In our series “5 questions about…” we present our tools and their most important functions and advantages. Today: Everything you need to know about COSIMA Interview partner: Holger Rath, Product Manager COSIMA and DOCUFY Layouter.
What is COSIMA and what can it do?
COSIMA is a powerful editing system that has been specially developed for the creation, management and publication of technical documentation. It supports authors in creating and structuring complex content efficiently because it is based on a modular concept. Through the reuse of content and centralized management, COSIMA enables consistent and legally compliant documentation for different output formats such as PDF, online help or mobile applications. In addition, extensive configuration options and the integration of AI add-ons offer a high degree of flexibility that further automates and simplifies the documentation process. COSIMA therefore adapts perfectly to the individual requirements of different industries and is ideal for companies that want to make their documentation efficient and future-proof.
Who is COSIMA suitable for and to whom does it offer decisive added value?
COSIMA is suitable both for companies that need a ready-to-use solution and for those that have specific requirements for a content management system. The “ready-to-use” version provides users with a predefined configuration that can be used directly, particularly in mechanical and plant engineering or for software documentation. Thanks to the flexible configurability and the scripting interface, the system can be adapted to the daily requirements of the user. At the same time, COSIMA offers companies with very individual requirements the opportunity to make customized adaptations and integrate the system optimally into existing IT structures. The support of specific interfaces to other applications makes COSIMA the ideal solution for companies that value high flexibility and integration.
What benefits does the software have for me and how does the editorial system change my everyday working life?
With COSIMA, users benefit from genuine single-source publishing that allows them to concentrate fully on the content. Changes or additions can be published in all desired output formats with just a few clicks – whether as a classic PDF, integrated online help or via TopicPilot for mobile devices and the web. This saves an enormous amount of time and increases efficiency in day-to-day work, as documents can be updated more quickly and without errors. Content remains consistent and the entire publication process is significantly simplified.
How does COSIMA make it easier to create and manage technical documentation?
COSIMA facilitates the creation and management of technical documentation through a powerful modular concept that allows content to be reused. Authors can create information in the form of modules, which can then be used flexibly in different manuals or instructions, avoiding redundant work. The intuitive user interface supports quick access to all relevant content, while functions such as versioning and change tracking ensure transparency and control. COSIMA also enables rule-based control of text variants in order to create documentation tailored to different target groups or product variants. This not only saves time, but also minimizes errors. The ability to manage multilingual documents centrally also simplifies translation processes. Overall, COSIMA ensures that documentation can be created faster, more consistently and more efficiently. COSIMA also has AI-supported add-ons that make day-to-day work much easier. With the help of AI, warnings and safety instructions (e.g. according to the SAFE rule) as well as instructions for action can be created at the touch of a button. Simply enter relevant keywords and the AI will automatically create the necessary action steps or appropriate warnings. Additional AI functions support the checking of warnings for the correct classification of the hazard level or automatically generate index entries for the keyword directory.
How is COSIMA integrated into the DOCUFY product portfolio?
Our solutions are interlinked to ensure efficient collaboration. The COSIMA editing system ensures that technical documentation is created quickly and in compliance with standards, while DOCUFY Machine Safety supports a structured and legally compliant risk assessment. The information generated in the process, such as safety instructions, required personnel qualifications, protective equipment and visual representations, can be transferred directly into the instructions created with COSIMA. This enables a close integration of risk assessment and operating instructions and minimizes transfer errors. This significantly speeds up and simplifies the entire process of risk assessment and CE marking. DOCUFY Layouter ensures a flexible and appealing design of the output layouts, without any programming knowledge. This means that all documents are perfectly tailored to the company’s requirements, both visually and in terms of content. Finally, TopicPilot allows the content to be published digitally and device-specifically.