This book helps to bridge the gap between
conventional product manuals and the paradigm of
just-in-time knowledge delivery, which enables
corporate knowledge to be captured and delivered
when, where and in the form users need it. The book
introduces Intelligent Product Manuals (IPMs), which
are computerised product support systems that employ
product life-cycle information, expert knowledge and
hypermedia to provide just in time support to users
during the life of a product. Next, the book
concentrates on the need for adaptive product
support and promotes the Adaptive IPMs that respond
to user information goals by generating user- and
task-specific information. Finally, the book
suggests a concurrent engineering approach to the
authoring of these manuals and introduces an
integrated authoring environment, which facilitates
the collection and integration of product
information, and the maintenance and updating of
product documentation. The solutions proposed in the
book are illustrated with examples based on
prototypes developed for a manufacturer of all-
terrain fork-lift trucks as part of a project funded
by the EC.
conventional product manuals and the paradigm of
just-in-time knowledge delivery, which enables
corporate knowledge to be captured and delivered
when, where and in the form users need it. The book
introduces Intelligent Product Manuals (IPMs), which
are computerised product support systems that employ
product life-cycle information, expert knowledge and
hypermedia to provide just in time support to users
during the life of a product. Next, the book
concentrates on the need for adaptive product
support and promotes the Adaptive IPMs that respond
to user information goals by generating user- and
task-specific information. Finally, the book
suggests a concurrent engineering approach to the
authoring of these manuals and introduces an
integrated authoring environment, which facilitates
the collection and integration of product
information, and the maintenance and updating of
product documentation. The solutions proposed in the
book are illustrated with examples based on
prototypes developed for a manufacturer of all-
terrain fork-lift trucks as part of a project funded
by the EC.