Cheaper, Faster, Better DITA Implementations, Part 1

Prepared by © 2009 Lasselle-Ramsay

Presented by

Secrets to Cheaper, Faster and Better DITA Implementations

Part 1

Secrets to Cheaper, Faster and Better DITA Implementations

Part 1Presenter from Lasselle-Ramsay

Tom Voltz

Welcome!Welcome!

• Today’s event is being recorded – link available in follow-up email

• Use Q&A panel to submit questions for Q&A session• Full screen view available for slides

Our PresentersOur Presenters

Joan LassellePresident

Tom VoltzTechnology Consultant

Lasselle-Ramsay Industry ExpertiseLasselle-Ramsay Industry Expertise

27 years supporting Fortune 100 clients with their content infrastructure

Overview for TodayOverview for Today

• DITA done wrong and done right• What does it mean to do DITA right?• What makes DITA different?• Compare two approaches to implementing DITA• Why the “Right Way” is Cheaper, Better, and Faster*

*most of the time

Poll – Using DITA Poll – Using DITA

Yes No

Question: Are you currently using DITA?

Poll – Pilot vs. Production Poll – Pilot vs. Production

Pilot Production N/A

Question: If currently using DITA, which phase are you in?

Poll – Specializing Poll – Specializing

Less than 25% Less than 50% Less than 75% 100%

Question: If using DITA, what percentage have you specialized?

Signs DITA is Done WrongSigns DITA is Done Wrong

• Long learning curve• Lots of resistance• Lack of semantic richness• Inconsistent content• Difficult reuse• Extensive training required

… in other words, it costs more, takes longer, and quality suffers!

When DITA is Done RightWhen DITA is Done Right

• Easy for authors to learn• Content is richer• Content structure is consistent

between authors• Content is easier to reuse• Value of writers increases

… in other words, it’s cheaper, faster, and better!

What does it mean to do DITA right?What does it mean to do DITA right?

• Hide unnecessary complexity• Use a customized toolset• Don’t just use “DITA out of the box”

Hide Unnecessary ComplexityHide Unnecessary Complexity

Do you need to understand this… to do this?

Burger, Burger, Fries — Done WrongBurger, Burger, Fries — Done Wrong

Burger, Burger, Fries — Done RightBurger, Burger, Fries — Done Right

Burger, Burger, Fries — SpecializedBurger, Burger, Fries — Specialized

• Simpler training• Faster entry• Higher accuracy• Easier changes• More accessible

information for new users– Instantly notify the kitchen

– Track your inventory

– Track hourly trends

What Makes DITA Different?What Makes DITA Different?

• DITA Open Toolkit?

• Topic Based Architecture for Content

• Specialization

Yes, that DarwinYes, that Darwin

• The DITA architecture was inspired by Darwin’s concepts of

– Inheritance and

– Specialization

Instead of this

You can create this

What is Specialization?What is Specialization?

<topic><title>Feature: Sortable List Items</title><topicbody><p>Now you can sort the items in a list by just dragging them with the mouse…</p>

<feature><title>Sortable List Items</title><featurebody><marketing_description>Now you can sort the items in a list by just dragging them with the mouse…</p>

What is Specialization?What is Specialization?

Specialization Lets YouSpecialization Lets You

• Hide unnecessary complexity• Create domain specific markup• Create richer, more meaningful and more useful content• Create content that is consistent in form and function

Seeing is BelievingSeeing is Believing

• Example of writing something using “out of the box” DITA vs. a specialization.

• Task– Write a set of FAQs for the new product

– Deliver as HTML for web team

“Out of the Box” DITA“Out of the Box” DITA

• Everything You Need!• And Everything You

Don’t Need!

Compare Two ApproachesCompare Two Approaches

• Pilot Project– 10 writers will use the system

– 2 writers to work with team during pilot

• Joe - priority is to get an early win, and proof of concept working end to end.

• Mary - focus on initial analysis and include specialization and tool tweaking as part of the pilot.

EffortEffort

Mary

Joe

Units of Labor

Content Analysis

Training Development

Training Delivery

Specialization

And Don’t ForgetAnd Don’t Forget

Joe’s team has this Mary’s team has this

Poll – TrainingPoll – Training

Yes No We didn’t receive training N/A

Question: When your organization adopted DITA, were you sufficiently trained?

Specialization MythsSpecialization Myths

Specialization MythsSpecialization Myths

Myth 1

Myth 2

Myth 3

Myth 4

Myth 5

Only specialize if we have to

Use specialization to extend existing types

We’ll be stranded

It’s too difficult

We won’t be able to support it

BenefitsBenefits

Secrets to Cheaper, Faster and Better DITA Implementations: Part 2Secrets to Cheaper, Faster and Better DITA Implementations: Part 2

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

How to construct a DITA specialization architecture for a documentation set

Questions and Next StepsQuestions and Next Steps

www.lr.comJoan.Lasselle@lr.com

Tom.Voltz@lr.com

www.justsystems.com

sales@justsystems.com

1-866-793-1542