Hi Framer's I'm curious as to whether you feel the following skillset has applicability in the current market. I was out of the market for a bit (long story, boooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrring!) and am researching the possibilities and would appreciate your input.
My expertise is in using standard FrameMaker to create single source approaches for companies who aren't ready, or don't want, to go the XMl/database/high end route. I create sophisticated templates (currently in Frame 7.x) using all different feature combinations (books, conditional text, variables, text insets, unique paragraph tags, preset structured shells and the like). When I was doing this full time, I would provide the content analysis, develop the Frame template to meet the agreed upon specifications, create at least 1 sample document set, do the testing and finish up by training the folks responsible for creating documentation on a day-to-day basis. I have had XML developers take a look at the approach I use to see if it would be easy or difficult to convert to a more advanced database approach if needed. The developer indicated the approach would be easy to convert since the tag naming schemas, structure, etc. were so rigidly enforced. I recently completed a project for a company with over 1,000 pages of documentation...it started as a template development project and ended up being a single source project. The client was positively thrilled when she was able to provide an unscheduled document component within 30 minutes of the request (a task that would have taken weeks using her previous approach). There are, naturally, drawbacks and compromises to approaching a single source project using standard FrameMaker...and I wondered if you are familiar with places that could use this approach or if I either "belly up to the bar" and learn the next level or look at what I want to do in a different way. Thank you in advance for any ideas, suggestions or input you may have. And please let me know how I may be of service to you... Blessings Jerilynne Knight