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Electronic Performance Support System

P r o d u c t D a t a s h e e t

November 2009

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Product Datasheet – EPSS 500

© Epiplex500 2 2009

Table of Contents

EPSS 500 – Electronic Performance Support System

Overview ................................................................................................. 3

Features & Benefits ................................................................................. 4

Customers & Uses ........................................................................... 5

Summary of Features & Benefits .................................................... 6

FAQ .......................................................................................................... 8

System Requirements ........................................................................... 10

Hardware Requirements - Epiplex500 .......................................... 10

Software Requirements - Epiplex500 ............................................ 10

Minimum Hardware Requirements - ERMS ................................... 11

Recommended Environment Requirements - ERMS ..................... 11

Minimum Hardware Requirements - EPSS Server ........................ 12

Recommended Environment Requirements - EPSS Server ........... 12

Minimum Environment - EPSS Client ............................................ 12

Our History ............................................................................................ 12


© Epiplex500 3 2009

EPSS 500 Electronic Performance Support System

Overview

EPSS 500 is the Electronic Performance Support System that provides

context-sensitive Epiplex500 generated content – Cue cards, Simulations &

documents - live in the application to all end users across the organization. It

can also provide a broad array of External documents (single files) -

Independent and/or Legacy.

The user can automate the creation of documents, training, simulations &

eLearning on Mainstream Windows; Java & Green screen applications and

others including IE browser based, SAP, Oracle, MATLAB, PeopleSoft, CAD

(CATIA, UGNX) using Epiplex500. This Epiplex500 generated content along with

external content could then be put into the ERMS (Enterprise Repository

Management System) – the collaborative authoring, content management

server - from where it could be published to the EPSS server. This Client/Server

configuration delivers (‘Pushes’) contextual live ‘in-application’ support that

helps the user in performing the task in an application.

Context Framework Creation: For the EPSS Server, to provide live

‘in-application’ support, the content pertaining to different applications is to be

mapped, i.e., a content-context map is created. The context map is created

using either the capture files or the Epiplex500 generated content, to each of

which the relevant content can be associated to establish the content-context

map. Epiplex500 generated content such as DHTML, Online guides and cue

cards get associated automatically, whereas External content (single files) and

links to websites have to be associated manually to the context. Specifications

regarding automatic launch of content in the relevant context can also be made.

In order to enhance context recognition, information regarding keywords, page

and domain identifiers, is provided. The context map is copied to the EPSS

Server directly or published to it through the ERMS. The live ‘in-application’

support can be launched automatically or on request. A search facility based on

keywords, applications and context helps the users to pull role based content

from the EPSS Server.

EPSS 500 – Highlights

Automate the creation of

documents, training, simulations

& eLearning on Mainstream

Windows; Java & Green screen

applications

Provide contextual live

‘in-application’ support to

end users

Make available all learning

Content – Epiplex500 Generated

(Cue cards, simulations &

documents) & External

(Independent and/or legacy

- single files)


© Epiplex500 4 2009

Features & Benefits

Features

Epiplex500 generated content: This

includes Documents, training, interactive

simulations and eLearning.

External Content (Single files): In all standard

digital formats for documents, learning, graphics

and multimedia: Policy documents,

Regulatory & Compliance documents,

Business Process diagrams, flow charts,

Images & Maps, Forms & Templates,

Systems & Methods, Catalogs & Price lists,

Technical Manuals, PowerPoint, SOPs,

Podcasts, Urls, 3rd

party Learning

material, etc.

ERMS: Collaborative authoring and version

control of authored files. Facilitates parallel

development by multiple users in different

geographical locations.

Context Framework: The Context Framework

is the EPSS Author. Content is mapped to the

context. The context map is copied to the

EPSS Server directly or published to it through

the ERMS.

EPSS Server: Enables the ‘Push’ of contextual,

live ‘in-application’ support to end users aiding

them in the performance of a task.

Content Access Licenses: Content Access

Licenses are thin EPSS clients. They offer a

comprehensive, role-based access to all

resources, documents, training and performance

content. The in-built search engine helps

users to search the required help content based

on task/process name, keyword, etc.

Licensing EPSS 500 is available as perpetual concurrent and portable licenses for

all software and server components required to capture and develop a

comprehensive library of automated documentation, training and in

application support.

