Content reuse is a fundamental advantage of using DITA XML in construction content development projects. It streamlines the creation and maintenance of documentation, resulting in increased efficiency and consistency.

Modular Content

In DITA, documentation is broken down into modular components called topics. These topics can be reused across various documents and projects. For example, a safety procedure for using personal protective equipment (PPE) can be a standalone topic. This topic can then be referenced in multiple documents, such as equipment operation manuals or construction site safety guidelines. When updates are needed, they can be made in one place and automatically reflected wherever the topic is reused, ensuring consistency and accuracy.

Example:

Here’s an example of how content reuse works in DITA:

<topic id="ppe_safety">
  <title>Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Safety</title>
  <content>...
</topic>

<topic id="equipment_manual">
  <title>Excavator Operation Manual</title>
  <content>
    <section>Introduction</section>
    <section>Using PPE</section>
      <conref href="ppe_safety.dita#ppe_safety" />
    <section>Operating Procedures</section>
    <section>Maintenance</section>
  </content>

In this example, the “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Safety” topic is reused in the “Excavator Operation Manual” using a content reference (conref). Any changes made to the PPE safety topic will automatically propagate to the equipment manual, ensuring that the information remains consistent.