Call For Subcommittee Participation

["Dr. Stanley Doherty" <stan@modularwriting.com>]

Greetings!!

As the DITA 1.3 language specification approaches its final technical review and release, we face the challenge of making it relevant to the day-to-day lives of DITA communicators. On behalf of the DITA Technical Communications Subcommittee, I want to extend to all members of the mailing list an appeal to get involved. WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT!!

The gap between a specification and a set of implemented features can be considerable. Developing best practices and supporting information for all organizations looking to implement DITA is our goal -- and our passion. We need to receive greater participation from DITA practitioners in the field to determine what we can start doing - or stop doing.

The TechComm Subcommittee has a one-hour concall every other Monday at 12:00PM/EST. The next three meetings are scheduled for:
- Monday - July 7, 2014 - 12:00PM/EST
- Monday - July 21, 2014 - 12:00PM/EST
- Monday - August 4, 2014 - 12:00PM/EST 
The complete schedule for meetings and agendas are posted to our subcommittee home page at:
https://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/dita-techcomm/

PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING US FOR ONE OF OUR MONDAY 12:00PM/EST CONCALLS

The charter of the TechComm Subcommittee focuses on the design and development of new technical communication features for each DITA release. Here are a few of the activities that our subcommittee is currently planning or implementing in support of our charter.

1. DITA Adoption Whitepapers: We are writing whitepapers for the
   new DITA 1.3 features developed by our subcommittee, for example 
   troubleshooting and release management. We work collaboratively
   with the DITA Adoption Technical Committee to review these 
   whitepapers and support their publication through OASIS and the 
   Adoption TC. There are many opportunities for developing
   other whitepapers on the many Technical Communication features 
   available in DITA.
   > DITA Adoption Technical Committee:
     https://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/dita-adoption/ 

2. Information modeling: We are moving forward as a subcommittee 
   to model in DITA the following domains. If you have an
   interest in information modeling, in one of these 
   domain, or in some other domain, please join this effort.
   a. Regulatory / Policy writing
   b. Semiconductor industry PLC
   c. Agile/scrum process documentation

3. Lightweight DITA: Technical communicators have great interest
   in the proposed development of a lightweight implementation 
   of standard DITA. The DITA Technical Committee has recently
   approved the formation of Lightweight DITA subcommittee.
   The TechComm Subcommittee plans to support the Lightweight DITA
   effort by participating in its ongoing work, by reviewing its
   designs, and by advocating for Lightweight DITA in the current 
   Technical Communications DITA community.
   > LinkedIn Discussion: 
     https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Lightweight-DITA-4943862
   > dita.xml.org home page:
     http://dita.xml.org/blog/lightweight-dita
   > Slideshare introduction:
     http://www.slideshare.net/mpriestley/a-lightweight-dita-update

4. Ongoing Outreach: Subcommittee members are involved with several 
   initiatives designed to promote greater communication between
   the subcommittee and the DITA practitioners we serve. 
   a. Regional listening sessions (informal)   
   b. TechComm webinars and listening sessions
   c. Social media outreach and discussion
      > DITA Awareness LinkedIn Group:
      https://www.linkedin.com/groups/DITA-Awareness-Group-162465

To succeed in supporting you and the extended DITA technical communications community, we can't work in a vacuum. Toward that end, we reach out to you to solicit your participation and support.

Stan Doherty, Co-Chair
ModularWriting.com
stan@ModularWriting.com

JoAnn Hackos, Co-Chair
Comtech Services
joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com