What role does conditional processing play in tailoring safety documentation for different construction equipment?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Conditional processing in DITA XML plays a crucial role in tailoring safety documentation for different construction equipment, ensuring that construction workers receive relevant and specific information based on the equipment they are using or the tasks they are performing.

Equipment-specific Content

Construction sites often involve a wide range of equipment, from bulldozers to cranes, each with unique safety requirements. DITA allows safety documentation to be organized into modular topics. Equipment-specific content can be included using conditional processing attributes like “props” to filter content based on equipment type. For example, safety guidelines for operating heavy machinery may differ significantly from those for handheld tools. With conditional processing, only the relevant equipment-specific content is presented to the user.

Task-based Tailoring

Construction workers may perform various tasks with different safety considerations. DITA’s conditional processing also enables task-based tailoring. Safety documents can be structured to include conditional content based on the specific tasks workers are assigned. This ensures that the safety procedures and guidelines provided are directly applicable to the tasks at hand, enhancing clarity and adherence to safety protocols.

Example:

Here’s an example of how conditional processing in DITA tailors safety documentation for different construction equipment and tasks:


<topic id="safety-guidelines">
  <title>Construction Safety Guidelines</title>
  <body>
    <section id="heavy-machinery">
      <title>Safety for Heavy Machinery Operators</title>
      <p>...

      <conkeyref conref="heavy-machinery-safety.dita" props="equipment-type=bulldozer" />
    </section>
    <section id="handheld-tools">
      <title>Safety for Handheld Tool Users</title>
      <p>...

      <conkeyref conref="handheld-tools-safety.dita" props="task=concrete-cutting" />
    </section>
  </body>

In this example, the safety guidelines topic includes conditional content for heavy machinery operators and handheld tool users based on equipment type and task.