MadCap Feedback Overview

Web 2.0 Features Foster Author-Reader Connection

The MadCap Feedback Server combines the best of Web 2.0 access to readers along with the flexibility to control how information is shared with the community. Readers can post immediate, blog-style comments and the comment can become part of the page that future readers can see. Content teams can establish rules-based access, whether it is allowing everyone to contribute or only registered users. A live comment mode, ideal for internal development or open source projects, facilitates input from the entire community. The approved comment mode requires readers' comments to be approved by the project author before they go "live."

Topic Rating

The MadCap Feedback Server also offers Web 2.0 support for rating topics. It enables readers to rate published information using a standard five-star system, so authors can find out what information readers truly find beneficial. Readers’ topic ratings are tabulated, providing an overall community average score that all readers can then see on a page-by-page basis. Authors have the control to turn this feature on or off at will.

Other key capabilities Include:

• Feedback Explorer

  This is the key to viewing user activity. Available both within the Flare interface and as a separate application, the Feedback Explorer allows content authors to view and track all reader activity via a user-friendly interface.

• Search Terms

  Using the Feedback Explorer, authors can view search keywords entered by users. This helps to answer such questions as, "What are they looking for? What are they finding? What are they not finding?"

• Synonym Support

  Content authors can add synonyms to synchronize search phases, increasing the chances that readers will find the information they are seeking. Since the synonym data is separate from the project data, there is no need to re-publish the content pages.

• Charts

  By transferring user statistics to configurable, multi-color, multi-shape feedback charts, authors can analyze and report on readers’ usage trends.

• Web and desktop support

  The Feedback Server, not only tracks reader activity on Web-based Help, but also on desktop Help, such as HTML Help and DotNetHelp. This allows a wider base of Help authors to take advantage of MadCap Feedback and benefit from thorough insight into usage patterns and requirements.