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Northeast Ohio STC

 An official community of the Society for Technical Communication

What's Up, EDoc?!

  1. Who Am I?
    • Neil Perlin - Hyper/Word Services.
      • In tech. comm. since '79 at DEC.
      • Creating hypertext since '85.
      • Creating WinHelp since '90.
      • Using HTML since '91.
      • Training/consulting on HATs since '95.
      • XML, single-sourcing, mobile since '98.
      • STC's lead representative to the W3C.

  2. Today

  3. WinHelp
    • Dead but still fairly common.
      • ~51% - ref 2002 WinWriters survey.
    • Maintenance - few new projects.
  4. HTML Help(s)
    • Current mainstream formats are in or based on HTML.
      • HTML Help
      • WebHelp
      • Others
    • BTW, HTML is now XHTML (XML).
  5. First Moves To XML for Doc
    • Little use of XML for doc, so far.
      • Little demand for XML-based doc.
        • HTML works just fine, thanks...
        • RoboHelp/WebWorks/etc. meets our single sourcing needs, so why bother?
      • Few doc-oriented WYSIWYG authoring tools to drive development.
    • But formats are shifting and tools are starting to appear.
  6. Increasingly Complex Environment
    • Can get in trouble if you fall behind.
    • Be wary of terminology traps.
      • Windows Help vs. WinHelp.
      • WebHelp vs. Web Help.
      • HTML Help vs. HTML help.
      • MAML vs. MAML

  7. Short Term (2006?)

  8. Single Sourcing
    • Dates back to '91 with Doc-To-Help.
    • Newly hot as we head for auto-output of content subsets in different formats, devices, or modalities...
      • Anybody doing this?
      • Required technology depends on your single sourcing needs.
        • RoboHelp or WebWorks might be enough.
  9. XML In One Slide
    • A "meta-language"...
      • Create custom tags or entire languages.
      • Define and enforce syntax rules.
      • Basically a master format for conversion to other formats - e.g. single sourcing.
    • Content structure and standardization are crucial for this.
  10. XML Authoring Tools For Doc
    • "Blank slate" tools -Epic, xMetal...
    • Framemaker.
    • Word tools and add-ons:
      • SGML tools - i4i x4o and Inera eXtyles.
      • ePublisher Pro
      • Word 2003 (duh...)
  11. XML Authoring Tools
    • Other or emerging tools:
    • RoboHelp X5... maybe...
    • Madcap Flare.
    • Probably others.
  12. XHTML
    • Extensible HTML.
      • HTML, rewritten to follow XML syntax.
      • Essentially, HTML done right.
      • Like an infinitely extensible HTML.
      • Has replaced HTML, officially.
  13. And RoboHelp?
    • Uncertain...
      • Will there be an X6?
      • If not, will X5 be usable for years or will IE 7 kill it?
      • Replacement options - Dreamweaver, ePublisher Pro, Flare...
  14. Structured Information Design
    • Simply means info must be structured.
      • But defining what that means is vital.
    • Ranges from using:
      • Styles in Word to
      • Templates to
      • Objects in a CMS repository, extracted using scripts, and run through XSLTs.
    • Will be a nightmare for many groups.
  15. Knowledge Management
    • Organize and package content for different uses and users.
      • What we've been doing for years.
      • Need to sell it more effectively.
  16. Database Publishing/CMS
    • Modularizes content in repositories for:
      • Storage.
      • Access and revision.
      • Extraction, conversion, and publishing.
        • Proprietary CMSs under pressure from XML-based CMSs.
    • Seems destined to eliminate us.
    • It won't, but be ready for a fight.
  17. Growth of Industry Standards
    • ISO, W3C, OASIS, NISO etc. are now increasingly important.
    • Past standards work created today's environment.
    • Today's work is creating tomorrow's.
    • The more we know about that work:
      • The more flexible, competitive, and marketable we'll be.
      • Speaking of W3C Watchers...
  18. Growth of Internal Standards
    • Need standards for style, structure, and content in order to create material in a flexibly outputtable form.
    • Need to support today's formats and tomorrow's as-yet-undefined formats.
    • No more "Ready, Fire, Aim" projects.

