Training 2024: confronting the horror of modernizing content
At the Training 2024 conference, we confronted the horror of modernizing content—and offered real-world advice to make the process less scary.
Case studies
High return on high-design in DITA
If you’re transitioning to DITA and have a wide variety of documents, it’s probably best to do a phased rollout. When you move into the second phase of that rollout, however, how can you best leverage the work that’s already been done to smooth the process?
Content interoperability: interview with Laura Meyer
This post is a follow-up to the Content interoperability case study by Scriptorium and easyDITA. To learn more about the project from the perspective of the AJCC, easyDITA interviewed Laura Meyer, the AJCC 8th Edition Project Manager and Managing Editor, AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. Scriptorium is re-publishing this interview with permission from easyDITA and Laura Meyer.
Content interoperability
What if DITA could lead to better care for people with cancer? This case study shows how Scriptorium and Heretto (formerly easyDITA) worked with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) to help give doctors faster, more targeted access to cancer staging information. This week, Scriptorium and Heretto are joining the AJCC at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual healthcare IT conference as guest exhibitors.
Developing training websites in multiple languages
Tina Meißner of parson AG cowrote this case study.
This case study shows how Scriptorium Publishing created the free DITA learning website LearningDITA.com by combining the DITA learning and training specialization, GitHub, XSLT, video, and WordPress—and how parson AG adapted those technologies to develop the German site, LearningDITA.de.
Using XML to integrate database content and desktop publishing
This article shows how Scriptorium helped one company use XML to integrate information in a database with desktop publishing content.
In most enterprises, useful content exists in a number of different tools or databases. To include that content in your publications, you might use traditional ways of moving the information, such as copy and paste. However, it can be far more reliable, repeatable, and efficient to automate conversion from those tools and integrate the result directly into your publishing solutions.
Webcast recording: Balancing standardization against the need for creativity
In this recorded webcast, learn about three cases studies that show how companies balance standardization and creativity in XML publishing.
The Rocky Road to Dublin, er, DITA
For LavaCon Dublin, Sarah O’Keefe and I delivered a case study presentation on some of the roadblocks we have encountered in implementing DITA at ADP. This article summarizes the key points of the presentation. The presentation and this blog do not represent the views of ADP, LLC.
Creating a unified customer experience with a content fabric
Coauthored by Anna Schlegel (Senior Director, Globalization and Information Engineering, NetApp) and Sarah O’Keefe (President, Scriptorium Publishing)
The interest in customer experience presents an opportunity for enterprise content strategists. You can use the customer experience angle to finally get content proposals and issues into the discussion. Ultimately, the challenge is in execution—once you raise awareness of the importance of content synchronization, you are expected to deliver on your promises. You must figure out how to deliver information that fits smoothly into the entire customer experience. At a minimum, that requires combining information from multiple departmental silos.
Considering the true costs of customized structures: DITA specialization
Balancing the standardization of structured content against creative requirements is not just about formatting. When companies choose an XML standard, such as DITA or DocBook, they must evaluate whether to use the default structure or modify it to better fit requirements. The discussion about such changes is a creative process itself. When should a company change default structures?
InDesign XML for well-designed print layouts
Automated PDF formatting works well for technical communication. But what about highly designed content for printed books? How can companies enable flexibility in print/PDF layouts generated from structured content?
XML workflow: gathering specifications for output
It is a common stereotype that an XML workflow for content is rigid, unbending, and free of creativity.
Reengineering the humble datasheet
This year is shaping up as the Year of the Many Datasheets. Several customers approached us with variations on this theme:
