Case Study: OpsRamp Documentation
Statically generated documentation for digital operations management SaaS
Services
- Design
- Development
- Consulting
Technologies
- Static Website
- OpenAPI
- JavaScript
Intro
The goal of my work with OpsRamp was to transform their documentation website into a user-friendly interface that would allow the team to focus on building content.
By removing the technical nuances that come with creating digital content, I was able to give the team the freedom and flexibility to increase their productivity without having to spend time on technical publishing details. Utilizing open-source software and inexpensive cloud computing resources, I was pleased to be able to offer this extremely cost-efficient solution to my client.
The Client
OpsRamp is an award-winning global team of IT operations management specialists. They supply a state-of-the-art, cloud-based IT operations management platform that enables their customers to manage asset visibility across hybrid infrastructures, with a focus on consolidation and optimization to manage everyday tasks that would otherwise need to be performed through several external programs.
The Challenge
WordPress is one of the most popular open-source content management systems, but it requires a level of web development expertise that not everyone has or wants to pursue. This niche component makes it very easy to make mistakes that impact the entire website while editing in WordPress. OpsRamp’s editorial team wanted to be able to focus on getting their content out to their customers, without having to worry about the technical nuances of upkeeping their website software or potential technical glitches due to human error.
The team knew they wanted to convert their WordPress website to a static website in Hugo, but they had additional requirements to be accounted for to ensure a smooth transition. There was a large amount of content to transfer, with new content continuously being added in a version-controlled release process. In addition, the structure and interface of the new website would have to allow for multiple tiers of information that could be easily navigated, searched, and cross-referenced to modernize accessibility for customers and improve analytics capabilities for the team.
The Solution
Cost-effective Automated Continuous Integration Build Pipeline
I created a new framework for the redesigned website that allows for interfacing between several platforms utilizing a cloud computing environment. The original website HTML code and content were migrated to a GitHub repository, and websites were created for testing new releases, adding intermittent software updates, and to generate the live static website for production.
By connecting these to a cloud environment via Amazon Web Services, all changes made to any of the framework’s components are able to be seamlessly transferred to the live website through enhanced automation features.
Fresh Layout with Enhanced Navigation and Powerful Search Features
The new design of the public-facing website utilizes a modern and clean layout with a collapsible table of contents navigation feature for user-friendly display.
Enriched search capabilities have been added used Elasticsearch, which enables powerful indexing capabilities and immediate returns on search queries. This advanced search feature ensures that important content can be found quickly and efficiently, without confusing or overwhelming the customer.
Elasticsearch also provides advanced analytics that can be used by the editorial team to better organize content in future releases. The analytics provide detailed insight into how customers are using the website by tracking what they are searching for, and how effectively the search functionality is able to accommodate their search requests. This provides the editorial team with the data they need to determine if they should restructure or revise content in future releases to make popular topics easier to find.