MadCap has released a product – MadCap Feedback – that is new to me and looks like it has a nice set of features especially if you want to close the loop between technical writers/technical communicators and end users. And who doesn’t want to do that!. Its Feedback Server has a Web 2.0 reporting tool that gives technical authors, information designers, and educational content developers insight into the end-user experience.
MadCap Feedback: Image Copyright MadCap Software
MadCap Feedback overview
Using Feedback Server’s reporting tools you can learn what:
- Content is most useful
- Content could be improved
- Content may be missing from your documentation.
The idea is that by analyzing the data, you can then go back and improve the quality of your information and, in theory, ‘make your users part of the technical communication process’. I’m not sure how that works in the real world but will follow up with the folks at Madcap.
MadCap Feedback Server
Use can use the server aspect of the tool to:
- Gain insight into what users are looking for, finding, and not finding
- Improve author-reader connection by allowing readers to rate topics and add comments
- Respond to user comments without republishing content
- Create actionable feedback charts from user statistics
How It Works
- Create Content — Author a project in Flare and create desired output(s).
- Implement Feedback — Install Feedback on your company web server or choose MadCap’s hosted service.
- Output with Feedback — Within Flare, choose to include Feedback Web 2.0 features in your target output(s).
- Users Submit Feedback — Users viewing your content can now rate and comment on quality and usefulness of a topic.
- Analyze Results — View search activity, user comments and ratings.
- Improve Content — Add search synonyms, edit, and add new content based on user feedback.
For a complete list of new features, download: MadCap Feedback Server V3 What’s New Guide PDF.
Price
It costs $2,499 which ain’t cheap. Get the demo here http://www.madcapsoftware.com/products/feedback/overview.aspx
Your thoughts
What interests me most about this product is its aim to ‘make your users part of the technical communication process’. Like I said, I’m not sure how that works in the real terms. If you’ve used this product or have some thought, please add them below.
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