What challenges can arise when translating DITA content with extensive conditional processing?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Translating DITA content with extensive conditional processing can present several challenges for localization teams. Here are some of the key issues that may arise:

Increased Complexity

Extensive use of conditional processing in DITA can significantly increase the complexity of the content. When translating, this complexity is magnified as translators need to understand and correctly apply the various conditions that determine which content to include or exclude. This can lead to a higher likelihood of errors in the translated output.

Contextual Challenges

Conditional processing often involves context-specific content, which may not have a direct equivalent in the target language. Translators need to carefully adapt the conditional content to ensure it makes sense and maintains its context in the translated version. Handling context-related challenges can be time-consuming and may require input from subject matter experts.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance becomes more critical when dealing with extensive conditional processing. Localization teams must thoroughly test the translated content to ensure that the conditions are correctly applied and that the output matches the intended behavior. This can require additional testing efforts and may lead to a longer localization process.

Example:

Here’s an example of DITA content with extensive conditional processing:


<topic id="user-guide">
  <title>Product User Guide</title>
  <body>
    <p>This is the <ph outputclass="product-name">ProductX</ph> user guide.</p>
    <steps>
      <step>
        <cmd>If you are using <ph outputclass="product-name">ProductX</ph>, follow these steps:</cmd>
        <substeps>
          <substep conkeyref="product-x-steps" />
        </substeps>
      </step>
      <step>
        <cmd>If you are using <ph outputclass="product-name">ProductY</ph>, follow these steps:</cmd>
        <substeps>
          <substep conkeyref="product-y-steps" />
        </substeps>
      </step>
    </steps>
  </body>

Handling this content during translation requires understanding the context and conditions associated with “ProductX” and “ProductY” and correctly adapting the content to the target language and product names.