Deciding on S1000D for project documentation

One of the first steps in a new engineering or support project is determining the most appropriate specification to use for documentation. S1000D offers many advantages, but it may not always be the right thing to use. For new systems, the following criteria should be considered:

• Is it likely that data will be reused and/or shared across multiple publications or programs?
• Do S1000D data modules already exist from other programs that can be reused?
• Do any of the unique capabilities of S1000D satisfy program requirements (e.g., process data module, use of modular data, interaction with training data)?
• Is there potential for foreign military sales of the data?
• Does the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) or business case indicate that S1000D is a cost-effective alternative?

If the question is whether to convert existing documents to S1000D format, a business case is especially important. Not only will all the criteria above need to be considered, but the amount of rewriting and the extent of the format conversion required will have to be justified. The cost of any conversion needs to be weighed against the expected lifespan of the equipment.

For more information on determining whether S1000D is right for your project or organization, consider registering for one of our training courses.

We can also work with you directly on whether adopting S1000D might be appropriate for your business circumstances. We offer demos and online evaluations of our own CSDB software, and can discuss your business process in detail with you.