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The 2024 State of Customer Self-Service Report is now available.

SME (Subject Matter Expert)

An individual with expertise in a specific topic or field, often consulted by technical writers for accurate information. SMEs may also collaborate with authors to write or edit content and documentation.

Further Reads

AI Copilot

An AI copilot is a tool that uses artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs) to assist users with some kind of task.

Agile Documentation

Documentation practices that align with agile development methodologies, emphasizing collaboration, flexibility, and responsiveness to change.

Generative AI

Generative Artificial intelligence uses systems designed to understand and learn patterns from existing data and then create new, similar content on their own.

Release Notes

Documentation accompanying software updates, providing information about new features, improvements, and bug fixes.

Responsive Design

Designing content or websites to adapt to different devices and screen sizes.

Snippet

A small piece or fragment of code or text that can be reused in various contexts.

Version Control

Managing changes to documents, programs, or other information over time.

Workflow

The sequence of tasks or steps involved in a particular process, often visualized as a flowchart.

API (Application Programming Interface)

Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of protocols that enable two different software programs to communicate.

Component Content Management System

A specialized software system that facilitates the creation, management, and publishing of structured, modular content components enabling their efficient reuse and repurposing across multiple documents and channels.

Content Management

The execution of creating, organizing, storing, retrieving, publishing, and managing content throughout its lifecycle.

Content Management System (CMS)

A software solution or platform used to manage the creation, management, and publishing of digital content.

Content Operations

The combined foundation of people, processes, and technologies that allow for activating content strategy and enabling content management (execution) throughout its lifecycle.

Customer Retention

In-app support is a seamless integration of customer assistance features directly into a digital application, enhancing the user experience by providing real-time guidance or solutions within the app interface.

Customer Self-Service

Customer self-service is a digital experience where users independently access information, troubleshoot problems, or perform tasks related to a product or service.

Decoupled CMS

A content management system with both a front-end presentation layer and a back-end content management layer that separates the content management functions from the user-facing display functions.

DITA

DITA is a form of structured content that is optimized to create, reuse, translate, and publish documentation quickly by using topics and maps.

Faceted Search

A search technique that allows users to narrow down search results by applying one or more filters based on specific classifications or attributes of the items controlled by metadata.

In-App Support

Independent Issue Resolution

Independent issue resolution is a fundamental shift away from primarily human-led support interactions and towards empowering customers to address problems autonomously without requiring direct, in-person assistance.

Knowledge Base

A knowledge base serves as a digital hub of information, encompassing product documentation, FAQs, articles, guides, visuals, and videos.

Metadata

Data that describes and gives information about other data or content.

Multi-Channel Support

Multi-channel support is the dynamic approach of providing customer self-service across various communication channels.

Single Source of Truth

Single source of truth (SSOT) describes a state of being for company knowledge. In this state, all company knowledge is stored and managed centrally.

SME (Subject Matter Expert)

An individual with expertise in a specific topic or field, often consulted by technical writers for accurate information.

Structured Content

Structured content is organized in a consistent and standardized manner through predefined structures or formats, facilitating automation, reuse, and adaptability across different platforms.

Style Guide

A set of standards for writing and designing documents, ensuring consistency in language, formatting, and presentation.

Style Sheet

A set of rules or conventions for the formatting and layout of documents, ensuring consistency.

Support Ticket Deflection

Support ticket deflection refers to the strategic practice of diverting and resolving customer queries or issues through alternative channels, such as self-service solutions, before they escalate to the need for a formal support ticket.

Taxonomy

A taxonomy is a classification system that organizes information into categories and subcategories, using a controlled vocabulary of terms specific to a particular field of knowledge.

Troubleshooting Guide

A troubleshooting guide is a series of step-by-step instructions that help customers identify and resolve common issues or problems with a product or service on their own.

User Persona

A representation of a specific user base segment for user-centered design.

XSLT (eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformations)

An XML-based language used, in conjunction with specialized processing software, for the transformation of XML documents into another format such as a web page or PDF document.

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