Product/Service Recommendations

We take pride in recommending and using appropriate products and services for the task at hand. This list includes some of our favorites.

Products

acrolinx

The acrolinx IQ application supports terminology management and rules-based language consistency checking. Stop saying the same thing many different ways. An invaluable addition to a technical communication workflow, especially in highly regulated or global environments.

Adobe Systems

Some of the Adobe products we use and recommend:

  • Adobe FrameMaker: Best-in-class application for technical authoring and publishing.
  • Adobe Captivate: Create engaging simulations, demonstrations, and assessments with minimal design and programming skills.
  • Adobe Acrobat: A wealth of capabilities, including PDF publishing, secure distribution, and workgroup review and annotation.
  • Adobe RoboHelp: Excellent choice for authoring help systems and knowledge bases.
  • Adobe Technical Communication Suite: FrameMaker, RoboHelp, Adobe Captivate, Acrobat, and PhotoShop in a single integrated suite of products. Support for print and online technical communication workflows, with “live link” integration between FrameMaker and RoboHelp for single-source publishing.
  • Adobe InDesign: If your documents need to meet exquisite design and layout standards, Adobe InDesign is your solution.
  • Adobe Connect: When we deliver distance learning or coaching, our preferred Webinar software is Adobe Connect.

ComponentOne Doc-to-Help

One of the classic help authoring tools. Generate online help from Microsoft Word or HTML. Based in the great city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Finite Matters

Do you find yourself performing tedious and repetitive tasks in FrameMaker? If you can describe a task in FrameMaker, you can automate it. FrameScript provides an add-on interpreted scripting language for FrameMaker. Automating a single repetitive task can save hours of effort and pay for the purchase price of FrameScript.

JustSystems

Justsystems’ XMetaL is a popular authoring tool for XML and DITA workflows. Group Wellesley offers training and customization services.

Lexmation

Adobe FrameMaker supports DITA out-of-the-box. Lexmation’s DITA-FMx adds features and capabilities that are invaluable to real writers in real-world workflows. We highly recommend DITA-FMx to any organization seeking to use FrameMaker in a DITA workflow.

Madcap Software

Help authoring tool vendor since 2005; now sells a suite of tools that support the publishing lifecycle.

Markzware

Many of our Adobe InDesign projects begin with Markzware’s Q2ID QuarkXPress to InDesign conversion software.

Omni Systems

  • DITA2Go: A reasonably-priced alternative to the DITA Open Toolkit for publishing DITA document collections.
  • Mif2Go: Conversion software for FrameMaker. Generate online formats, RTF, DITA, from FrameMaker source files, with rich configuration options and excellent documentation.

Quadralay Corporation

Maker of WebWorks software, which provides powerful single-source publishing capabilities from FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, and DITA.

West Street Consulting

If you work with XML and structured FrameMaker, you may find yourself wishing that you could apply the power of XML transformations(XSLT) within structured FrameMaker. Now you can, with the FrameSLT plug-in for Adobe FrameMaker from West Street Consulting. We use FrameSLT for automated publishing and for clean-up in structured FrameMaker conversion projects. Another tool that often pays for itself in a single use.

Services

Front-Runner Publishing Solutions and Training

Training provider in technical publishing tools and technologies, based in Toronto, Canada. Group Wellesley’s Alan Houser often teaches for Front Runner.

Salford Translations

A boutique translation firm, based in Salford, England. Adept at working with the latest in translation tools and technologies. Ask for Nick Rosenthal, and you will be in good hands.