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Structured Information Solutions

Anna van Raaphorst, Content Specialist
Richard H. (Dick) Johnson, Technology Specialist

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Is 2010 the Year to Convert Your Technical Documentation to DITA?

We'd Like to Help!

Last updated: June 26, 2010

DITA* is more than the latest buzzword in the technical writing community—it's the key to higher-quality, quicker-to-market, less-costly content, and a pathway to the kind of automated, integrated, collaborative environment you always wanted but were never able to achieve with your legacy documentation tools and processes.

We hope our free DITA resources on this site (resources page) and on our XMLdocs site (xmldocs.info) will be helpful to you in your DITA adoption activities. If you need additional assistance, we also consult in the following areas.

*DITA: Darwin Information Typing Architecture, an OASIS-sponsored, XML-based, structured writing standard

Are you in the planning stages of a project? We can do:

• An analysis of your current content along with an assessment of what it would take to convert to a DITA-based solution
• An assessment to tell you how your information stacks up against your competitors'
• Brainstorming on how to move toward automated documentation solutions

Are you having trouble visualizing, justifying, or selling your strategic project? We can provide:

• Quick-turnaround prototyping using your content in a DITA project
• Sample DITA projects and content conversions
• Help in understanding DITA best practices, what a solution will cost over time, and your likely return

Are you ready to start or already in the implementation phase of your DITA project? We can help you with:

• Brainstorming your future DITA objectives, strategy, and plan
• Tips on how to stage your implementation effectively
• Tips on how to collaborate on cross-document and cross-organizational projects
• Information about how a DITA-based solution can help you localize and translate your information
• Staff training and coaching

Services Summary

We specialize in a rapid prototyping and implementation process (we call it our DITAworkflow™) that is based on:

• The agile software development process
• Our expertise as content and software producers
• Experience gained in producing our own DITA projects and working with clients

We focus on projects that get our clients up-and-running quickly, and also positioned for future success in a challenging and rapidly changing environment.

One of our key strengths is the combined talent and experience of our two principals, Anna van Raaphorst (our content specialist) and Dick Johnson (our technology specialist). When we require additional reach to achieve an information objective, we sometimes collaborate on projects with other specialists and implementation organizations.

Business Benefits of Our Services

We believe our services benefit clients in the following ways:

• We work quickly and can usually produce a DITA project prototype in days or weeks, which is a much shorter time than is possible in organizations with limited DITA expertise.
• As part of our prototyping efforts we analyze your current documentation for DITA-readiness, and we can also do a competitive information assessment, if you like.
• Our prototypes are designed as communication vehicles to show what is possible within your current and planned future environment.
• You can also use the prototype for demonstration purposes (for example, to upper management), to help you strategize and plan, to communicate with vendors (for example, content management vendors), and as a model to guide your implementation team.

For More Information

If you're interested in a free, one-hour presentation or in exploring possibilities, please contact us.

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