The document discusses single source publishing using XML and DITA. It outlines the challenges with traditional document publishing processes, including inaccurate, stale, inconsistent, unavailable, difficult to use, too much or not enough information. It then describes how single source publishing with XML and DITA can address these challenges by allowing content to be reused across different outputs like print, web and mobile in an automated way. Key benefits include lower costs, greater accuracy and up-to-date information through a more efficient single source publishing process.

1. Single Source Publishing
Utilizing XML and DITA

2. Agenda
Single Source Publishing
XML – eXtensible Markup Language
XML Tools for DITA
Questions & Answers
DITA – Darwin Information Typing Architecture

3. The Challenge
• Information available to
the customer is:
 Inaccurate
 Stale
 Inconsistent
 Unavailable
 Difficult to Use
 Too Much
 Not Enough
• Leading to Challenges:
 Customer Satisfaction
 Customer Retention
 Revenue and Profits
Companies need to provide better information faster …

4. The Business Problem
• Information
• Personalized
• Interactive
• Multiple Formats
• Multiple Devices
• Security
• Separate Information
Silos:
 Labor-intensive
 Time-consuming
 Expensive
 Slow
 Inflexible
Deliver More:
… while cutting costs.

5. Traditional Publishing Process
Review
Update
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Print/PDF
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
HTML/Web
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Handhelds
=
Costly
Unhappy
Customers
Prone to
Errors
Slow
Out-of-date
Information
How can you improve your publishing process?
Print Design
Web Design
Wireless
Authors

6. Content Management – Partial
Solution
Review
Update
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Authors
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Print/PDF
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
HTML/Web
Convert,
Clean up,
Update,
Format
Review
Update
Handhelds
Print Design
Web Design
Wireless
Content
Repository
If content management isn’t enough, what else can you do?

7. Single Source Publishing Process
Authors = Subject
Matter Experts
Designers
Accurate and timely information available when your customer needs it and in
the format they want it results in happy customers and repeat business.
Multiple
Document Types
User
Manuals
Training
Materials
Product
Labels
Promotional
Materials
Engineering
Specs
Regulatory
Submissions
Repository of
Reusable Content
Components
Automated
Assembly and
Publishing
Server
Print/PDF
Web/HTML
Handhelds
Wireless
Devices
CD-ROM
Multiple Outputs
=
Lower
Cost
Automatic,
On Demand
Greater
Accuracy
Up-to-date
Information
Happy
Customers

8. Enterprise Publishing Maturity Model
IncreasingImpact
Cost
Savings
Productivity
Increases
Improved
Accuracy
Improved
Consistency
Multi-Channel Publishing

9. Multi-Channel Publishing
 Authors are more
productive
 Faster Time to Market
 Single Source of Data to
Create and Maintain
 More accurate,
consistent, complete,
timely and relevant
information
Print
Enterprise
Publishing
Server
Web
DTP
Word
HTML
CD-
ROM

10. Enterprise Publishing Maturity Model
IncreasingImpact
Cost
Savings
Productivity
Increases
Improved
Accuracy
Improved
Consistency
Multi-Channel Publishing
Information Reuse

11. Information Reuse
 Reduces Content
Creation Costs
 Reduces Content
Maintenance Costs
 Reduces Content
Translation Costs
 Increases Content
Accuracy

12. Enterprise Publishing Maturity Model
IncreasingImpact
Cost
Savings
Productivity
Increases
Improved
Accuracy
Improved
Consistency
Multi-Channel Publishing
Information Reuse
Dynamic Content

13. Dynamic Content
Automated Assembly &
Publishing Server
Database
Profiling
Data
Merge
Link
Resolution
Customer-specific Info
Customer-specific Info
Content
Repository
• Create Subsets of Master Documents
• Integrate Business Data into Documents
• Handle Static and Variable Links

14. Dynamic Content
Automated Assembly &
Publishing Server
Database
Profiling
Data
Merge
Link
Resolution
Customer-specific Info
Customer-specific Info
Content
Repository
 More relevant information to Customers
 Easier Creation of New Products
 Fresher, Real-Time Information
 Information on Demand

15. Enterprise Publishing Maturity Model
IncreasingImpact
Cost
Savings
Productivity
Increases
Improved
Accuracy
Improved
Consistency
Multi-Channel Publishing
Information Reuse
Dynamic Content
Content Supply Chain

