In The Press
Leading Global Provider of Transportation Routing Software Uses MadCap Flare to Streamline Delivery of Award-Winning, Contemporary Online Help and Print Documentation
Case Study Examines Why Paragon Software Systems Chose Flare for Single-Source Publishing of Online Help and Product Manuals Supporting Users’ Different Product Configurations
La Jolla, CA, USA — October 8, 2015 — MadCap Software, Inc., the leader in multi-channel content authoring and a showcase company for Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Visual Studio, today announced that it has published a new case study on Paragon Software Systems, a leading global provider of software for daily route scheduling and optimization, strategic transport planning, and real-time fleet management. Paragon replaced its existing solution with MadCap Flare for single-source, multi-channel publishing of modern online Help and print documentation. The case study can be viewed at: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/case-study/paragon-software-systems/
On September 30, 2015, the Paragon System Operation Guide, which was created with MadCap Flare, won “Best Use of Video, Interaction and Multi-Media” at the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC) annual awards. The content takes advantage of MadCap Flare’s topic-based, single-source, and multi-media capabilities, and it is written in a logical structure, with each user guide aimed at a different category of user, complete with visually appealing, yet comprehensive information. Among the features: short videos with simple examples sit alongside the text; interactive “Quick Steps” offer a visual popup tool to help users navigate; interactive diagrams allow users to intuitively move between topics, and expanding images show additional detail while offering more in-depth descriptions in text.
Same Content, Multiple Print and Online Outputs
For more than three decades, Paragon Software Systems has been committed to helping customers improve their transport efficiency and raise service levels in their delivery operations. Today the company operates on a global scale with more than 3,300 systems at over 1,000 client sites supporting a range of applications from clotted cream deliveries to national retailers and global logistics operators.
Helping Paragon’s diverse customers to model, plan and monitor efficient routes requires a highly configurable software system. The company’s software employs hundreds of parameters to facilitate customization. Because this can drastically affect the way the system looks and works for different companies, Paragon’s documentation needs to be equally flexible.
For years, Paragon relied on two products to deliver its online Help and print documentation. However, in the wake of substantial growth, Paragon realized the need for a more efficient approach to delivering content. An evaluation of several tools on the market, led the company to MadCap Flare. The key benefits Paragon has realized include:
- Flare’s topic-based single-source publishing facilitates content reuse across Paragon’s online Help and four printed manuals.
- Conditional tags, tables of contents, and worded cross-references in Flare enable Paragon to customize multiple print and online outputs with minimal effort.
- Defined styles using Flare make it easy to create visual signposts for information, tips, warnings, licensed options, and instruction sets, so readers can quickly find the content they need.
- Flare’s functionality for drop-down text in online Help lets readers quickly scan topics, select the one of interest, and then expand images or text to read it.
- Together, navigation links and conditional tags in Flare can be used to automatically translate hypertext links in online content into worded cross-references for print, such as “See Getting Started on page 48.”
- HTML5 output and features, such as frameless top navigation, are enabling Paragon to deliver new versions of online Help that more closely resemble the look and feel of its graphical user interface.
We like the fact that MadCap offers a purpose-written solution at the forefront of the industry, orchestrated by dedicated professionals that are as passionate as we are about high quality documentation. Using MadCap Flare, we were able to produce much more attractive content within weeks.
Gary Appleton | technical author, Paragon Software Systems
“Serving a diverse range of businesses worldwide with its state-of-the-art software for optimizing, planning and monitoring efficient routes, Paragon understands first-hand the need to have accurate and readily available information,” said Anthony Olivier, MadCap founder and CEO. “We are thrilled to congratulate Paragon on earning this highly regarded award from ISTC and are excited for the company’s success in using MadCap Flare to create intuitive and easy-to-navigate online Help and print documentation–all from the same core content.”
About Paragon Software Systems
Paragon Software Systems is a market leader in routing, scheduling and transport logistics optimization software with over 3,300 systems at over 1,000 client sites in more than 50 countries worldwide. A pioneer in vehicle routing and delivery scheduling, resource management and transport plan execution solutions, Paragon has 30-plus years of experience and an unparalleled track record of successful software implementations. Paragon software reduces transport costs by up to 20% through improved route planning and the more efficient deployment of vehicles and drivers. With global headquarters in the UK and a wholly owned subsidiary in the US, Paragon provides flexible solutions for transport operations ranging from just 10 vehicles at a single site to hundreds of vehicles operating from several sites. To learn more, visit, www.paragonrouting.com.
About MadCap Software
MadCap Software is a trusted resource for thousands of companies around the globe for single-source, multi-channel authoring and publishing solutions designed to streamline the process of developing and delivering training content, learning and development programs, technical documentation, online Help, knowledge bases, and more. From authoring, publishing and translation, to cloud-based content management system, to contribution and review in the cloud, you can streamline content delivery and manage the entire content development lifecycle with MadCap Software. MadCap Software’s services include product training, consulting services, translation and localization, and an advanced developer certification program. Headquartered in San Diego, California, with offices in Austin, TX, MadCap Software is home to some of the most experienced software architects and product experts in the content development industry.
PR Contact:
Rebecca Hurst
Kinetic.PR for MadCap Software
rebecca@kineticprllc.com
650-679-9282
