A CCMS combined with DITA provides an efficient and organized approach to content creation, management, and publishing. It enables organizations to leverage the structured nature of DITA and reap several advantages, including content reuse, consistency, version control, workflow automation, multilingual support, and streamlined publishing.

Content Reuse

DITA’s modular structure and a CCMS allow content to be broken down into reusable components. These components, such as topics, sections, or individual paragraphs, can be stored in a centralized repository. When creating new documents, authors can easily assemble them by selecting and reusing these predefined components. For example, a technical manual for different product versions can reuse common sections like safety instructions or troubleshooting guides, reducing redundancy and saving time.

Consistency

DITA’s structured authoring principles, combined with the enforcement of content standards in a CCMS, ensure that content is created consistently. Authors adhere to predefined templates or schemas, making it less likely for content to deviate from established guidelines. Consistency in terminology, style, and formatting is crucial for delivering a professional and coherent user experience.

Version Control

A CCMS provides robust version control capabilities for DITA content. Each change made to content components is tracked, allowing authors to review and revert to previous versions when necessary. This is essential for maintaining an audit trail, ensuring compliance, and safeguarding content quality. For instance, if an error is detected in a product manual, it’s possible to revert to a previous version while addressing the issue.

Workflow Automation

Workflow management features in a CCMS streamline the content creation and review process. Custom workflows can be defined, specifying roles, responsibilities, and approval stages. This ensures that content goes through a controlled and consistent review process before publication. For example, a technical white paper may require input from subject matter experts, editors, and project managers, and a CCMS can automate the flow of content between these stakeholders.

Multilingual Support

For organizations with global audiences, DITA in combination with a CCMS simplifies the localization process. Content components can be efficiently translated and localized, allowing for the creation of documents in multiple languages. Metadata and language attributes are managed within the CCMS, ensuring that content is correctly organized and tagged for different regions. For instance, a software company can produce user guides in multiple languages by efficiently managing translated versions of DITA content components.

Streamlined Publishing

A CCMS seamlessly integrates with publishing tools, automating the generation of output in various formats such as HTML, PDF, or other formats required for different distribution channels. This reduces manual effort and minimizes the risk of formatting errors during the publishing process. For example, a DITA-based user manual can be effortlessly converted into web-ready HTML and printable PDFs directly from the CCMS, ensuring easy publication of consistent and professional-looking documentation.

Example

A global automotive manufacturer is using DITA in conjunction with a CCMS. When introducing a new car model, they use DITA’s structured approach to create reusable content components, including technical specifications, safety instructions, and maintenance guidelines. With the help of the CCMS, they efficiently manage these components, ensuring that they are available for reuse across various documents.

When it’s time to produce user manuals for the new car model in multiple languages, the CCMS streamlines the translation process. Translators access the CCMS, where they find the necessary DITA components already tagged with language attributes. This ensures that the translation team works on the correct content segments.

Once translated, the CCMS effortlessly assembles user manuals for each target market, taking care of formatting and publishing. This not only accelerates documentation production but also ensures that the content is consistent across languages and adheres to the manufacturer’s quality standards.