Manufacturers are attempting to streamline their value chains by providing customers and employees with tailored access to a broader base of information than was previously thought possible. However, many are bogged down by their inability to effectively share content throughout their organizations. In many cases, product manuals are managed by documentation groups, while corporate portals are managed by database groups, and customer service information is managed by a separate Web group. Although there is information overlap in each department, many companies are re-keying or converting significant amounts of duplicate data.

This session will provide examples of how companies can use advanced XML management capabilities to provide one integrated view of their information, so that they can increase efficiencies for the multiple phases of their value chain: from product design to product manuals, customer service and corporate marketing. In addition it will address key issues facing manufacturers today, including how to:

* Leverage XML and the emerging W3C standard XQuery for enhancing performance, flexibility and personalization of information delivery

* Effectively use Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), a standard XML format that allows images to be collected and managed in one central location where all designers can look for reusable design elements.

* Reduce the costs of creating owner's manuals by allowing documents to be broken into reusable components and quickly reassembled and re-purposed into finished manuals.

* Enable procurement departments to better analyze supplier performance through more personalized delivery of real-time information.

* Increase inefficiency through enhanced collaboration and integration of disparate sources of information, centralized management of that information, and delivery of customized views of the information to applications and end users.