SUCCESS STORIES
Future-Proof Product Communication Through DITA, CCMS, and a Content Delivery Portal
How can you successfully transition from an outdated editorial environment to a future-proof content supply chain? This case study shows how PANTOPIX supported an international manufacturer in its migration to DITA, Tridion Docs, and Fluid Topics—including a strategic migration plan, new workflows, and context-based delivery of technical information.
Background & Challenge
A leading international manufacturer in the agricultural sector faced a major challenge: Its legacy software architecture for product communication was technologically outdated and could no longer meet the demands of the global market or the needs of its users.
The existing content management system had been heavily customized over the years, was based on a proprietary data model, and could no longer be updated. Content was still created in a document-oriented manner, an approach that was no longer compatible with today’s content applications, which require modular content. In addition, key tools for modern content management were missing, such as a state-of-the-art content delivery portal or a standalone electronic spare parts catalog.
To provide technical information—such as service tasks—in a smart way and create a consistent user experience across various applications, the system landscape for product communication should be redesigned to be future-proof.
Following its own evaluation, the customer opted for an architecture that would combine Tridion Docs as a DITA-based CCMS and Fluid Topics as a content delivery portal (CDP) for the distribution of technical content. In addition, an independent electronic spare parts catalog was introduced.
However, the company lacked both a deeper understanding of the two new content systems and the expertise needed to migrate to them and set up new workflows for content delivery.
Solution: Strategic Migration Plan & Implementation of New Content Workflows
At this point, PANTOPIX joined the project as a consulting and implementation partner. One of the project’s key challenges was migrating a historically evolved and heterogeneous—yet still XML-based—information repository into a structured, DITA-based content environment. Content was sometimes available in a wide variety of formats, ranging from individual topics to numerous versions of the same content. Translations were often not consistently maintained across versions. However, the future portal was designed to ensure that the most current language versions were always available.
The Migration Plan
Working closely with the client, PANTOPIX developed a comprehensive migration plan that outlined how tens of thousands of documents could be transferred from the existing legacy CCMS (in this case, Cosima) to the new structure. The decision had to be made as to which of the two new target systems the existing content should be transferred to:
- Old data and previous versions that are no longer actively edited should be migrated directly to the Fluid Topics CDP so that they remain accessible there.
- Currently maintained content, on the other hand, should be transferred to the new Tridion CCMS, where it will be converted to the DITA format and structurally adapted as part of the migration process.
This approach ensured that valuable content from the existing inventory was preserved without unnecessarily tying up resources in the editorial process.
“Migrating from outdated CCMS platforms is often a complex undertaking because it involves far more than just switching technologies,” explains Karsten Schrempp, CEO of PANTOPIX, who oversaw the project from the start. “However—as was the case with this customer—it is often an unavoidable step when it comes to efficient information delivery and seamless integration into today’s digital ecosystems.”
Implementation of the New Systems
Based on the jointly developed migration plan, PANTOPIX took charge of the phased implementation of the new system architecture and provided operational support throughout the migration. The focus was not only on the technical implementation of Tridion Docs and Fluid Topics, but above all on equipping the editors with the skills they need for the long term and establishing future-proof content processes.
A key component was the comprehensive training of the editorial teams in both the new systems and the DITA methodology. This laid the foundation for creating content that is no longer document-oriented, but rather modular and reusable.
At the same time, PANTOPIX worked with the departments to analyze the existing information in detail. The goal was to determine which content should be transferred to the new DITA structure and in what form. Based on this, mapping rules were defined that enabled the transformation of the existing XML content into standardized DITA topics.
In addition, layout and publication guidelines were developed for displaying content on the Fluid Topics portal. These guidelines ensure that the content is not only structurally correct but is also presented in a user-friendly and consistent manner.
Another key component was the design and implementation of a cross-platform metadata model. This model links content from CCMS, the content delivery portal, and the spare parts catalog, forming the basis for context-sensitive information delivery. This enables users to access exactly the content they need in their specific application context.
The actual migration of the content was then carried out according to the defined rules. At the same time, the HTML-based publication for Fluid Topics was developed and implemented.
A particular challenge was migrating content from a relatively open, historically evolved structure to a much more standardized DITA environment. Despite careful preparation, manual revisions were therefore necessary, which were carried out as part of ongoing editorial work.
Migrating from outdated CCMS platforms is often a complex undertaking because it involves much more than just switching technologies. However—as was the case with this customer—it is often an unavoidable step when it comes to efficiently providing information and ensuring seamless integration into today’s digital ecosystems.
Interaction Between Systems
In parallel with the technical implementation, PANTOPIX supported the client in establishing new workflows for the creation, maintenance, and delivery of content. In doing so, processes were defined to optimally support the integration between Tridion Docs, Fluid Topics, and the spare parts catalog.
This close integration of the systems made it possible to establish an end-to-end content supply chain that spans the entire process—from structured content creation and management to targeted content delivery. At the same time, internal expertise was systematically developed, enabling the customer to operate the new system landscape independently and efficiently.
Conclusion: Benefits for the Customer
With the new architecture, the customer now has a modern, scalable, and future-proof solution for its product communications. Content can be created more efficiently, reused, and delivered consistently across various channels.
The new metadata model enables a significantly more precise and context-sensitive delivery of information, both within the service and for end users. At the same time, separating content creation from content delivery provides greater flexibility for future expansions.
Last but not least, the project was successfully completed despite tight deadlines: The migration was completed in time for the scheduled shutdown of the legacy systems, ensuring uninterrupted access to all relevant information.
