Conditional processing in DITA XML plays a pivotal role in tailoring curriculum documentation for different educational programs. It allows educational institutions to manage and present content selectively based on specific criteria. Here’s how conditional processing is used in this context:

Customization for Programs

Educational institutions often offer various programs with different requirements and specializations. Conditional processing enables them to customize curriculum documentation for each program. Content can be marked with conditions based on factors such as program type, level, or department. When generating documentation, only the content that matches the chosen conditions is included, ensuring that students receive relevant information tailored to their specific program.

Language and Localization

For institutions operating in multilingual or international settings, DITA conditional processing is valuable for localization. Different versions of documentation can be created based on language preferences. Translated content can be tagged with conditions, ensuring that students and instructors receive course materials in their preferred language. This enhances accessibility and inclusivity for a diverse audience.

Content Reuse and Maintenance

Conditional processing also contributes to content reuse and maintenance. Institutions can create a single source of content and apply conditions to generate variations for different programs or languages. This approach simplifies content management, as updates only need to be made once in the source content. The conditional processing rules then ensure that these updates propagate correctly to all relevant versions of the documentation.

Example:

Here’s an example of how conditional processing is used to tailor curriculum documentation for different programs:

<course id="math101">
  <title>Mathematics 101</title>
  <description>This course provides a foundation in mathematics.</description>
  <condition importance="high" type="program">engineering</condition>
  <condition importance="high" type="program">science</condition>
  <condition importance="low" type="program">arts</condition>
  <content>
    <chapter>Chapter 1: Algebra</chapter>
    <condition importance="high" type="program">engineering</condition>
    <content>...
    <chapter>Chapter 2: Calculus</chapter>
    <condition importance="high" type="program">science</condition>
    <content>...
    <chapter>Chapter 3: Geometry</chapter>
    <condition importance="low" type="program">arts</condition>
    <content>...
  </content>

In this example, conditional processing is used to customize the course content based on the selected program. Only content relevant to the chosen program is included in the documentation, ensuring a tailored learning experience.