DITA has a significant impact on the efficiency of visual content localization for government audiences worldwide. Localization involves adapting content to suit different languages, cultures, and regions. Here’s how DITA supports this process:

Modular Content

One of the key benefits of DITA is its modular content structure. Government agencies can break down their visual content into smaller, reusable components or topics. When it comes to localization, only the specific topics that need translation or adaptation are modified, reducing redundant work. For example, if a government agency has a set of global safety procedures, it can localize only the textual content while keeping the visual elements consistent across languages.

Metadata and Conditional Text

DITA allows the inclusion of metadata and conditional text. Metadata can be used to specify language and regional variations within a DITA topic. Conditional text tags can hide or show content based on conditions like language. This means that within a single DITA topic, different versions of text or visual elements can be specified for various locales. For instance, a government agency’s training manual can have conditional text that displays different images based on the language selected for localization.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA supports visual content localization:

<topic id="safety_procedures">
  <title>Safety Procedures</title>
  <metadata>
    <language>en-US</language>
  </metadata>
  <content>
    <p>Follow these safety procedures for your own protection.</p>
    <image src="safety_diagram-en.png" />
    <condition expression="fr-CA">
      <image src="safety_diagram-fr.png" />
    </condition>
  </content>
</topic>

In this DITA example, a topic titled “Safety Procedures” contains both an English version of a safety diagram and a French-Canadian version, hidden behind a conditional text tag. When localized for a French-Canadian audience, the appropriate diagram is displayed while keeping the rest of the content consistent.