Consistency in map organization across multiple publications is maintained by establishing and adhering to a standard information architecture and content reuse strategy. This involves using common structures, templates, and shared resources, such as key definitions, across different DITA maps to ensure a unified and standardized approach to content organization.

Strategies for Maintaining Consistency

To maintain consistency in map organization across multiple publications, organizations typically use strategies such as standardized information architecture, reusable templates, shared resources, and governance and training.

Standardized Information Architecture

Develop a standardized information architecture that outlines the common structure, hierarchy, and organization of topics within DITA maps. This architecture should be defined at the organizational level and serve as a guideline for all content creators.

Reusable Templates

Create reusable templates for DITA maps that define the layout, sections, and standard components of maps. These templates can be applied across various publications, ensuring a consistent look and feel.

Shared Resources

Utilize shared resources, such as key definitions and subject schemes, to ensure consistency in metadata and terminology. This ensures that keywords, categories, and labels are consistent across all publications.

Governance and Training

Implement governance policies and provide training to content creators to ensure they adhere to the established standards and guidelines for map organization.

Example

An organization publishes multiple user guides for different software products. To maintain consistency in map organization, they create a standardized DITA map template that includes predefined sections like “Introduction,” “Installation,” “User Guide,” and “Troubleshooting.” This template is applied to all user guides for different products. They also use a shared key definition for “product-version” to categorize content by software version, ensuring that all guides have a consistent structure and use consistent terminology for versioning.