16. Content Supply Chain
 Simplify Distribution
 Simplify Sharing of
Updates
 Easy Way to Share
Improvements
 Reduce or Eliminate
Content Creation
 Improved Customer
Service
Your Suppliers
You
Your Customers

17. So…
How do I get started?

18. Problems in Word Processing:
Authors Waste Time…
Re-creating information that
already exists
Updating information that’s been
copied and pasted
over and over again
Decorating documents
Converting and re-formatting
documents for different
media types
Bottom line: Authors waste 1/3
to 1/2 of their time on low-
value work

19. Finding a Better Way
Create reusable information modules
• Reuse by pointing, not copying
and pasting
• Assemble for different purposes
and audiences
Relieve authors from designing
• Create media-independent
information
• Automatically publish
Solution: XML authoring

20. What is XML?
Language for creating and publishing information and
facilitating data interchange
It stands for “eXtensible Markup Language”
Three Components to an XML application
XML is a means of adding “Structure and Intelligence” to typically unstructured information
Applying “Business Rules” to the authoring process
Data Model
Structure and Rules
Content
Narrative and Data
Style Sheets
Output presentations

21. XML Authoring
International information
standard
• “HTML with any tags you
want”
• Everyone is using it!
No styling: writers use tags to
indicate meaning
XML imposes rules
• Rules = consistency
• Downstream automation
requires consistency

22. A Short History of XML Authoring
Corporate executives
saw the benefit of
XML authoring and
wanted it

23. A Short History of XML Authoring
Then the users saw the
demo, and that
killed it

24. Benefit Now or Benefit Later?
Users were told that XML authoring would
be “a little” difficult…
…but the organization will benefit
on the back end.
There is a difference between “Good”
and “Good for you.”

25. Ice Cream is Good

26. Broccoli is Good for You

27. It Has To Be Good

28. DITA –
Darwin Information Typing Architecture

29. DITA: A New Approach
Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA)
• International XML standard for information
• Rapidly gaining attention in technical
publications departments worldwide
Allows organizations to:
• Create information in reusable modules
• Automatically combine information for
different audiences
• Automatically publish to print, web, others
• Relieve knowledge workers from low-value
manual work
• Improve information quality: more
accurate, consistent, up-to-date

30. DITA Defined
• Darwin: DITA utilizes principles of inheritance for
specialization
• Information Typing: DITA was originally designed
for technical information based on an information
architecture of Concept, Task and Reference
• Architecture: DITA is a model for extension both of
design and of processes

31. Core DITA Topic Types – IT in DITA
Topic
Concept Task Reference
Provides background
information that users need
to know.
Provides quick access to
facts.
Provides procedural details
such as step-by-step
instructions.
A unit of information
which is meaningful
when it stands alone.

32. Working with DITA Maps
• Organizes a set of topics into hierarchies, tables, and different
kinds of groups (e.g. sequences, families, choices)
 Different organization for different deliverables – not just different formats
for the same content
 Can reuse the same topic with different collections of topics
 Can provide multiple views on the same topics: by product, by task, …
• Sets properties of the topic at a position within the map
 Properties include the title and metadata
 Change the title relative to the parent topic
 Metadata can identify a topic as advanced for one deliverable and basic for
another

33. XML Tools

34. Native XML Editors
• PTC/Arbortext Epic
• Xmetal
• FrameMaker
• XMLSpy
• oXygen
• Others

35. The Road to XML
• Regardless of its appeal, most
DITA solutions cause too much
disruption
 New authoring tools and
techniques
 Complicated content management
tools
 Extensive customization and
integration work
• As a result, organizations find it
difficult to:
 Gain user acceptance
 Train users quickly
 Gain widespread participation

36. The Easy Path to XML
A cohesive suite of DITA tools based on
the Microsoft® Office System
• Ready to use out-of-the-box: save
months of integration effort
• Create DITA content in Microsoft Word
• Collaborate on DITA components in
Microsoft SharePoint
Easy to learn, support, and use
Eases the path to DITA publishing
Speeds up multi-platform product
delivery
DITA

37. Questions & Answers

38. Thank You
Mike Stagnaro
(610) 665-4322
mstagnaro@quark.com