S1000D Projects Don’t Fail Because of the Spec — They Fail Because They’re Mismanaged
“We’ve got the S1000D spec, so we’re good to go…”
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that line. And every time, I know I’m about to witness a painful truth unfold:
You can download the specification… but that’s not a plan. That’s just the beginning of your problems.
Real-World Problems, Repeated Everywhere
For over two decades, I’ve worked with S1000D projects across defense, aerospace, and more than a few industries you’d never expect to see using it.— from multimillion-pound government programs to SMEs trying to scale and stay compliant.
I’ve seen the same issues appear time and again:
- Projects failing to align S1000D with wider support or business strategy
- Unclear scope and unrealistic delivery expectations
- Delays, cost overruns, and compliance gaps
- Teams thrown into S1000D projects with no roadmap or support
- Obsessing over what they know, while ignoring what actually moves the project forward.
And let’s be honest — some people hide behind business rules because they don’t truly understand the strategic goals of S1000D. S1000D is bigger than business rules, and those who over-focus on them are often masking a lack of understanding about what we’re really trying to achieve.
This is about more than technical compliance — it’s about delivering structured, usable, and valuable information that supports the product and the people who use it.
A Course Built for the People Who Carry the Risk
This course isn’t another generic “What is S1000D” introduction.
It’s built specifically for those responsible for delivering S1000D projects on time, within scope, and under control.
It’s for:
- Project Managers/Senior Authors delivering or overseeing S1000D
- IPS and ILS Managers responsible for integrating S1000D data into wider product support planning
- Program leads needing clarity, risk control, and measurable outcomes
It’s about aligning strategy, defining scope, assigning work effectively, and delivering with confidence.
Decades of Experience, Distilled
I’ve spent over 20 years helping organisations recover or structure S1000D projects — including some of the most complex and visible programs around.
Everything I teach is grounded in practical application, not theory.
And alongside the course, I’ve developed a dedicated Project Manager’s Toolkit — full of real-world templates, checklists, and planning aids you can take straight into your project environment.
But I’m not giving everything away here — there are too many watching to replicate what they don’t truly understand.
Most Teams Start in the Wrong Place
Many projects believe that simply downloading the S1000D specification gets them halfway to success.
In reality? That’s just the start — and often the start of a long list of problems.
If you don’t get the planning, governance, and delivery strategy right from the outset, no amount of compliance will save your timeline or budget.
Why Now?
S1000D adoption is growing — but so is the pressure to get it right.
If you’re tasked with leading or supporting an S1000D implementation, this course will give you the structure, tools, and knowledge to lead with control and clarity.
It’s focused. It’s proven. And it’s built on years of real-world experience.
Register Your Interest
This course is usually delivered on a client-by-client basis, tailored to specific organisational needs.
However, due to growing interest, I’m considering running a one-off open classroom course in late 2025 in the UK (probably in the North East).
If this sounds like something you’d benefit from, register your interest using the form below:
Please note: Registrations from free, personal, or non-business email accounts will be quietly ignored. If you’re genuinely interested, you’ll know why this matters.
Places will be strictly limited, and those who register will be the first to know when dates are confirmed.
Because S1000D doesn’t fail. Projects do. And yours doesn’t have to be one of them.