Publishing DITA content as presentation slides involves converting structured DITA information into a slideshow format, which is ideal for presentations, training, or sharing information in a visual and interactive manner.

Publishing DITA content for presentations involves conversion to slides, structural adaptation, visual elements, navigation and interactivity, slide transitions, styling and branding, and export options.

• Conversion to Slides: Converting DITA content into presentation slides typically involves generating output in a format compatible with common presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint or web-based tools like Google Slides. This conversion transforms DITA topics into slides, with each slide containing content from one or more topics.
• Structural Adaptation: DITA content must be structurally adapted for presentation slides. Instead of long paragraphs or detailed documentation, content is broken down into shorter, more concise points or sections that are suitable for slide format. Headings, lists, and bullet points become particularly relevant.
• Visual Elements: Presentations require a visual focus. Accordingly, images, diagrams, charts, and multimedia elements may need to be repositioned, resized, or optimized for presentation on slides.
• Navigation and Interactivity: Presentations may incorporate interactive elements like hyperlinks, animations, and navigation controls. Converting DITA to slides should consider how these interactive elements are transformed for a slide-based medium.
• Slide Transitions: Presentation slides may include transitions between slides, such as slide fades, wipes, or animations. These transitions are integral to the presentation experience and should be incorporated during conversion.
• Styling and Branding: Presentation slides often need a specific style or branding that is consistent with the organization’s identity. This includes the use of templates, colors, fonts, and logos to ensure a uniform look.
• Export Options: DITA tools or plugins may offer export options tailored to common presentation formats (e.g., PPTX or PDF). However, further adjustments or refinements may be necessary in presentation software.

Example:

A software company wants to provide a product training session to employees. Instead of traditional training materials, they decide to convert DITA content into presentation slides.

• Topic Selection: They choose DITA topics that contain essential training content, such as product features, usage guidelines, and troubleshooting procedures.
• Structural Adaptation: The long paragraphs are replaced with bullet points and shorter sentences, making content more slide-friendly. For example, a DITA topic about “Product Features” with multiple sections is converted into individual slides for each feature.
• Visual Elements: Images and diagrams from the DITA topics are resized and incorporated into the slides. Complex flowcharts are simplified to fit a single slide. They ensure that the visual elements are clear and support the training narrative.
• Navigation and Interactivity: Links to additional resources are adapted to hyperlink elements on slides. Interactive features, like quizzes or exercises, are restructured for presentation interactivity.
• Slide Transitions: They add slide transitions between sections to create a seamless flow. For example, when transitioning from the “Product Features” section to “Usage Guidelines,” they use a slide wipe effect to keep the audience engaged.
• Styling and Branding: The company uses their branding elements, including the company logo and corporate colors, to create a consistent look for the presentation.
• Export: They use a DITA-to-PPTX conversion tool to generate a PowerPoint presentation. This presentation is then delivered to employees during the training session.