Cross-Media Authoring and Publishing Provides Single Source for Content Creation and Delivery; Eedo ForceTen Extends Value beyond E-Learning.

NASHUA, N.H. -- Eedo Knowledgeware(TM), a leading provider of innovative software products for Real-Time Learning and Knowledge systems announces the extension of its cross-media authoring and publishing capabilities to provide customers with a single source for content creation and delivery which allows users to create and maintain one single set of information for a range of different outputs.

Today's businesses are overwhelmed with the need to create more content, more quickly, customized for more customers and for more media than ever before. Re-using and repurposing content quickly and easily can reduce the time and costs associated with content creation and maintenance, increase the consistency of content whenever it is used and maintain brand adherence.

According to industry studies, 60-70% of all existing content is in an unstructured format -- not in any kind of template. It is critical that businesses are provided with an easy way to ingest this existing, unstructured content into their Learning Content Management Systems for re-use in their learning materials. This type of content can be extended beyond the world of e-learning and includes items such as online help, website, marketing collateral, customer documentation and paper guides.

VAPRO and Liftgroup are two Eedo customers who specialize in the development of learning materials for vocational training. "When e-learning became a significant factor in our business strategy the logical thought was to reuse the existing content as a basis for the development of new learning materials," said Sjaak Mens, Director VAPRO-OVP. "Eedo ForceTen was found to be the preferred system for creation and delivery of online learning content to multiple formats for competency based learning."

ForceTen's open architecture made it possible to directly view, edit and deploy "live" content from the XML repository at runtime and thus allowed real time management of cross media publishing content. Content can now either be edited in the print domain or in the e-learning domain with changes and updates immediately reflected on the other side. This does not mean that online and offline content has to be identical, content can be highly adaptive and allows for the best to be brought out in each chosen medium.

ForceTen has further extended its print functionality to support the Darwin Information Typing Standard (DITA). DITA is an open source XML-based framework for designing and delivering well-structured content efficiently and consistently in a single-sourcing environment. Information is organized and stored as topics which can then be re-used as building blocks of content.

"The problem with existing products on the market today is that they don't provide adequate, professional, dedicated learning authoring functionality. Teams of authors need to work collaboratively on large projects. Demand on the interactivity of the learning materials is high and reporting and content management requirements are challenging," said John Hudson, CEO of Eedo Knowledgeware. "Many existing systems are found to be inadequate and unacceptable due to the considerable additional cost of maintaining and regularly updating two separate repositories."

Eedo's ForceTen Learning Content Management System provides a complete workflow development toolset for the creation, capture, management and transfer of knowledge within an organization. Powered by its knowledge repository and coupled with tools such as robust authoring, knowledge sharing, workflow management, simulation, content management and quick globalization features, Eedo's ForceTen reduces costs of learning development, increases sales success, aids in compliance and regulatory training and provides direct results to business units.

About Eedo Knowledgeware

Eedo Knowledgeware is a leading provider of learning and knowledge systems to drive productivity and efficiency. Eedo offers a set of powerful, adaptable and easy-to-use tools for business people and learning experts, addressing practical knowledge management requirements including: learning content management, dynamic delivery, rapid authoring, assessment, knowledge sharing, performance support and indexing and search. Eedo's award winning products are utilized in a broad range of industries and enterprises such as American Management Association, MetLife, Internal Revenue Service, Foreign Commonwealth Office, and Lufthansa. Eedo is privately held, with offices in the U.S.A., Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.