2.1.2.1.2 The benefits
of a topic-based architecture
Topics enable the development of usable and reusable
content.
While DITA does not require the use of any particular
writing practice, the DITA architecture is designed to support authoring,
managing, and processing of content that is designed to be reused.
Although DITA provides significant value even when reuse is not a primary
requirement, the full value of DITA is realized when content is authored
with reuse in mind. To develop topic-based information means creating
units of standalone information that are meaningful with little or no
surrounding context.
By organizing content into topics that are written
to be reusable, authors can achieve several goals:
- Content is readable when accessed from an index or
search, not just when read in sequence as part of an extended narrative.
Since most readers do not read technical and business-related information
from beginning to end, topic-oriented information design ensures that
each unit of information can be read independently.
- Content can be organized differently for online and
print delivery. Authors can create task flows and concept hierarchies
for online delivery and create a print-oriented hierarchy to support
a narrative content flow.
- Content can be reused in different collections. Since
a topic is written to support random access (as by search), it should
also be understandable when included as part of various product deliverables.
Topics permit authors to refactor information as needed, including only
the topics that apply to each unique scenario.
- Content is more manageable in topic form whether managed
as individual files in a traditional file system or as objects in
a content management system.
- Content authored in topics can be translated and updated
more efficiently and less expensively than information authored in
larger or more sequential units.
- Content authored in topics can be filtered more efficiently,
encouraging the assembly and deployment of information subsets from
shared information repositories.
Topics written for reuse should be small enough to
provide opportunities for reuse but large enough to be coherently
authored and read. Since each topic is written to address a single subject,
authors can organize a set of topics logically and achieve an acceptable
narrative content flow.
Previous Topic: 2.1.2.1.1
The topic as the basic unit of information
Next Topic: 2.1.2.1.2.1
Disciplined, topic-oriented writing
Parent Topic: 2.1.2.1
DITA topics
Child Topics:
2.1.2.1.2.1
Disciplined, topic-oriented writing
2.1.2.1.2.2
Transitional text solutions
Sibling Topics:
2.1.2.1.1
The topic as the basic unit of information
2.1.2.1.3
Information typing
2.1.2.1.4
Generic topics
2.1.2.1.5
Topic structure
2.1.2.1.6
Topic content
2.1.2.1.7
Topic domains: Basic DITA