While browsing through the XML and DITA-related discussions on LinkedIn, I ran across a good post by Joe Gollner about the “why” argument about doing things in XML (as opposed to some other, proprietary format). He also dug up what I think is an exceptional presentation he did called “The Reason and the Passion ofRead More
Category: Articles
Feature articles by DITAWriter or by other contributors.
DITA Metrics Articles
When I was trying to figure out the best ways to measure the type of output that my group produces, I found most of what I needed online. Here are the sources I found helpful. Useful Pre-DITA Era Articles on Metrics Articles on how to take metrics for technical documentation groups were few and farRead More
JoAnn Hackos’ Keynote on DITA and Translation Management
Another day of seminars and workshops at the localization summit. There was a new service/product announcement and champaign corks were popped by it’s developers. There was also a good presentation on risk management for localization within the pharmaceutical domain. In the evening there was a light classical music concert, followed by a reception where IRead More
Another “Other DITA”
Just about anyone who has ever done a basic search on “DITA” on Google is bound to have seen images not of finely-honed XML, but of the impossibly curvaceous figure of burlesque artist Dita von Teese, former wife of Marilyn Manson. When talking to Bill Hackos he phrased it as a joke, asking me ifRead More
Avoid Doing a “Hail Mary” Pass when Doing a DITA Implementation
Am in Beijing, attending a localization summit hosted by CSOFT International. I did a presentation on future development plans my company is doing, and how localization factors into how we reach out to our customers. (DITA did get a mention, but it wasn’t the focus of the presentation). Prior to my presentation were those byRead More
Ann Rockley’s Keynote Presentation at Congility 2011
Just came back from hearing Ann Rockley’s keynote presentation of the 2011 conference. This was the first time I have had the opportunity to hear her speak at a conference, and she gave a good presentation that was aimed at firms that are considering the move to DITA or some other type of structured authoring.Read More
DITA 1.2 Specification Ratified
In an announcement that could easily be missed in all of the hubbub of the impending holiday season, I just saw the announcement made yesterday that the DITA 1.2 specification has officially been ratified. The press release is rambling (with “a status that signifies the highest level of ratification” mentioned twice in the same paragraph)Read More
DITA Europe 2010 Conference Closing Talk
JoAnn Hackos gave the closing talk at the conference, and made the observation that DITA has not taken off in Europe as it has in North America. That was pretty much my impression as well, after talking to a number of people here. One tech writing manager I met had her ROI argument for gettingRead More
“DITA Implementation in a Geographically Dispersed Team” Presentation
After JoAnn Hackos’ brief introduction, this was the first talk I attended at the DITA Europe 2010 Conference in Vienna. As I am also dealing with issues surrounding working with DITA in what could also be called a “geographically dispersed” team, this seemed like it was right up my alley. The presentation was given byRead More
Presentation(s) at DITA Europe 2010
I’ll be doing one, maybe two presentations at the DITA Europe 2010 Conference happening in Vienna, Austria next week. The presentation titled “(Almost) Four Years On: Metrics, ROI, and other stories from a mature DITA CMS installation” is basically an update to the presentation I gave at the DITA Conference in Santa Clara earlier thisRead More