In the past, many teams relied upon index and search functionality to help users find information; however, to meet the changing user expectations for dynamic or personalized search, you need to implement taxonomy. In this webinar, Amber Swope addresses the following considerations: When is it time to invest in taxonomy? Who needs to be involved in the classification exercise? How do you define the classification values? How to you apply the classification values? How do you manage the taxonomy? One of the options Amber will discuss is using the DITA subjectScheme support for taxonomy definition and application. The webcast recording is available at https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/520907039

1. easyDITA Ask the Expert Series:
Taxonomy: When you need to move beyond
standard metadata
Amber Swope
DITA Strategies
July 25, 2012

2. Taxonomy: why you need to
move beyond standard metadata
2
AMBER SWOPE
JULY 25, 2012
<dita strategies>
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

3. Overview
3
 Introduction
 Taxonomy overview
 DITA subjectScheme support
 Defining classification values
 Apply classification values
 Managing the taxonomy
 Questions
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

4. Introduction
4
 Amber Swope
 DITA Specialist, DITA Strategies, Inc.
 Over 20 years of experience in the industry at multiple
companies of varying sizes and industries
 Supported information developers producing DITA content in
Rational group at IBM
 Author of numerous papers/presentations on information
development and information architecture, including the DITA
Maturity Model (with Michael Priestley)
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

5. Taxonomy overview
5
“A taxonomy is simply a hierarchical collection of
categories used to organize information.”
--“Building Enterprise Taxonomies”
by Darin L. Stewart
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6. Taxonomy Example
6
 Haeckel microbe
classification
 3 main classes
 Protista (microscopic)
 Plantae (plants)
 Animalia (animals)
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7. When to invest in taxonomy?
7
 Users can’t find what they’re looking for on Web site
or portal
 Content creators can’t find content to edit or reuse
 Processing requires controlled metadata values
 Users want dynamic content delivery or personalized
content
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8. When search isn’t enough
8
 Search returns a list of items that simply contain the
searched for word or phrase
 With taxonomy search can return list of items that
contains the searched terms, synonyms and related
terms
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9. When index and keywords aren’t enough
9
 Index lists items based on a defined set of labels
(metadata) that applies to the content, usually based
on keywords
 Taxonomy is also a list of values, but has a richer set
of relationships and can be used as authoritative
source for index terms and other purposes (like
search)
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10. Poll: How familiar are you with DITA?
10
1. I am totally unfamiliar.
2. I am familiar with the concept, but haven’t used it.
3. I have created DITA content.
4. I’m writing a book about it.
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11. When processing requires controlled values
11
 Processing refers to transformation of DITA source into
deliverables and uses metadata to profile and filter
content
 Use of <data> elements in DITA with manually typed
values invites errors
 Specialization of <data> elements requires updates to
your module files every time you need to add a new value
 Content management system configuration requires
customization to your system
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12. When users want dynamic content delivery
12
 Dynamic content allows users to specify context for
information retrieval
 Control display with classification by providing
selectable faceted navigation and search values
 Provide audience-specific labels or synonyms that
are managed in the taxonomy
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

13. What does DITA 1.2 provide?
13
 subjectScheme support for defining and applying
taxonomy values
 Definition using specialized DITA maps
 Application using topic references in maps or DITA attributes
 Uses key referencing support
 Relationships
 hasInstance
 hasPart
 hasKind
 hasNarrower
 hasRelated
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14. Why use subjectScheme?
14
 It is available out-of-the-box (OOTB) with DITA 1.2.
 You can define the taxonomy in XML.
 You can control the taxonomy values in DITA maps in
your repository.
 You can update the taxonomy values without having to
update specialized files (versus specialized <data>
elements).
 You can apply the values in the maps and topics.
 You can do an initial implementation without making a
major investment into a taxonomy management tool.
 It is tool-independent.
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

