Case study: Southwest Airlines and

Next-Generation Technical Publications

Management: Easing Regulatory Burdens;
Increasing Efficiency

Don Tilden – Southwest Airlines

Mel Schwan – TechPubs, Inc.
 Topics
Why Did Southwest change?

Central Publications Management

Automated Compliance Solutions

Return On Investment for New Systems

Southwest Airlines and TechPubs, Inc

Confidential
 Why Did Southwest Change

Old publishing processes created roadblocks:

 Paper based system using FrameMaker
 Serial approval process
 “Write once, use once”
 Cost challenges
 Distributed headcount, no economy of scale
Bottom Line: The medium changes the message and
paper costs money!

Southwest Airlines and TechPubs, Inc

Confidential
Legacy Structure at Southwest
Publishing „Silos‟
FLIGHT
OPS MX
DISPATCH
MPM
FOM OPS
SPEC AMM
WRITER MEL
WRITER
WRITER

INFLIGHT GROUND
FLIGHT
ATTENDANTS
OPS
Boeing Docs
FAA Docs
FAM GOM
Industry Standards
WRITER WRITER
Inspection Checklists
Integrated Publishing Organization

MANUAL REVIEW BOARD

(MRB)
BIWEEKLY
“PUBS BOARD OF
DIRECTORS”

BOEING DOCS FLIGHT

INFLIGHT
CENTRAL PUBLICATIONS OPS
FAA DOCS
ALL TECHNICAL WRITERS

INDUSTRY COMMON LIBRARY

SAFETY
DOCS MX
BOEING DOCS, FAA DOCS,
INDUSTRY STANDARDS,
INSPECTION INSPECTION CHECKLISTS
ITEMS (ATOS, IOSA, DOD)
ATOS
IOSA DISPATCH
DOD GROUND OPS
 Central Publications
Management

A centralized structure:

 Facilitates XML transition

 Eliminates silos
 Facilitates interfacing
 Supports publication standardization
 Reduces headcount
 Central Publications
Management (Continued)

 Provides Leadership to technical communicators

 Encourages single sourcing/content reuse
 Supports compliance
 Supports business objectives
 Allows for more rapid approval/publication

AGILITY EQUALS SUCCESS

 Automated Compliance
 Importing and editing of ATOS/IOSA/DoD
Checklists
 Compliance Report templates
 Linking Compliance Reports and content
 Workflow provides visibility and control
 Controls and Process Measures
 Automated Interface Attributes

Southwest Airlines and TechPubs, Inc

Confidential
Example of Compliance
Documentation
 Return On Investment

 Reducing redundancy and headcount

 Improving access and reuse
 Lowering costs
 Better cross functional communication
 Streamlined regulatory review and approval

Southwest Airlines and TechPubs, Inc

Confidential
 Questions?

Contact info:
Don Tilden: Don.Tilden@wnco.com
Mel Schwan mel.schwan@techpubsglobal.com

Southwest Airlines and TechPubs, Inc

Confidential