  19. Long Term (2007?)

  20. Longhorn Help
    • Help system for Longhorn (now Vista).
    • Due out in 2006(?).
    • XML-based - uses MAML (Microsoft Assistance Markup Language).
    • Question of adoption rate for Longhorn - will web help beat out Longhorn Help?
  21. Flash and Flash Lite
    • Flash - Market-leading animation tool.
    • Flash Lite - Flash for mobile devices.
      • To create apps for devices that lack the horsepower to run full Flash apps.
      • Macromedia has made a strategic commit-ment to mobile devices.
  22. Scalable Vector Graphics
    • XML-based graphics format.
    • Animation, selective decompression.
    • May compete with Flash.
      • Mixed support from vendors.
    • Info: www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/
    • Demos: www.adobe.com/enterprise/ svg.html
  23. Metadata
    • "Information about information".
    • To find, retrieve, process, and manage content.
      • Some major standards - Dublin Core, XMP, RDF - in a chaotic environment.
    • For now, get in the habit of filling out any property sheets in your apps.
    • Talk to IT about directions.
  24. Blogs
  25. Wikis
    • Hawaiian for "quick"?
      • Supposedly named for the luggage cart service at Honolulu International.
    • Dynamic, multi-contributor web sites that take advantage of the sum of the contributors'
    • knowledge.
    • Consider problems of group dynamics and legal risks.
  26. RSS
    • RDF (or Rich) Site Summary.
    • XML format for syndicating web content.
      • Syndicated content is registered with RSS publisher that sends it to subscriber sites.
      • Conceptually similar to server-push but with more of a pull aspect.
  27. Podcasting
    • Similar to, and based on, RSS, but for audio content.
    • Content designed to be downloaded to and played on iPods or similar devices.
  28. Mobile Devices
    • The mobile web failed but people still want mobile access to content, a la cell phones and WiFi.
    • If your audience includes field service or mobile users, think mobile devices.
  29. Device Independence
    • Extends mobile device idea to make content usable on any device with no siloing or hand tailoring.
      • Once again, single sourcing.
    • W3C activity at www.w3.org/2005/di/
    • As with mobile devices, know your audience.
  30. "Visual Help"
    • Demos or interactive simulations based on screen "movies" rather than text and screen shots.
      • Learning by viewing, then doing.
    • Created using tools like Captivate and Camtasia.
  31. And More...
    • Virtual people as help interfaces.
    • Voice interfaces.
    • Ubiquitous/pervasive computing or Web Presence.
    • Grid computing.
    • Etc.

  32. Some Crucial Questions

    • Which technologies will take off?
    • Which will you use?
    • Who knows...
    • So what do we do?
      • Managers and developers must look at...
  33. Strategic Issues
    • Learn the company's strategic direction.
    • Get involved in setting that direction.
    • Be able to explain:
      • Your documentation goals.
      • How those goals mesh with the company's.
        • e.g. why we're doing what we're doing...
      • Then think about tools.
  34. Management Issues
    • Watch technical trends in the industry.
    • Focus on structure and standards for:
      • Cross- and upward-compatibility.
      • Repeatable, predictable, cost-effective development and maintenance.
    • Focus on cross-department effects.
    • Take everything with a grain of salt.
  35. Business Issues
    • Watch business trends in the industry.
    • Recognize that:
      • Technology exists in a business context.
      • Content (cool) is replacing documentation.
      • "Cool" gets more $, attracting consultants.
    • Learn to talk "CFO-ish" and ROI to compete with the consultants.
  36. Content Creation Issues
    • Focus on users' information needs, not a technology's information capability.
      • Don't do something because it's cool.
    • Our job is to create content, not get caught up in a tool.
      • All cutting-edge tools eventually become mainstream.
  37. Where's the STC Going?
    • The STC isn't the universe.
    • Many technical "writers" have never heard of the STC but still have jobs.
    • Traditional tasks still have to be done.
    • New tasks (metator) and markets (low-tech like hospitals) are opening up.
    • Your direction and marketing are up to you.
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