Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/12/2017
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Location
Hera Hub Sorrento Valley
DITA methodology is often difficult for learners to grasp. It requires a complete shift in how you view and author your content. You need to deconstruct your content and then reconstruct in the new architecture. It doesn’t always mean that all of the content you had is scrapped. Some can be salvaged. But you need to look at it from the DITA viewpoint to pull content in rather than looking at it from the “Book Brain” of:
- creating unnecessary content
- writing steps that have explanations intermixed
- writing verbose content
- “fudging” on correct font usage
DITA is not a tool; it is an architecture. Content is developed in re-useable documents called topics, and DITA maps are used to specify which topics go into deliverables that may include, for example, a user guide, training content, and a technical publication.
Whether learning DITA as a writer, team manager, or developer, making the transition and shifting your mindset from Book Brain to DITA can save your team hours, if not months, of struggle.
Presenter
Liz Fraley, founder of Single-Sourcing Solutions, has worked in both high-tech and government sectors, developing and delivering technical design and strategy of authoring and publishing solutions as a Single-Source/XML Architect/Programmer. Specializing in practical development and deployment, she advocates designing architectures that directly improve organizational efficiency, productivity, and interoperability. She’s the founder of TC Camp, the unconference for content creators, consumers, and the people who support them. If you ask her, she’ll say she’s a gardener who’s happiest when those around her are flourishing.
Join STC San Diego on September 12, from 6 to 8:30 pm at Hera Hub Sorrento Valley. We’ll be serving light refreshments along with fun networking and the interesting program: Life With Guru D: Adopting a DITA Mindset and Converting Others.
Cost is $20 for general admission, $15 for STC members and volunteers, $10 for full-time students and unemployed technical communicators.
