A Better PDF Plugin: Using the topic2fo.xsl File instead of custom.xsl
In my book DITA For Print, I explain how to create a custom PDF plugin. The method I outline there…
Modernizing User Assistance
SAP uses open-source components to make content more usable and visually appealing, and to take user assistance to the next…
Top 200 Content Strategists 2017
Discover the top 25 content strategist influencers of 2017. Candidates are selected based on internet presence, influence, community engagement, and…
Where DITA Is Now and Where It Is Headed: Lightweight DITA and DITA 2.0
The “D” in DITA stands for “Darwin,” underscoring the fact that the XML standard has evolution built into its…
Beyond Traditional Roles: How Technical Communicators Can Add Value
Why do we need technical communicators? The skill sets and experience of technical communicators are valuable assets for global organizations. International tech company ARM has found a way to leverage these skills that goes far beyond the job description…
DITA Production Metrics: Looking at Topic Ratios
What I think is still a largely under-appreciated aspect of DITA is that it enables documentation teams to measure ongoing…
The growth of DITA in the UK
DITA XML is the fastest-growing standard for structured content, and my research (published on ditawriter.com/companies-using-dita) has shown it to be…
Ten Reasons Why DITA and Agile Are Made for Each Other
DITA’s topic-based approach to enable content reuse complements the principles of Agile methodologies. And that’s by far not the only reason why the two principles make a perfect match…
Playing Your Way to Better Content Management and Collaboration
From subject matter experts to content creators, project managers and even translation and localization experts, content management projects involve a lot of people, rendering these projects complex and challenging. The classic game of Snakes & Ladders – adapted to the world of content management – provides a playful tool for people to come together and discuss pathways to a successful project…
The Benefits of DITA Authoring within a CCMS
It is rare for documentation teams to not use some form of database or repository for storing their technical content….
The Past, Present, and Future of DITA
As the DITA standard celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, we reflect on its existence over the last decade and…
From Monolithicity to Flexibility, Using DITA Keyrefs
mono•lith•ic adjective \mä-nə-li-thik\ 1. a: of, relating to, or resembling a monolith : huge, massive… 2. a: cast as a…