Presented at DocTrain East 2007 Conference by Brian Buehling, Dakota Systems -- Since its inception, DITA has rapidly gained acceptance as a standard document structure used in many XML-based content management and publishing systems. DITA is an XML schema developed primarily to support technical documentation for a wide array of applications. This session will cover the commonly used element, attribute and entity constructs that are defined in the schema. More importantly, recommendations concerning how best to implement DITA solutions will be given. Special attention is given to developing practical DITA applications since, in many cases, some DITA elements will have to be extended through a mechanism called specialization to produce a robust XML-based publishing system.

1. DocTrain East 2007 October 20 – 8:30 AM Brian Buehling Dakota Systems, Inc. [email_address] Building An XML Publishing System With DITA

6. DITA-based ECM Architecture DITA Repository XML Components XML Pipeline XML Authors Subject Matter Experts Outside Contributors Epic, X-Metal Word, Frame XML Conversion DITA Distribution PDA’s Web Sites XSL-FO MS-PPT Slides XSLT Omnimark XSLT XSLT XSLT XPP

8. DITA Editors Vs. Frame High, XML editors are strong advocates High, Word users are strong advocates Satisfaction Medium, but should be customized Low Errors Medium, but depends on customization High, depends on user Repeatability High, but not in every situation Medium, but only if customized Efficiency High, but consistently overestimated Low, but consistently underestimated Learning Curve XML Editor Frame Criteria

11. Reuse (multi-level)‏ Repurposing Content Reuse  Reduces content creation costs  Reduces content maintenance costs  Reduces content translation costs  Increases content accuracy

12. Profiled Documents Dynamic Assembly Dynamic Content Assembly  More relevant info to customers  Easier creation of new products  Fresher, real-time information  Information on demand

13. Also supports additional language (French) and Additional Output (Wireless)‏ DITA Publishing Cost Savings 15% Create Review/QA Index/TOC Assemble 100% 35% 25% 15% 25% 100% Automate: Index, TOC, PDF w/links, CD-ROM – 50% Review, 95% Index & Assemble 50% Reuse: 50% Create, review 25% Concurrent Process - 40% Elapsed time 15%

15. Scenario I: Conference Material

17. Website Requirements

18. Print Brochure Requirements

19. Format Neutral View (XML)‏

20. Format Neutral View (XML)‏

21. Adobe InDesign View (XML)‏

22. Scenario II: Customer Support

23. MOT Taxonomy / Metadata

31. Implementation Details

34. Concept: Business Justification IT Architects End Users Executive Mgrs. Reduce Resistance ROI Calculation Cost Savings New Revenue Competitive Edge Identify Opportunity Inefficiencies Legal Compliance Competition Create Urgency Drive Action Proof of Concept Phased Approach Training

40. Concept: Business Justification IT Architects End Users Executive Mgrs. Reduce Resistance ROI Calculation Cost Savings New Revenue Competitive Edge Identify Opportunity Inefficiencies Legal Compliance Competition Create Urgency Drive Action Proof of Concept Phased Approach Training

43. Concept: Business Justification IT Architects End Users Executive Mgrs. Reduce Resistance ROI Calculation Cost Savings New Revenue Competitive Edge Identify Opportunity Inefficiencies Legal Compliance Competition Create Urgency Drive Action Proof of Concept Phased Approach Training

45. Concept: Business Justification IT Architects End Users Executive Mgrs. Reduce Resistance ROI Calculation Cost Savings New Revenue Competitive Edge Identify Opportunity Inefficiencies Legal Compliance Competition Create Urgency Drive Action Proof of Concept Phased Approach Training

54. Organizational Impacts Project Manager (Project Manager) Although the characteristics and risks of the DAM project may be new, the internal Project Manager still has the ultimate responsibility for delivery. Typesetter ( Style Designer) The role of page based composition and design in minimized. Emphasis is placed on consistent global styles. Writer ( Content Contributor) Writers must learn new skills to create reusable components that can be published in many contexts. Customer (Micro Publisher) Customers are enabled to publish customized training modules or targeted publications. Web Manager (Delivery Manager) As much of electronic delivery is automated, this role is typically expanded to handle all delivery channels. Systems Architect ( Content Architect) Expertise in systems integration gives way to expertise in content integration. Journal Publisher ( Information Publisher) This shift may wreak political havoc as traditional information flows are changed.