End-user licenses for Epiplex500 simulations and documentation are

free and unlimited. End-user licenses for contextual, live in application

cue cards and support can be purchased for a nominal fee per user.

External Content

Epiplex500 Generated Content

END USERS Content Access Licenses (CALs)

Context Framework Content-Context Mapping

Content Deployment

ERMS Content Management

Collaborative Authoring

Content Integration

EPSS Server Live ‘in-application’

Contextual end user support


© Epiplex500 5 2009

Customers & Uses

Customer Use

*Training content developers Create content for training

Process management team Ensure employees adhere to best practices

Training managers Create training manuals, classroom slides, training guides and end

user cue cards

Risk managers Standardize and document business processes

Change managers Rapidly Document and distribute process change

Compliance managers

Create & deploy process documentation at the time of

Performance of a task

Transition managers Capture business processes from the client site and create sign-off

documents

Performance consultants Map the business procedures, do a skills-gap analysis and suggests

ways of improving the productivity

Documentation managers Manage the productivity of document generation

Project managers Create service manuals and process documentation

Software developers Create System documentation, installation guides and user guides

HR & Office managers Document business processes, staff support and induction (on boarding) manuals

Technical writers Create technical documentation & installation guides

System administrators Create Systems documentation and Systems validation

Help desk professionals Create task specific assistance information

QA managers Create test scripts & test case procedures exportable to

Test automation tools

Product managers Suggest changes in the UI & create competitor analysis

System fault diagnostics Create documentation that addresses systems latency

System implementers &

integrators

Map the business processes during implementation and integration

and provide training for the implementation and integration done

*Note: The italicized ‘customers and uses’ would find the live ‘in-application’ functionality of EPSS 500 more useful while the others would find the Epiplex500 functionality more beneficial.


© Epiplex500 6 2009

Summary of Features & Benefits

Feature Benefit

Capture – Epiplex500

Wide Spectrum of Application capture

Since Epiplex500 capture is application agnostic, it can be used on mainstream Windows, Java, Green Screen applications and others including IE browser based, SAP, Oracle, MATLAB, PeopleSoft, CAD (CATIA, UGNX, etc).

Robust and accurate application capture

This decreases the effort post capture for publication-ready content. It reduces the turnaround time required to develop content. Owing to the sophisticated Epiplex500 capture technology, menu selections, mouse movements and events, typing, drop down lists and other controls are comprehensively captured.

Template based Sentence description

Automates the translation of the captured steps into readable step descriptions (sentences). These sentences are generated through a sentence template which can be edited or a new template can be created to suite the organization’s standards. New sentence formats can be created in different languages as well. Formatting (Font Name, Size, etc) of sentences is also applied through templates. Facilitates the application of a consistent style and format to all content.

Full Motion Capture

This feature enables the SME to record the screen actions in the form of a full motion movie. This is useful when any object in motion has to be captured and simulated. Typically used in engineering design applications (CAD/CAM) training where 3D objects are used.

Adding Notes

Enables the Subject Matter Expert to add process information to the content.

Aliases

Some applications to be captured may not support capture of the names of objects like Text Boxes, Dropdown List Boxes, Check Boxes, and Buttons etc. or may not have names for some of the objects. The alias names defined automatically get applied to the objects in all future captures on the application. Increases the accuracy and consistency of step descriptions during a process capture.


© Epiplex500 7 2009

Securing & Masking texts

Post capture any field can be marked as secured and the text can be masked. Once marked as secure, all future captures of that field will be treated as a secure control. Permits securing of sensitive information like password fields and Social Security Number in published content.

Image Masking

Post capture sensitive information can be masked thereby preventing the flow of information into the published content.

Develop & Edit – Epiplex500

Annotations

Rich editing capabilities allow adding annotations like Call outs (Help Bubbles) and Sticky notes. This assists in providing more information to the end users at each step level.

Information step

Provides detailed description of a step or process like images, links to external documents, websites, etc. Allows the developer to include additional information or description to any key step of a process, if required.

Audio and Video

Audio and video files can be attached to the steps of a simulation output. This feature enables the transfer of the tacit knowledge of the Subject Matter Expert to the end users.

