Are there strategies for efficiently updating shared content across multiple automotive documents and models?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Efficiently updating shared content across multiple automotive documents and models is essential for maintaining accuracy and consistency in technical documentation. DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) provides strategies and mechanisms to streamline this process.

Content Reuse

DITA emphasizes the reuse of content components as building blocks for documentation. Instead of duplicating content across multiple documents, writers create reusable topics or snippets. For automotive organizations, this means creating standardized content for common topics like safety instructions, maintenance procedures, or regulatory information. When an update is needed, modifying the source topic automatically propagates changes to all instances where it’s used. This reduces redundancy and ensures consistency across documents and models.

Key References

Another strategy involves using key references in DITA. Writers can create references to specific content components that are common across various documents. For instance, a safety warning message can be defined as a key reference. When a change is required, updating the key reference updates it in all documents referencing it. This approach simplifies maintenance and guarantees that critical information remains consistent across different vehicle models and documents.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA enables efficient content updating through content reuse and key references:


<topic id="safety_warning">
  <title>Safety Warning</title>
  <body>
    <p>Always wear a seatbelt when driving.</p>
  </body>
</topic>

<topic id="vehicle_manual">
  <title>Vehicle Manual</title>
  <body>
    <p>This manual contains important safety information.</p>
    <conbody>
      <p>Refer to <keyref href="safety_warning"/> for seatbelt instructions.</p>
    </conbody>
  </body>

In this DITA example, the safety warning is defined as a topic, and the vehicle manual references it using a key reference. If changes are needed to the safety warning, they can be made in one place, ensuring consistency across all documents referencing it.