dita workflow 101- an action plan for dita implementation

• Founded in 1973 in San Antonio, TX

• A Vast experience in all types of XML-based authoring and conversion (SGML, XML, DITA, S1000D)

• Over 10 years experience helping companies integrate the DITA standard

• Equipped with the resources to tackle a project of any size from beginning to end

Today’s Speakers

Joe StorbeckSenior Structured Data

AnalystJoe has been working closely with the DITA specification since its release at IBM in 2001, and is a highly regarded

expert in its use and application.

Matthew CassiAccount Executive - DITAAccount Executive at JANA, Inc. with a focus on structured data methodologies (DITA, S1000D) and the content management industry and communities.

The DITA Source

Joe Storbeck’s DITA Source blog: http://www.janacorp.com/blog

Agenda

Definition of Team Member Roles

DITA Workflow 101Q&A

Closing

TEAM ROLES

• Editor

• Author

• Tech Tools Guru

Team Roles & Responsibilities

• Information Architect

DITA Implementation Roadmap

Data Analysis

Conversion & Authoring Effort

Style Sheet Development

Final Deliverables

Architecture Strategy

Development

Training

Technology Evaluation &

Selection

Data Analysis

Conversion & Authoring Effort

Style Sheet Development

Final Deliverables

Architecture Strategy

Development

Training

Technology Evaluation & Selection

Data Analysis

Example of questions to ask for a successful DITA implementation:

• Is the source material in a different structured language, or are you converting from a desktop publisher?

• Is your source data consistent, or even well-organized?

• With your content in its present form, is it even possible to categorize the data into the various topic type options?

Data Analysis

Architecture Strategy Development

Data AnalysisConversion & Authoring

Effort

Style Sheet Development

Final Deliverables

Training

Technology Evaluation & Selection

Architecture Strategy

Development

• How are you going to move existing data into the various elements?

• What are you going to move?

• How are you going to repurpose existing DITA elements to fit your needs - while always trying to stay within the framework of the DITA standard?

• How are you going to identify material that can be reused?

• What will your file directory look like?

Architecture Strategy Development

Technology Evaluation & Selection

Data AnalysisConversion & Authoring

Effort

Style Sheet Development

Final Deliverables

TrainingArchitecture

Strategy Development

Technology Evaluation & Selection

• Take the time to understand your data and how it fits into your overall architecture strategies

• Use the information that you gather to choose the right authoring software and/or CMS for your organization

• The CMS can be the most critical decision you make. Don’t rush it!!

Technology Evaluation & Selection

Training

Data AnalysisConversion & Authoring

Effort

Style Sheet Development

Final Deliverables

Architecture Strategy

Development

Training

Technology Evaluation & Selection

• Give your editor or tools support person the training task

• Provide training as close to the beginning of the conversion process as possible.

• Don’t throw DITA at your staff and hope for the best.

Training

You may need to convince writers that topic-based writing works.Show them the DITA difference.

Training

Data Analysis

Architecture Strategy

Development

Technology Evaluation & Selection

Conversion & Authoring Effort

Training Style Sheet Development

Conversion & Authoring Effort

Final Deliverables

Conversion & Authoring Effort

• Clean up tags

• Create a topic-based outline

• Look for duplicate information

• Fix and formatting problems

• Fix broken links

• Verify topics have been typed correctlyBefore After

Data Analysis

Architecture Strategy

Development

Technology Evaluation & Selection

Training

Conversion & Authoring Effort

Style Sheet Development

Final Deliverables

Style Sheet Development

• Purpose

• Languages

• Processing Tools

Style Sheet Development

Data AnalysisTechnology Evaluation

& Selection

Training

Conversion & Authoring Effort

Style Sheet Development

Architecture Strategy

Development

Final Deliverables

Final Deliverables

Final Deliverables

Standard Profiling Attributes• Audience• Platform• Product• Props• Other props• Rev

Final Deliverables

Standard Profiling Attributes• Audience

Final Deliverables

Standard Profiling Attributes• Platform

Final Deliverables

Standard Profiling Attributes• Prop

DITA Implementation Roadmap

Q&AJANA KNOWS

DATA.

JANA KNOWS DATA.

Joe Storbeck(210) 616-0083 x215jstorbeck@janacorp.com

JANA Main(210) 616-0083solutions@janacorp.com

We thank you for participating!

Matthew Cassi(210) 309-5944mcassi@janacorp.com

www.janacorp.com