Lecture+1+-+Introduction+and+Benefits+of+Writing+Using+DITA+XML-+new

This course, led by Jordan Stanchev, covers DITA XML for technical writers over 15 sessions, including hands-on experience with the Oxygen XML Author tool and graded projects. Participants will learn about DITA's structure, content reuse, and information architecture, alongside the benefits of using DITA for documentation. The course also provides resources for further learning and community engagement through a Facebook group and instructor contact information.

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Lecture+1+-+Introduction+and+Benefits+of+Writing+Using+DITA+XML-+new

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Technical Writing:

How to Write
Using DITA XML
JORDAN STANCHEV
About This Course

 15 sessions to cover DITA XML knowledge for technical writers. All

meetings will be recorded and provided to you as a reference.
 Hands-on with Oxygen XML Author tool.
 A project you must submit to be graded and receive personalized
feedback from the instructor.
 Several graded homework exercises to complete in the sections we
go through.
 Learning group in Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/856622591574976
 My email: [email protected]
 Delivered to you by JPDocu School of Technical Writing
www.jpdocu.com.
Course Instructor
Jordan Stanchev

Works as a User Assistance Development Architect of the

DITA XML environment at SAP SE.

Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with more

than 20 years of experience in the field of technical
communications.

As a part of JPDocu School of Technical Writing has been

delivering courses on technical writing, information
architecture, and DITA XML to more than 4000 students
around the world.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanstanchev/
About This Course

Course Curriculum:
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: Get Started with DITA
Section 3: DITA Elements
Section 4: Reusing Content in DITA
Section 5: Profiling (conditioning) content in DITA
Section 6: Information Architecture for Technical
Communicators
Section 7: Information Architecture for DITA Authors
Section 8: How to Create Interactive Images
Section 9: Linking Strategies
What is DITA?
What is DITA?

DITA stands for Darwin

Information Typing
Architecture (DITA)
DITA is an XML data model.
You use it for authoring and
publishing purposes.
Who Defines
What is DITA?
OASIS Darwin Information
Typing Architecture (DITA)
Technical Committee
DITA Specification

Link to the DITA 1.3 Specification:

http://docs.oasis-open.org/dita/dita/v1
.3/errata02/os/complete/part0-overvi
ew/introduction/about-the-dita-specifi
cation.html#about-the-dita-specificati
on
Link to the DITA Base Edition

http://docs.oasis-open.org/dita/dit
a/v1.3/errata02/os/complete/part
1-base/dita-v1.3-errata02-os-part
1-base-complete.html
Do you need to learn the
specification by heart?

NO!
Benefits from
Writing Using
DITA XML
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
DITA XML is the de-facto XML standard for writing software
documentation. There are many DITA Content Management System
(CMS) vendors that you can choose from, as it is a standard XML to
learn and manage.
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
Learn DITA XML once and you can work at any company that uses
DITA for it’s documentation development.
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
Single-sourced output: DITA allows you to focus on the content; the
production is separated and you can produce in multiple output
formats. You can use the free open source Open Tool Kit (OTK) to
transform your DITA XML into output format you require (HTML, PDF,
ePub, Markdown, etc.
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
DITA XML allows you to scale work over large documentation
deliverables (literally, thousands of pages long documents).
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
DITA XML can be specialized or generalized for easier use across
vendors or companies.
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
DITA XML allows you to define the set of elements you want to use
withing a topic, even for your own, unique topic templates.
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
DITA XML supports filtering and flagging, and this way,
personalization of the generated output, by the use of profiling
(conditioning) attributes on maps, topics, topic elements.
Benefits from Writing Using DITA
XML
DITA XML is a semantic language, meaning each tag has a
predefined meeting. As a result, DITA XML allows high level of
processes automation, such as special formatting of topic elements,
automatic links generation, classification of topics with metadata for
filtering and flagging of content based on rules, etc.
What’s
Needed to
Support the
Benefits?
Authoring in DITA

Based on information types – (e.g. Task, Concept, Reference)

Authoring in DITA

Deliverables structure is organized outside the topic – via maps

Authoring in DITA

Implies that the author shall follow strict rules for writing
Authoring in DITA

Modularized and reusable

Authoring in DITA

Context-free
Information
Architecture
Requirements
in DITA
Information Architecture in DITA

Different levels of content reuse – deliverable, map, topic, topic

element
Information Architecture in DITA

Enables the development of linking strategy – across deliverables,

between maps, between topics; automatically generated links or
manually inserted links
Information Architecture in DITA

Filtering and flagging of the final deliverable, based on profiling

values (conditions)
Information Architecture in DITA

Construct taxonomies for the purpose of constructing controlled

vocabularies or define new classification subjects (metadata) for
your content.
How to Get
Started with
DITA?
Choose an editor of choice. For example:
HTTPS://WWW.OXYGENXML.COM
Install the Software

1. Request a trial license from the Get a Trial page:

https://www.oxygenxml.com/xml_author/register.html?p=author
2. Start the download. Go to
https://www.oxygenxml.com/xml_author/download_oxygenxml_a
uthor.html

3. Choose your OS.

4. Click on the Download button.
5. Once the download is complete, start the installation wizard and
install the tool.
6. Once the installation is complete, enter your trial license key.
You are now ready with the set up of the software for this
course.