offer users an alternative to printed documentation, you need a handier display device. This is where mobile devices showcase their strengths. They combine the handiness of the book with the possibilities of digital media. In addition, due to their hardware, they offer many new functions that would not be possible on paper or on a PC.
We help you design mobile documentation and develop whatever is needed to make your content mobile, from simple prototypes to enterprise apps.
Content Delivery Helps
There are various ways to publish content on a mobile device. These range from simple HTML5 apps to e-books and content delivery apps. Creating an e-book or an app that displays HTML content is not a big technical challenge and is certainly a good way to take your first steps towards mobile documentation.
However, when it comes to live operation, you often face additional challenges:
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Content should be able to be reloaded independently of the App Store
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Access rights are to be controlled
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Updates are to be delivered
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Content that is no longer current should be de-published
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Content should be available both online and offline
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and much more
Content delivery portals offer good solutions for all these requirements, which we therefore prefer to use in our projects.
Create added value
The hardware equipment typical for mobile devices also provides additional possibilities for the presentation of content, which offer added value for the user. For example, cameras, GPS sensors or fingerprint scanners can be used to provide precise information.
Our value-added information concepts concentrate entirely on the needs of users. In this way, we create mobile applications that meet these requirements much better than classic documentation can.
Mobile content preparation
Even if content is written in media-neutral XML format, it is not always possible to display it directly on a mobile device. Especially with mobile phones, the small display must be taken into account during playback. When creating the content, we therefore consider the final format from the very beginning and thus generate information that is optimally displayed on the later device.