56. Project Killer – CFO ‘ There is no budget for this project' Risks: * Finance personnel don't have the technology background to fully understand the ROI of CMS's. * Finance personnel have a bias toward preventing any new IT cost expenditures.

58. Project Killer – CMS Vendor 'That's no problem, our software handles it' Risks: * Vendor incentives to push their products and services will bias their CMS solution recommendations. * Vendors have too little information to propose an optimal solution. * Vendors have too much information regarding your operations to propose the lowest cost solution.

59. Project Killer – Standards Architect 'It's not on our approved list of vendors' Risks: * IT architecture and support resources won't support the ongoing operations of your CMS initiative. * Internal hardware and network resources will not be available to grow your CMS. * Funding won't be approved without IT architecture consent.

60. Project Killer – CMS Consultant 'Just follow our 6 step Content Materialization Process and reusable content will materialize' Risks: * Preconceived notions will bias the CMS consultant's view of your project. * Your consultant will overly complicate issues to justify his work. * Business alliances will bias the CMS consultant's technical recommendations.

61. Project Killer – Internal IT Guy ‘ What about my Open Source MS-Word Plugin?!?!’ Risks: * After your implementation, your internal development team won't have the skills needed to support your CMS. * Your internal team might resent an external team of consultants architecting and developing the CMS. * Parallel development efforts might cause confusion.

62. Project Killer – Senior Tech Writer ‘ Why can’t we round trip with a MS-Word Template?’ Risks: * Writers will place unreasonable technical requirements on the system. * Many of the undocumented workflow and content rules that writers follow will not be built into the CMS. * Writers will complain about the extra burden place upon them to write and tag content. * Writers will complain about the loss of stylistic control that they have over documents.

66. XML Basics

67. XML Example

68. XML Example

69. DITA Topic Example Type-specific content body Relationships Identifier and title Properties Type-specific content body Relationships <task id=&quot;installstorage&quot;> <title>Installing hard drives</title> <shortdesc>You open the box and insert the drive.</shortdesc> <prolog><metadata> <audience type=&quot;administrator&quot;/> <keywords> <indexterm>hard drive</indexterm> <indexterm>disk drive</indexterm> </keywords> <prodinfo> <prodname>TeraDisk</prodname> <vrmlist><vrm version=&quot;2&quot; release=&quot;1&quot; modification=&quot;1&quot;/></vrmlist> </prodinfo> </metadata></prolog> <taskbody> <prereq>First, purchase the hard drive. To avoid problems, please leave the hard drive in the box for now.</prereq> </taskbody> <related-links> <link href=&quot;unscrewcover.dita&quot;/> <link href=&quot;insertdrive.dita&quot;/> <link href=&quot;replacecover.dita&quot;/> </related-links> </task>

70. DITA Map Example <map title=&quot;Tasks&quot;> <topichead navtitle=&quot;Installing&quot; audience=&quot;admin&quot;> <topicmeta> <shortdesc>Install products before configuring or using them.</shortdesc> <topicmeta> <topicref href=&quot;installstorage.dita&quot;> <topicref href=&quot;unscrewcover.dita&quot;/> <topicref href=&quot;insertdrive.dita&quot;/> <topicref href=&quot;replacecover.dita&quot;/> </topicref> <topicref href=&quot;installwebserver.dita&quot;> <topicref href=&quot;closeprograms.dita&quot;/> <topicref href=&quot;runsetup.dita&quot;/> <topicref href=&quot;restart.dita&quot;/> </topicref> <topicref href=&quot;installdb.dita&quot;> <topicref href=&quot;closeprograms.dita&quot;/> <topicref href=&quot;runsetup.dita&quot;/> <topicref href=&quot;restart.dita&quot;/> </topicref> </topichead> … </map> A heading doesn’t have to have a topic Title and properties can be assigned in the map A topic can appear multiple times in the hierarchy The map organizes a set of topics in a hierarchy

71. DITA Basics

76. DTD / Schema Basics

77. DTD Syntax

78. Schema Syntax

79. XPath: Document Model Example <!-- Start --> <?app open?> <a level=&quot;0&quot; xmlns:b=&quot;urn:b&quot; xmlns=&quot;urn:a&quot;> alpha <b:bravo/><!-- To do... --><charlie/> delta </a> <?app close?>

82. Thank you Brian Buehling Managing Director [email_address] Work: (888) 834-2152 Mobile: (312) 545-1090 Dakota Systems, Inc. 35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1510 Chicago, IL 60601

83. Questions & Answers