Benefits of IETM: The Future of Technical Documentation
The article explains what IETM means and its different levels. IETM stands for Interactive Electronic Technical Manual and is a digital manual that contains technical information and cross-references. There are four levels of IETM, with Level 1 being just scanned images compiled together and Level 4 being a database-driven software. The article also explains that IETMs are mainly used in the defense system and are mandatory deliverables by the Indian defense.
Hey there, let’s talk about IETM! No, it’s not some secret code or language, it stands for Interactive Electronic Technical Manual. This is a fancy way of saying that it’s an electronic version of a manual or book. Even a PDF or scanned file can be called an IETM. Any digital book or document can be considered an IETM.
Now, why is it called an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual? Well, if you see a book or manual on a computer or other digital device, it’s called an Electronic Manual. If that manual is technical in nature, it’s called an Electronic Technical Manual or ETM. And if it’s dynamic, with multiple references in the form of hyperlinks, hotspots, and other interactive features, it’s called an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual.
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So, any digital manual that has technical information and contains cross-references is called an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual. Simple enough, right?
Now, let’s talk about the different levels of IETM. Level 1 and 2 are PDF files, with Level 1 being just scanned images compiled together, and Level 2 having hyperlinks, cross-references, and indexing. Level 3 is HTML-based, like a web application, and Level 4 is a database-based web application, where all the manuals are converted into the MYSQL database and stored.
To view these different levels of IETM, you need an IETM Viewer, which is a piece of software used to view the documents and also used for interactivity and switch between topics, subtopics, cross-references, hyperlinks, and more. Level 4 IETM Viewer is especially powerful and gives the user quick access to the database.
IETMs are mainly used in the defense system, where they are used for complex systems such as missiles, defense vehicles, communication and non-communication systems. They’re used to refer to thousands of documents quickly and efficiently. These days, IETMs are mandatory deliverables along with actual equipment by the Indian defense, following Indian defense guidelines, standards JSG 0852:2019.
When the electronic revolution started in the 90s, PDF files were used as IETMs, but they were just scanned images without any interactivity. These are called Level 1 IETMs. Level 2 IETMs added features like selectable text, images, tables, hyperlinks, and indexing. Level 3 IETMs, which emerged with the rise of HTML5 technology, are converted into HTML-5 and an IETM viewer is developed to view the files. And finally, Level 4 IETMs are database-driven software, which allows ultra-quick navigation for user inputs.
So, there you have it — a brief introduction to IETMs and their different levels. It may sound complicated, but it’s really just a fancy way of saying that it’s an electronic manual that’s interactive and easy to navigate.
The list of some Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs ) About IETM ( Interactive Electronic Technical Manual ). Few examples are:
What does IETM stand for?
IETM stands for Interactive Electronic Technical Manual. It’s an electronic version of a manual or book, which contains technical information and interactive features.
What are the different levels of IETMs?
There are four levels of IETMs — Level 1 and 2 are PDF files, Level 3 is HTML-based, and Level 4 is a database-based web application.
What is an IETM Viewer?
An IETM Viewer is a piece of software used to view IETMs and switch between topics, subtopics, cross-references, hyperlinks, and more. Level 4 IETM Viewer is especially powerful and gives the user quick access to the database.
Where are IETMs mainly used?
IETMs are mainly used in the defense system, where they are used for complex systems such as missiles, defense vehicles, communication and non-communication systems.
Why are IETMs mandatory deliverables along with actual equipment by the Indian defense?
IETMs are mandatory deliverables along with actual equipment by the Indian defense following Indian defense guidelines, standards JSG 0852:2019 to refer to thousands of documents quickly and efficiently.
What makes an IETM different from a regular electronic manual?
An IETM is different from a regular electronic manual because it contains technical information and interactive features like hyperlinks, hotspots, and other interactive features.
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