Accelerated Authoring™ @ Method M

Avi, a loyal and critical reader, asks “I already have a suitable tool (RHX5), what could I possibly benefit from… ”

Well, Robo Help is certainly a reputable tool.  And, if it 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

P.S. We have posted a new white paper: Find out why DITA matters and what’s in it for you.

The greatest enemy of a great technical writer solution is the dream of a perfect solution.

Is DITA perfect? No. Is it as easy as just writing without thinking about structure, just as we might in Word or FrameMaker or an HTML editor? No. Do writers need to learn how to think in topics and use a DITA editor? Of course.  Is there friction in the move to DITA? Absolutely.

This being said, we should paraphrase Winston Churchill: “It has been said that DITA is the worst approach to technical documentation except all the others that have been tried.”  Go for it - we technical communicators have nothing to fear but inaction!
Katriel

In the engineering world the need for standards, and for standards compliance, is almost universally accepted. Standards foster efficiencies and synergies. 

In the technical document world, however, there is an almost inexplicable resistance to standards.  Each company makes their own style guide and templates.  And getting tech writers to voluntarily accept DITA?  Hoo, hoo.  Takes considerable persuasive powers (as well as management carrots and sticks).

Let’s try and understand why this is the case by looking at Pete, a typical manager. Pete could make no changes and continue working tomorrow using the same tools and methods (typically authoring in Word, FrameMaker, and/or using WebWorks to convert to Help, and/or editing content in RoboHelp).  Ideally they would be using a good template and toolkit, such as Author Max. 

No change is easy.  No need to convince management, no need to battle for a budget, no need to train writers, no disruption.

If Pete decides to go for DITA, he’ll have to do all of the above. Persuade management, get a budget, train writers and figure out how to manage the transition.  Not easy.  And, if the transition is not smooth, Pete could be penalized.

On the other hand, Pete could get through the transition period to DITA and leverage the same team that he had yesterday to produce more documents, more focused documents, better documents.  Is there risk in the transition?  Of course, but that’s what life is about - adapt or disappear. 

I’m just old enough to remember those dinosaurs at the end of the 80s early 90s who were still using white-out, typewriters and cut and paste — because they didn’t go for transition in time.  You know what, I haven’t met any of those dinosaurs anywhere in the last 15 or 20 years, certainly not on the upwardly mobile, happily-employed career track.

So, Pete, what will it be?
Katriel
P.S.  The participants in this month’s DITA Immersion Workshop, and last month’s, and the one before… are voting with their time. Finding out about DITA and empowering themselves to make informed decisions.

The promise of SMEs editing DITA content in Word addresses perhaps the biggest obstacle in getting DITA into some workflows, especially where the SMEs are used to reviewing and adding content.  In.vision offers a very promising solution.  More…

The Claim: Everything takes longer with DITA

Over coffee this week I heard the complaint “everything takes longer with DITA” from a tech writer at a company that recently converted from unstructured FrameMaker to DITA. Why? Well you just can’t do File Open, add a paragraph or two, and consider your update done.

The Facts

The complaint may well be absolutely true – for the writer at the moment at the time of adding a paragraph. But it is absolutely false for the total document cost because DITA enables:

• Delivery of the content to the user in multiple instances (e.g. troubleshooting, installation, FAQ, etc.).
• Customization of the document for presentation to different types of users.
• Easy updating of the content.
• Definition of related topics (tasks that must be performed in a sequence, for example).
• Focusing information on what the customer needs at a particular moment (how-to information, for example, or reference content).
• And, of course, lower translation costs and much, much, much more.

The Bottom Line

Granted in some cases the productivity of technical writers may drop when writing a first draft, especially in the early stages of learning a new tool, but the total document cost will drop with DITA. Go for it!

Katriel