RE: [dita] Business value of DITA

["Hambleton, Wendy" <Wendy_Hambleton@bmc.com>]

BMC Software is implementing an XML-based, structured authoring environment.
We are currently designing the implementation, and we are looking closely at
using DITA in our environment. We have recently joined the DITA Technical
Committee.

In response to the business value of DITA, we have identified the following
key points.

1. DITA takes full advantage of the XML specification by focusing on
modularity both in its design and implementation. Writers using DITA will be
steered toward a component-based authoring paradigm, which will increase the
potential for re-use of information. During the assembly phase of a
document, DITA maps will allow many information components to be assembled
into hierarchies or associations and given context from a completely
separate structure, further enhancing the potential for content re-use.

2. Using DITA's class attribute - based transformation model, specialized
content can be transformed by a set of core style sheets even if
transformation instructions for the specialized elements to not exist. This
will facilitate rapid prototyping during the analysis and development phase
of the information product lifecycle, since specializations can be added to
DITA and output obtained for review without additional effort required to
code transformations for the new elements.

3. DITA structure and writing methodology fits nicely with the Information
Mapping method. Info Mapping is easy to teach and
gives authors a common vocabulary and way of thinking about information as
content, divorced from presentation. While the idea of information mapping
driving the structure of a DTD is not necessarily unique to DITA, what makes
DITA so useful is that its modular design allows for easy prototyping of new
information elements. During the initial stages of DTD creation, writers and
information architects could add and remove elements in an iterative process
without compromising the existing standards.

4. We are interested in supporting DITA as an industry standard because
there will be more support, consistency using an adopted standard, and if
the need for information exchange from one vendor to another should arise,
it will be less costly to create a common DTD that bridges two DITA
implementations.

5. DITA as an industry standard would ensure robust support from tool
vendors.

6. A DITA community provides opportunity for rapid growth of this technology
through exchange of ideas, specializations, transformation code, and other
tools and techniques that will arise from specific DITA implementations.

Regards,
Wendy Hambleton
BMC Software
Information Development, Manager
office 512-340-6549
mobile 512-632-3288



-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Priestley [mailto:mpriestl@ca.ibm.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 10:39 AM
To: dita@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: [dita] Business value of DITA






Looking for a range of perspectives on why you or your organization are
interested in or are using DITA. Actual case studies are great, but
anticipated benefits are worth knowing as well.

Thanks,

Michael Priestley
mpriestl@ca.ibm.com
Dept PRG IBM Canada  phone: 416-915-8262
Toronto Information Development