15. Defining taxonomy
15
 Who creates the taxonomy?
 Understands content structure
 Knows how users will retrieve or search for content
 Is familiar with content subject matter
 Understands content relationships and taxonomy principles
 Who is involved as stakeholders?
 Subject matter experts
 Product managers
 Usability experts
 Web site designers (or whoever controls user access to content
or deliverables)
 Terminology “masters”
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16. Poll: Are you currently using taxonomy
for any of the following?
16
1. CMS metadata
2. Indexing or keywords
3. Search enhancement
4. Not using
5. Other
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17. Example: vehicles
17
 Classifications
 Brand
 Model
 Year
 Type of vehicle
 Terrain for which it is designed to be used
 Famous vehicles
 …
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18. Defining taxonomy with subjectScheme
18
1. Create taxonomy classification and values in
subjectScheme maps
2. Specify the relationship between the classes
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19. Relationship: hasInstance
19
 Class=brand brand
 Values Audi
 Audi BMW
 BMW Cadillac
 Cadillac
Chevrolet
Chevrolet

 Dodge Dodge
 Ford Ford
 Kia Kia
 Toyota
Volkswagen
Toyota

Volkswagen
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20. hasInstance Map
20
<subjectScheme processing-role="resource-only" toc="no">
<hasInstance>
<subjectdef keys="brand">
<subjectHead>
<subjectHeadMeta><navtitle>Brand</navtitle></subjectHeadMeta>
</subjectHead>
<subjectdef keys="audi">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Audi</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
<subjectdef keys="bmw">
<topicmeta><navtitle>BMW</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
<subjectdef keys="chevy">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Chevrolet</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
…
</subjectdef>
</hasInstance>
</subjectScheme>
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21. Relationship: hasKind
21
 Class=vehicle type type
 Values ambulance
 ambulance compact
 compact convertible
 convertible
coupe
 coupe
 crossover crossover
 pickup truck pickup
truck
 sedan sedan
 SUV
SUV
 van
 wagon van
wagon
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22. hasKind Map
22
<subjectScheme processing-role="resource-only" toc="no">
<hasKind>
<subjectdef keys="type">
<subjectHead>
<subjectHeadMeta><navtitle>Type</navtitle></subjectHeadMeta>
</subjectHead>
<subjectdef keys="ambulance">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Ambulance</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
<subjectdef keys="compact">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Compact</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
<subjectdef keys="convertible">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Convertible</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
…
</subjectdef>
</hasKind>
</subjectScheme>
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23. Relationship: hasNarrower
23
 Class=Transportation
vehicles
 Values
 airplane airplane regional jet
 regional jet
Transportation van
 automobile vehicles automobile
 van sedan
train
 sedan
 train
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24. hasNarrower Map
24
<subjectScheme processing-role="resource-only" toc="no">
<hasNarrower>
<subjectdef keys="transportation_vehicles">
<subjectHead>
<subjectHeadMeta><navtitle>Transportation Vehicles</navtitle>
</subjectHeadMeta>
</subjectHead>
<subjectdef keys="plane">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Airplane</navtitle></topicmeta>
<hasNarrower>
<subjectdef keys="regional_jet">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Regional jet</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
</hasNarrower>
</subjectdef>
<subjectdef keys="auto">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Automobile</navtitle></topicmeta>
…
</subjectdef>
</hasNarrower>
</subjectScheme>
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25. Relationship: hasInstance
25
 Class=Famous
Famous
automobiles
automobiles Batmobile
 Values
 Batmobile Bullitt
 Bullitt Christine
 Christine
Ectomobile
 Ectomobile (Ecto-1) (Ecto-1)
 The General Lee The General
Lee
 The Love Bug (Herbie) The Love
Bug
 KITT (Herbie)
KITT
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26. hasInstance Map
26
<subjectScheme processing-role="resource-only" toc="no">
<hasInstance>
<subjectdef keys="famous_autos">
<subjectHead>
<subjectHeadMeta><navtitle>Famous Automobiles</navtitle>
</subjectHeadMeta>
</subjectHead>
<subjectdef keys="batmobile">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Batmobile</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
<subjectdef keys="bullitt">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Bullitt</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
<subjectdef keys="christine">
<topicmeta><navtitle>Christine</navtitle></topicmeta>
</subjectdef>
…
</subjectdef>
</hasInstance>
</subjectScheme>
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27. Poll: Does your team use relationship tables?
27
1. No
2. Yes, but in a limited manner
3. Yes, we use them for all non-hierarchical links
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28. Relationship: hasRelated
28
 Goal is to relate hierarchies to each other
 Relationships
 Brand relates to vehicle type
 Type relates to terrain
 subjectRelTable
 subjectRole – like relrow, relates subjects in the same row
 subject – contains set of related subjects
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29. hasRelated in relationship table header
29
<subjectScheme>
<subjectRelTable toc="no">
<title>VW Relationships</title>
<subjectRelHeader>
<subjectRole> Column 1
<subjectdef keyref="brand">
<hasRelated>
<subjectdef keyref="type"/>
</hasRelated>
</subjectdef>
</subjectRole>
<subjectRole"> Column 2
<subjectdef keyref="type">
<hasRelated>
<subjectdef keyref="terrain"/>
</hasRelated>
</subjectdef>
</subjectRole>
<subjectRole> Column 3
<subjectdef keyref="terrain"/>
</subjectRole>
</subjectRelHeader>
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30. hasRelated in relationship table
30
<subjectRel> Row 1
<subjectRole>
<subjectdef keyref="vw"/>
</subjectRole>
<subjectRole>
<subjectdef keyref="wagon"/>
</subjectRole>
<subjectRole>
<subjectdef keyref="highway"/>
<subjectdef keyref="city"/>
</subjectRole>
</subjectRel>
<subjectRel>
Row 2
<subjectRole>
<subjectdef keyref="vw"/>
</subjectRole>
<subjectRole>
<subjectdef keyref="suv“/>
</subjectRole>
<subjectRole>
<subjectdef keyref="highway"/>
<subjectdef keyref="dirt"/>
</subjectRole>
</subjectRel>
…
</subjectRelTable>
</subjectScheme>
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31. Applying taxonomy values
31
 What roles are appropriate for the responsibility?
 Leads
 Information architects
 Subject matter experts (SMEs)
 When do they apply values to content?
 At creation
 At review
 Upon completion
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32. Applying taxonomy values with subjectScheme
32
1. Apply to entire maps
2. Apply to entire topics
3. Apply to elements within topics
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33. Map and topic values
33
 Whole map
 Value=car
 Whole topic
 Within topic reference
 Value=brand
 Value=model
 Value=category
 Value=year
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

34. Content Map
34
<map id="famous_autos">
<title>Famous Automobiles</title>
<topicsubject>
<subjectref keyref="car"/> References value from brand classification
</topicsubject>
<topicref href="batmobile.dita">
<topicsubject> References value from model classification
<subjectref keyref="ford"/>
<subjectref keyref="futura"/>
<subjectref keyref="convertible"/>
<subjectref keyref="1955"/>
</topicsubject> References value from category classification
</topicref>
<topicref href="bullitt.dita">
References value from year classification
<topicsubject>
<subjectref keyref="ford"/>
<subjectref keyref="mustang"/>
<subjectref keyref="fastback"/>
<subjectref keyref="1968"/>
</topicsubject>
</topicref>
…
</map>
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35. Element values
35
 Based on conditional processing attributes
 Relates defined classification values to processing
attributes
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36. Managing taxonomy
36
 Governance (it’s not a dirty word!)
 Authority and responsibility for classification
 Role in term definitions
 Negotiation and collaboration
 Communication
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

37. Managing taxonomy values with subjectScheme
37
1. Create classification maps in repository
2. Apply permissions control to the maps
3. When values need to be added, check out map,
update values, and then check in.
4. Apply new values to content.
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38. Summary
38
 Create classifications to meet customer requirements
 Get the right people involved from the beginning
 Agree with stakeholders on who owns the
classification definition and maintenance
 Understand how the values will be applied
 Communicate the plan
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

39. Questions
39
<dita strategies>
amber@ditastrategies
.com
503.922.3038
copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

40. Thank you for attending!
• Recorded webcast will be available soon through our website –
you will get an email with the link or use this one:
– https://www4.gotowebinar.com/register/520907039
• Anyone can register after the event to view the recording
• Slides will be available on SlideShare
– www.slideshare.net/easydita
• Next webcast August 29, featuring Joe Gelb of Suite Solutions,
discussing Dynamic Content Meets Social Engagement - Using
DITA to Drive A Better Customer Experience. Please join us!
• Please take our survey on The State of Collaboration
– http://ow.ly/cuyVU
• Joe Gelb presentation on Subject Scheme classification:
– http://www.slideshare.net/IntelligentContent/dita-classificationandsubjectschemej-gelb
6/28/2012 © Jorsek, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 40