Comments on: Winston Churchill and DITA http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/ For People Who Write and Edit Documents Every Day Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:11:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Katriel Reichman http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-10 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 10:54:25 +0000 http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-10 Hi Avi, You're right -- if there really is no reuse, DITA still makes sense because topic-centered writing and minimalism make for more effective documents. However, even if all your content was delivered on a single site, I would bet that there is still a need for "reuse". Some of your topics, possbily most, will be contatined in how-to tasks, but what happens when a single task can be reused in multiple topics? Or when a reference topic is incorporated in a troubleshooting procedure and a how-to task? Bingo, you have reuse. Or you want to provide different information based on the operating system or the configuration of a particular installation? Bingo, you have reuse. Katriel Hi Avi,
You’re right — if there really is no reuse, DITA still makes sense because topic-centered writing and minimalism make for more effective documents.
However, even if all your content was delivered on a single site, I would bet that there is still a need for “reuse”. Some of your topics, possbily most, will be contatined in how-to tasks, but what happens when a single task can be reused in multiple topics? Or when a reference topic is incorporated in a troubleshooting procedure and a how-to task? Bingo, you have reuse. Or you want to provide different information based on the operating system or the configuration of a particular installation? Bingo, you have reuse.
Katriel

]]> by: avi http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-9 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 08:35:09 +0000 http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-9 A question regarding content reuse. I assume/guess that eventually all of the content I deliver will be available on the web, on a single site. That is, when readers of mine will be looking for something, they won't mind whether it is under "Installation Guide", "Support how-to", "User Guide", etc. So, actually, there won't be a need for content reuse. If this is true, content reuse - and reformat - considerations will become irrelevant. Hence, the aspects of DITA that will remain relevant would be topic-centered writing and minimalism. This aspects will serve not as tools for easier reuse, but for easier readability. A question regarding content reuse.
I assume/guess that eventually all of the content I deliver will be available on the web, on a single site. That is, when readers of mine will be looking for something, they won’t mind whether it is under “Installation Guide”, “Support how-to”, “User Guide”, etc.
So, actually, there won’t be a need for content reuse. If this is true, content reuse - and reformat - considerations will become irrelevant. Hence, the aspects of DITA that will remain relevant would be topic-centered writing and minimalism. This aspects will serve not as tools for easier reuse, but for easier readability.

]]> by: Katriel Reichman http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-8 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 07:53:45 +0000 http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-8 If Robo Help works for you... then remember the first rule from Engineering 101: "If it works don't fix it". But if you need to deliver content in multiple channels (PDF), if you need to tailor content for specific audiences, if you want to reuse content for different needs (implementation, training, user guide, troubleshooting, support, etc.), if you need to cut down on translation costs... then IMHO you should be thinking seriously about DITA. Katriel If Robo Help works for you… then remember the first rule from Engineering 101: “If it works don’t fix it”.

But if you need to deliver content in multiple channels (PDF), if you need to tailor content for specific audiences, if you want to reuse content for different needs (implementation, training, user guide, troubleshooting, support, etc.), if you need to cut down on translation costs… then IMHO you should be thinking seriously about DITA.
Katriel

]]> by: avi http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-7 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 07:08:30 +0000 http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-7 Thanks, Katriel. Further question: Given that I deliver CHM, and already have a suitable tool (RHX5), what could I possibly benefit from replacing a tool? Thanks, Katriel.
Further question:
Given that I deliver CHM, and already have a suitable tool (RHX5), what could I possibly benefit from replacing a tool?

]]> by: Katriel Reichman http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-6 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 07:01:55 +0000 http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-6 DITA is a standard -- and is implemented using topic-centered and minimalism (methodology). DITA is NOT a tool! DITA can be edited by any XML edtior (althouhg a "DITA aware" editor will be helpful -- especially since it well help you visualize the relationships between DITA topics. You could write DITA using Word or RoboHelp -- but you could also dig a foundation for your home using a spoon. (Or, to use an analogy closer to home, you could edit the files in notepad.) Katriel DITA is a standard — and is implemented using topic-centered and minimalism (methodology). DITA is NOT a tool! DITA can be edited by any XML edtior (althouhg a “DITA aware” editor will be helpful — especially since it well help you visualize the relationships between DITA topics.

You could write DITA using Word or RoboHelp — but you could also dig a foundation for your home using a spoon. (Or, to use an analogy closer to home, you could edit the files in notepad.)
Katriel

]]> by: avi http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-5 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 06:49:15 +0000 http://methodm.com/blog/2007/07/05/winston-churchill-and-dita/#comment-5 Once and for all: is DITA a methodology or a specific tool? Can I write DITA using RHX5? Word? Once and for all: is DITA a methodology or a specific tool? Can I write DITA using RHX5? Word?

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