dita spaghetti - recipes for documentation disasters

35
cooked up by Jang F.M. Graat recipes for documentation disasters

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This presentation identifies problems with a reuse-based system and how to avoid turning this type of system into total documentation chaos (comparable to the well-known spaghetti code of some inexperienced programmers in the days before object orientation). It outlines some best practices to avoid unmanageable linking, and content referencing in an environment where links and conrefs are the coolest part of the deal.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

cooked up by Jang F.M. Graat

recipes for documentation disasters

Page 2: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

who’s cooking today ?

Jang F.M. Graat

DITA philosopher, tech writer & trainer, psychologist

Self-employed

Likes spaghetti, but not in the office

Page 3: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

guess who’s here for dinner tonight ?

Page 4: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

we’re out of supplies !

Page 5: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

everyone likes spaghetti, don’t they ?

Page 6: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters
Page 7: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

reusability by jumps, goto’s and function calls

Page 8: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters
Page 9: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

you never know what the user will need...

Page 10: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

pull one and you’ll pull them all

Page 11: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

famous program: Dr Watson

Page 12: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

everything is hidden under the GUI

Page 13: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters
Page 14: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

beg, steal, and copy before you write

Page 15: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters
Page 16: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

works if your products never change

Page 17: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

do you remember where all the copies are ?

Page 18: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

no more copies - only one source

Page 19: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

write in topics, build from maps

Page 20: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

how far can you afford to go ?

Page 21: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters

any identifiable target is available

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edit one and you’ll change them all

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do you know where all the conrefs are ?

Page 25: DITA Spaghetti - Recipes for Documentation Disasters
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separate writing from using

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all changes are made here

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live building blocks, not dead documents

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only conrefs - no writing allowed

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not meant for publication

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task

steps

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

step

warning

warning

caution

caution

notice

notice

supply

supply

supply

condition

condition

condition

closereqs

condition

condition

prelreqs

warning

caution

supply

condition

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conrefs always point in the same direction

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where is your stuff being used ?

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save copies of dead documents, just in case...

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Jang F.M. Graat - [email protected]

make sure it does not get sticky...