Template based outputs

The simulation and document outputs are template based. Epiplex500 provides various templates along with the product installation. New custom templates can be developed through an editor. Organizations can develop and publish content in accordance with their corporate standards, themes and layouts.

ERMS

Version control

Enables different users – authors, reviewers & publishers- to modify/edit content several times without overwriting the original content. Eliminates the difficulty of tracking different versions submitted by the users.

Central Repository

Common location for sharing content, facilitating Collaborative authoring, Content management & Authoring development workflows in different geographical locations.

Content Integration

Legacy, External and epiplex500 generated content can be ‘Checked in’ and ‘Checked out’ of ERMS. Single files of Legacy and External content are supported.


© Epiplex500 8 2009

Multiple level role based access

3 types of Users – Administrator, Repository Manager & End User – have different domains of tasks/functions

Automatic Alerts

E-mail alerts, sent to Users of a Group when items of interest are ‘Checked in’, modified or edited, notifies them regarding any changes made. This provides clarity on the status of the development work.

EPSS Server

EPSS Server

‘Pushes’ contextual, live ‘in-application’ support to end users aiding them in the performance of a task.

Context Framework

Context Framework

The Context Framework is the EPSS Author. Content is mapped to the context. The context map is copied to the EPSS Server directly or published to it through the ERMS.

Content Access Licenses

Content Access Licenses

Content Access Licenses are thin EPSS clients. They offer a

comprehensive, role-based access to all resources, documents,

training and performance content. The in-built search engine which

helps users to search the required help content based on

task/process name, keyword, etc.

FAQ

S.

no.

Questions Comments

1

What does the Epiplex500 component of EPSS 500 let the user do?

It lets the user create documents, training, simulations & eLearning on Mainstream Windows; Java & Green screen applications.

2.

What is EPSS 500 and how does it benefit the customer?

EPSS 500 not only creates content but also provides it context-sensitively live in the application. External content (Independent and or Legacy) can also be distributed to users.

3.

What do you mean by context-sensitive content?

Here is an explanation with an example. Suppose a user working on SAP wants to make a purchase order. So when the user opens


© Epiplex500 9 2009

the SAP application, having launched the EPSS client, the user will find the relevant help content i.e., all documents related to making a purchase order, appear on the right side of the screen which will guide him/her in carrying out the process thoroughly and confidently. So therefore EPSS intelligently recognizes the application thereby providing content pertinent to that application. That content which appears in a given context is referred to as ‘context-sensitive content’.

4.

Can the customer integrate external or 3

rd party content?

Yes. In addition to the Epiplex500 generated content (Cue cards, Simulations & documents) external content (Independent and or Legacy ) can also be integrated and distributed to the users. External content (single files) could include Policy documents, Regulatory & Compliance documents, Business process diagrams, flow charts, images, and Maps, Forms & Templates, Systems & Methods, 3

rd party learning material, Catalogs & Price

lists, Technical manuals, PowerPoint, SOPs, Multimedia, Podcasts, Urls, etc.

5.

What does the ERMS component of EPSS 500 do?

The Enterprise Repository Management System (ERMS) facilitates collaborative authoring and version control of authored files. This enables parallel development by multiple users in different geographical locations. It is very useful when context maps along with content have to copied to the EPSS server. In case the server is in a different location, then the context maps and content would have to burnt on a CD or mailed individually which can be a rather cumbersome procedure. Alternatively, ERMS provides publication of the content to the EPSS server directly.

6.

What is the principal requirement for EPSS 500 to provide the context-sensitive content?

The Context Framework has to be established. The context map is created using either the capture files or the Epiplex500 generated content, to each of which the relevant content can be associated to establish the content-context map. Epiplex500 generated content such as DHTML, Online guides and cue cards get associated automatically, whereas External content (single files) and links to websites have to be associated manually to the context. Specifications regarding automatic launch of content in the relevant context can also be made. In order to enhance context recognition, information regarding keywords, page and domain identifiers, is provided. The context map is copied to the EPSS Server directly or published to it through the ERMS.

7.

Why is ‘Push’ associated with the EPSS 500 Server?

That is because the Client/Server configuration delivers (‘Pushes’) contextual, live ‘in-application’ support to end users aiding them in the performance of a task.


