To better understand how DITA input works, it is best to describe a scenario.  Let's imagine that we are a company that makes a certain product called the Perfect Stapler.  This stapler comes in three different models, Model X, Model Q, and Model A.  Each stapler model comes with a product manual that has a large amount of overlapping content.

 

The problem at hand is how can we derive the product documentation for this particular product from one source to produce multiple different outputs and even in different formats?  This is exactly the type of scenario that DITA can help us with.  Here is a helpful description of how DITA works in relation to this scenario.  

 

DITA Topics  

DITA is an XML based open standard for structuring and managing content. At the highest level DITA possesses what are called Topics. DITA Topics follow a defined structure and contain the necessary related information for that topic.  For example a topic may contain a title, pre-requisites, steps associated, and more.

 

So an example for our product manual might have the following topic present for all three models because the instructions will not vary.

 

<task id="add_staples">

       <title>How to Add Additional Staples</title>

       <taskbody>

               <prereq>To Add Additional Staples, you will need to:

                       <ul>

                               <li>New Staples</li>

                               <li>Staple magazine cover remover tool</li>

                       </ul>

               </prereq>

               <steps>

                       <step>First, remove the stapler head as indicated in the image below</step>

                       ....

                       ....

 

It is important to note that our content will reside in these DITA Topics and these may be used across all product models and for different outputs.  To drive which content will populate which documents for certain audiences, DITA Maps are used.

 

DITA Maps

For each desired deliverable, a DITA Map is used to point to specific topics to be used.  In DITA this is referred to as a content reference.  The power behind this is that the content only needs to change in one location (the original DITA topic) and the resulting modifications will be referenced from the DITA Map.

 

Let's say for example our most advanced model, Model A has a feature that allows you increase the stack height acceptance for the stapler.  In this event we would want to include the topic listed for adding staples (as shown above) but also include the topic related to this functionality, yet this topic would not be included for Model Q or Model X.

 

The DITA Map will reference the DITA input files and specific topics to be used to generate the desired output.  

 

In Summary

While this example is in the most simplified form. The basic idea is to be able to manage content efficiently for many output types and audiences.  By utilizing the DITA standard, organizations can manage their content that may be redundant across many document types in one location and then design the appropriate maps to select the content that will ultimately populate each document type.