Astoria Software launches the industry’s first ribbon-based user interface for Enterprise-wide XML Component Content Management
SAN FRANCISCO, September 14, 2011 – Astoria Software, a division of TransPerfect, today announced the release of a completely redesigned user interface for its market-leading Astoria Content Management solution. The new user interface, a role-based arrangement of tasks and operations into a ribbon-like display, was unveiled this week at the Center for Information-Development Managements “Best Practices 2011” conference in San Antonio, Texas. This style of user interface is the first of its kind for an enterprise-wide solution for managing complex documentation, and it marks another “first” in Astoria Software’s SaaS and On-Premise XML Component Content Management solution.
The First Ribbon-like User Interface
Astoria’s ribbon-like user interface is the result of careful research into how people expect to interact with a component content management system. Astoria Software turned to Comtech Services, a specialist in information design and human productivity, to develop a completely new user-interface specification based on interviews, time-and-motion studies, and detailed usability research. Comtech also researched the latest advancements in commercial office productivity solutions to guide the specification through its implementation by Astoria Software. The result is the ribbon-like interface showcased this week, and its introduction puts Astoria On-Demand™ and Astoria On-Premise™ at the forefront of usability for managing complex documentation across the enterprise.
Driving Productivity
Astoria’s new user interface is a sharp departure from other interfaces available on the market in two key areas. First, the tasks and operations are organized around eight specific roles, such as “Information Developer”, “CMS Administrator”, and “Information Architect”. Second, all operations are embedded in a ribbon, which merges pull-down menus and task bars into a single interface where all commands are accessible through no more than two mouse-clicks. These two critical advances in Astoria’s user-interface dramatically improve end-user productivity in such common tasks as topic creation and editing, workflow-driven content production, and localization coordination.
“We have been absolutely amazed and delighted by the response to the new user interface from attendees at this year’s Best Practices show,” said Michael Rosinski, president and CEO of Astoria Software. “We’ve heard feedback that our new user interface is at least eighteen months ahead of anything else available today, and that it unlocks productivity improvements not possible with current UI implementations.” Mr. Rosinski further explained that Astoria Software partnered with Dr. JoAnn Hackos and her team at Comtech Services, “…because they have the most rigorous methodology available for realigning the capabilities of an XML content management system to the specific needs, roles, and responsibilities of end-users.”
About Astoria Software
Astoria Software is the world’s most successful Enterprise solution for XML Component Content Management and the first to deliver both an Enterprise-wide SaaS/On-Demand and an On-Premise approach to structured content management. Cisco Systems, Teradata, ITT Fluid Technology, Siemens Healthcare, Northrop Grumman, Avaya, Citrix, and other Forbes Global 2000 manufacturers rely on Astoria to meet increasingly competitive demands for product documentation — high volume, accelerated time-to-market, and globalized output. Astoria Component Content Management, whether On-Demand or On-Premise, is an enterprise-wide solution for Translation-Enabled Content Management, reducing documentation costs up to 90%, compressing product launch times from months to weeks, and generating productivity and management benefits with its flexible delivery model. Astoria Software, a division of TransPerfect, Inc., is based in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit www.astoriasoftware.com.