1.
FROM UNSTRUCTURED DOCUMENTATION
TO STRUCTURED TOPICS
Kai Weber
@techwriterkai
#stc14 - 19 May 2014

2.
WELCOME!
This is a project walk-through mini-workshop! 
! Apply to your situation, take notes, ask questions!
#stc14 @techwriterkai
PhotobySteinarTalmoen

3.
WELCOME!
This is a project walk-through mini-workshop! 
 Information: Methods, options, risks
 Confidence
! Apply to your situation, take notes, ask questions!
#stc14 @techwriterkai

4.
PROGRAM
What’s a topic
1. Create a content model
2. Identify topic types
3. Re-chunk your content
4. Sequence your topics
5. Write good headings
6. Link related topics
Stay on track
! Apply to your situation, take notes, ask questions!
#stc14 @techwriterkai

5.
WHAT’S A TOPIC
Topics
 Modular chunks of content
 About a specific subject
 Have an identifiable purpose
 Can stand alone
 Reusable
#stc14 @techwriterkai
http://everypageispageone.com/

6.
WHY CREATE A CONTENT MODEL FOR TOPICS
To ensure consistent structure
 Defines topic types
 Concepts, tasks, reference, etc.
 Defines elements and
their sequence per topic type
! For users Easier and faster to navigate
! For tech comm Easier to maintain, re-use elements
! For companies Easier to “leverage content assets”
#stc14 @techwriterkai

7.
1. CREATE A CONTENT MODEL
Define topic types by use case
 Concepts to explain the “what”
 Tasks to guide the “how”
 Reference to provide technical details
 Training to teach for retention
 Business cases to argue profitability
! Identify personas, user groups or scenarios per type
! Involve all stakeholders from the beginning
! Ensure that topic types play nicely with each other
#stc14 @techwriterkai

8.
1. CREATE A CONTENT MODEL
Define elements and structure per topic type
1. Introduction/context, optional
2. Prerequisite, optional
3. Instructional steps
4. Result, optional
5. Next steps, optional
6. Error handling, optional
! Use mature content as template and test
! Make elements mutually exclusive between types
! Balance topic structure and flexibility
#stc14 @techwriterkai

9.
2. IDENTIFY TOPIC TYPES IN EXISTING CONTENT
Audit content, take it apart
1. Start with mature content
2. Take it to pieces, literally
3. Sort paragraphs by
topic element and purpose
4. Scrutinize piles with
few or ill-fitting pieces
! First chance to toss out redundant content
! First reality check for your content model
! Balance adjustments to content and model
#stc14 @techwriterkai

10.
3. RE-CHUNK CONTENT INTO TRUE TOPICS
Re-assemble pieces according to content model
Left-over content?
Incomplete topics?
“Ornery topics”?
! Second reality check for your content model
! You can bend a flexible model, but don’t break it!
#stc14 @techwriterkai
 If redundant or obsolete, remove
 Else turn into new topics
 Add content per topic element
 Straighten out by topic type

11.
4. SEQUENCE YOUR TOPICS
Create a useful content structure
 Organise contents by use case
 Concepts before tasks
 Setup before operations
 Overview above specifics
 Glue topics for orientation
 Create and adjust topics
 Stay consistent in topics, sections, deliverables
 Use as many topics as necessary, as few as possible
! Reality check for your new topic chunks
#stc14 @techwriterkai

12.
5. WRITE GOOD HEADINGS FOR YOUR TOPICS
Show how topics fit in and what’s in ‘em
 Support your doc strategy
 Address user tasks or goals
 Create recognizable patterns
 Consider use of headings
 Labels in links
 Search result hits
#stc14 @techwriterkai

13.
6. LINK RELATED TOPICS
Link to ensure that every page can be page one
 “Scent of information” (Baker)
 (Re-)connect topic types
 Concepts <> tasks
 Setup topics <> operation topics
#stc14 @techwriterkai

14.
STAY ON TRACK
Ensure focus
 Treat content as a corporate asset
 Get management buy-in and resources
 Acquire expertise (learn or buy)
 Baker, Mark. Every Page is Page One. XML Press, 2013.
 Bellamy, Laura, et al. DITA Best Practices. IBM Press, 2012.
 Hackos, JoAnn. Information Development. Wiley, 2007.
 Weber, Kai. “From Unstructured Documentation to Structured
Topics.” STC Proceedings, 2014.
#stc14 @techwriterkai

15.
STAY ON TRACK
Ensure focus
 Treat content as a corporate asset
 Get management buy-in and resources
 Acquire expertise (learn or buy)
 Manage the project
1. Define scope & schedule, stick to it
2. Involve stakeholders, manage change
3. Select, run, and evaluate a pilot
4. Iterate conversion of legacy contents
5. Monitor quality and execution
#stc14 @techwriterkai

16.
THANK YOU! KEEP IN TOUCH!
kaiweber.wordpress.com
@techwriterkai