The Case for the Darwin Information Typing Architecture

December 31, 2005 Blog No Comments

In Topic-Oriented Information Development and Its Role in Globalization, Bill Trippe (The Gilbane Report) examines software developer Information Builders and their experience implementing the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) to manage a large set of localized product documentation. “IBI made a strategic decision to adopt DITA, has implemented it, and is already realizing benefits from the decision,” Trippe writes. Trippe documents some of the benefits IBI enjoys since implementing DITA including: Elimination of formatting and reformatting tasks Manipulation of content in ways previously unavailable Modular, reusable, topic-oriented content Significantly reduced …

Avoiding DITA Roadblocks

December 30, 2005 Blog No Comments

Technical writers hoping to implement the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) can avoid costly project delays and other snafus by following the advice in Get Ready for DITA: Bypass Four Costly Roadblocks, a white paper from Innodata Isogen. The four roadblocks include: Inefficient processes Organizatinal boundaries Technology limitations Resource utilization The paper also addresses what the authors call “the significance of specialization”, pointing out (among other things) that the process is measurable. “When new requirements appear, such as a new product that needs slightly different documentation,” the authors say, “managers …

S1000D: The Future of Technical Manuals

December 29, 2005 Blog No Comments

In Documentation Spec Makes DOD Inroads, Federal Computer Week columnist, John Moore asks: Will S1000D be the future of tech manuals? S1000D promotes a modular approach to content creation and makes it possible for organizations to deliver both printed and electronic technical manuals from a Common Source Database. While it originated in Europe in the 1980s, S1000D is currently in use by the U.S. Army, primarily to create documentation for the Global Hawk unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicle and for the F-117A Stealth Bomber. The U.S. Navy is also said to …

2005 Worst Manual Contest Winners

December 28, 2005 Blog No Comments

Chuckle at the winners of the 2005 Worst Manual Contest. This year’s top spot goes to HDD Assembles Elucidation, which is actually worse than the incorrectly translated title implies. Of course, there are some pretty bad images and artwork being produced today, as this honorable mention award amply illustates. Previous Worst Manual Contest Winners 2004 2003 2002 2001

The Effect of DITA on Information-Development Roles

December 27, 2005 Blog No Comments

In The Effect of DITA on Information-Development Roles, Jen Linton provides an overview of the changing roles and responsibilities needed when a documentation team moves to the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA). Linton proposes roles including: information-development manager, information developer, editor, information architect, and production manager. She provides a short description of each role and why it’s needed. “Before making the change to DITA,” Linton says, “think about assigning roles and responsibilities so that one person doesn

Microformats: Small Solutions for Specific Situations

December 26, 2005 Blog No Comments

Microformats are getting increasing media attention these days, thanks to folks with an understanding of structured content, content standards and content reuse. This is particulary true in the world of structured blogging. According to the Microformats Blog microformats are “a set of simple, open data formats (designed for humans first, machines second) built upon existing and widely adopted standards. Instead of throwing away what works today, microformats intend to solve simpler problems first by adapting to current behaviors and usage patterns (e.g. XHTML, blogging).” The Microformats Wiki expands that definition. …

A DITA Primer From XTech 2005

December 23, 2005 Blog No Comments

For those seeking to understand the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA)—arguably the hottest topic to hit technical communication circles in a long, long time—check out DITA: Getting Started by Christian Kravogel and Boris Horner. The authors provide a brief introduction to DITA, an example of how the DITA specialization process works, a case study, and answers to frequently asked questions. If you are frustrated because you don’t yet understand DITA, don’t feel badly. Scientists have found that many people don’t understand how mirrors work, either.

CMS Idol 2005 Rewind

December 23, 2005 Blog No Comments

If you missed the Fall 2005 Gilbane Conference on Content Management Technologies, you missed great lectures, valuable educational seminars, and an exhibition area that allows one-stop shopping for content management systems, authoring tools, and XML solutions. But, that’s not all you missed. You also missed CMS Idol, a fun-yet-informative “American Idol” style contest between CMS vendors that is both entertaining and revealing. But all is not lost. Thanks to technology guru and conference videographer Bob Doyle, you can watch the CMS Idol contest from the convenience of your home or …

Implementing a DITA Publishing Solution Without Abandoning Your Current Publishing System Investment

December 21, 2005 Blog No Comments

Or…How IBM started working with DITA without overhauling the entire system! In Implementing a DITA publishing solution without abandoning your current publishing system investments, Robert Anderson and Erik Hennum explain the rationale behind IBM selecting the Darwin Information Typing Architecture, and describe “the dirty technical details” of their solution. The IBM team reveals how they were able to use DITA “long before time permitted a full-scale migration.” To quote: “We created a path to old output formats that were not yet supported from DITA. All of this allowed us to …

Illustrating The Website Development Process

December 20, 2005 Blog No Comments

Some people say Japanese web designer Yong Fook has too much time on this hands. Perhaps. But I say he’s damn near brilliant. His recent PingMag feature article illustrates the website design process cleverly—using his unique style of photography to make the process easy for the uninitiated to understand. “The photo was actually one in a whole series of photos I shot for a client presentation, detailing the website design / development process in a manner that was easily understandable and also fun to look at,” YongFook says. “However, as …