How is the usability and accessibility of research documentation improved with DITA in the agriculture industry?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

DITA XML enhances the usability and accessibility of research documentation in the agriculture industry through structured content and effective documentation practices. It offers several advantages that contribute to improved documentation quality, making it more user-friendly and accessible for stakeholders.

Structured Content

DITA’s structured content model helps organize information in a logical and consistent manner. For agriculture research, this means that complex data, methodologies, and findings can be presented in a structured format. Researchers can create DITA topics for different aspects of their research, such as experimental data, analysis methods, and results. This structured approach makes it easier for users to navigate and locate specific information within the documentation, improving usability.

Reuse and Consistency

DITA enables content reuse and promotes consistency across research documentation. Researchers can create reusable components, such as data analysis methodologies or standard research protocols, as DITA topics. These topics can then be referenced or reused in multiple documents, ensuring that consistent and up-to-date information is available throughout the documentation. This not only improves usability but also reduces the risk of errors caused by inconsistent or outdated content.

Accessibility Features

DITA supports accessibility features, making research documentation more inclusive. This includes features like semantic tagging, alt text for images, and structured headings. Researchers can use these features to create documentation that is accessible to individuals with disabilities, complying with accessibility standards such as WCAG. By making research findings and data accessible to a wider audience, DITA enhances the overall usability and reach of agricultural research documentation.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA can improve the usability and accessibility of research documentation in the agriculture industry:


<topic id="research_findings">
  <title>Agricultural Research Findings</title>
  <body>...
  <accessibility>
    <alt-text image="experimental_setup.jpg">Alt text describing the experimental setup.</alt-text>
  </accessibility>

In this example, the DITA topic “research_findings” includes an “accessibility” section with alt text for an image, ensuring that the content is accessible to users with visual impairments, thereby enhancing the documentation’s usability and accessibility.