Are there guidelines for creating adaptive and personalized training experiences with DITA in IT?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Creating adaptive and personalized training experiences with DITA in IT is an effective way to tailor learning materials to the specific needs and preferences of individual learners. While DITA provides a structured framework, there are guidelines to achieve adaptability and personalization:

Segmentation and Modularity

Break down your training content into smaller, modular components. Each module should focus on a specific topic or learning objective. This modularity allows you to assemble customized learning paths based on the learner’s needs. For example, you can create separate DITA topics for different IT skills or knowledge areas.

Metadata for Personalization

Leverage metadata within DITA to include learner-specific information. Metadata can capture a learner’s profile, progress, and preferences. For example, you can use metadata to identify a learner’s current skill level and recommend appropriate training modules. DITA metadata allows for dynamic content assembly based on these attributes.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA enables adaptive and personalized training experiences:


<topic id="network_security_training">
  <title>Network Security Training</title>
  <body>
    <learning-objectives>
      <li>Understanding Common Network Security Threats</li>
      <li>Firewall Configurations</li>
      <li>Identifying Network Vulnerabilities</li>
    </learning-objectives>
    <metadata>
      <learner-profile>
        <skill-level>Intermediate</skill-level>
      </learner-profile>
    </metadata>
    <content>...
  </body>

In this example, a DITA topic includes learning objectives, and metadata for learner’s skill level. With this information, you can dynamically assemble training materials based on the learner’s proficiency, offering a personalized learning experience.