© Epiplex500 10 2009

8. Can the user get or pull-up content that may not be related to the context?

Yes. For the user to pull up content unrelated to the context, a search facility based on task/process name, keywords, etc is Is provided.

System Requirements

Hardware Requirements - Epiplex500

(Tested and certified in the environment below)

Component Requirement

Processor

700 MHz or higher (1 GHz recommended)

Memory

512 MB of RAM or higher (1 GB recommended)

Disk Space for installation

Space required for the installation program: 300 MB

Monitor

800 X 600 X 256-color video resolution or higher

CD-ROM

4x or higher CD-ROM drive (for installation)

Sound Card & Microphone

This is required by Epiplex500 Process Editor for capturing and playing audio in a process file.

Software Requirements - Epiplex500

(Tested and certified in the environment below) Component

Recommended Software Configuration

Supported Operating Systems

Microsoft Windows 2000 (SP4) Microsoft Windows XP Professional x86 (with SP2 or above) Microsoft Windows Vista (x86) Microsoft Windows 7 (32 bit)

Privileges

While installing Epiplex500, the user must be logged on to the Windows system as an administrator or a member of administrator group

Browser

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.


© Epiplex500 11 2009

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0

Recommendations for using Microsoft Office with the above Operating Systems (for generating documents - optional)

With Windows 2000, use Office 2000 With Windows XP Professional, use Office 2000 or XP With Windows Vista, use Office 2003

Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player 9.0 or higher This is required by Epiplex500 Process Editor for playing Audio/video attached to in a process file.

Flash Player Plug-in

7.0. This is required by epiSimDoc Editor for viewing epiLearn in Flash format.

Minimum Hardware Requirements - ERMS


Processor

Intel(R) Xeon(TM) Dual Processor (4 CPUs* of 3.0GHz each)

Memory

2GB RAM

Disk Space for Installation

Space required for the installation program: 300 MB

Recommended Environment Requirements - ERMS

S. no. Requirement

1 Server OS certified: 32 bit Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server(JPN, ENG), 32 bit Microsoft Windows 2003 Server (JPN, ENG)

2 Database Certified: Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Microsoft SQL Server 2003, Microsoft SQL Server 2005, ORACLE 9i, ORACLE 10g

3 IIS version certified: 5.0, and 6.0

Note: 1. The ERMS Server and the database should be on different servers. 2. Database authentication is supported. 3. The server requires WEBDAV & ASP services. 4. The installation program will change the server settings.


© Epiplex500 12 2009

Minimum Hardware Requirements - EPSS Server


Processor Intel(R) Xeon(TM) Dual Processor (4 CPUs* of 3.0GHz each)

Memory 2GB RAM (more needed subject to operating load)

Recommended Environment Requirements - EPSS Server

S. no. Requirement

1. Server OS certified: 32 bit versions of Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server(JPN, ENG) , 32 bit versions of Microsoft Windows 2003 Server (JPN, ENG)

2. IIS version certified: 5.0, and 6.0.

Note: The virtual directory should have write permissions. For more details please refer the installation guide.

Minimum Environment - EPSS Client

S. no. Requirement

1. IE 6, and IE 7 Browser

2. Certified on 32 bit Versions of Windows 2000 SP4, XP-SP1, and VISTA, with 1 GB RAM, having continued access to the content repository in the EPSS Server via http, and https protocol

3. Processor: 700 MHz or higher (1 GHz recommended)

4 Memory: 512 MB of RAM or higher (1 GB recommended)

Partner Profile

Artifact Software helps companies and organizations accelerate the learning process by delivering cost effective learning solutions on time and on budget.

Artifact offers its clients a broad range of products and services dedicated to improving the learning process. These range from an experienced consulting practice to e‐learning tools, virtual classrooms with Saba Centra, content creation, Learning Management Systems, portals, outsourced portal management and simulations.

With over 12 years in the e‐learning and software business, Artifact has delivered and developed the expertise, skills, and resources needed to help companies achieve a higher ROI from their training budgets and human capital.

Contact Info :

Artifact Software Inc. 300 rue St. Sacrement, Suite 223 Montreal, QC H2Y 1X4 514 286 0636 www.artifact‐software.com

http://www.artifact-software.com/