Metadata: Why Should The

Technical Communicator Care?

Find Thy Content!

ISTC Technical Communication UK Newcastle 4 October 2012

#tcuk

• Nolwenn KERZREHO

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATOR & KNOWLEDGE MANAGER

TEACHER CFTTR UNIVERSITY RENNES 2

CONSULTANT COMPONIZE SOFTWARE

The pit… catch

Marlin is the proud and worried father of Nemo.

When Nemo is captured Marlin tries desperately to find him in the vast ocean…

EASY TO FIND IN A CONTROLLED

ENVIRONMENT

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EASY TO FIND WHEN YOU KNOW IT WELL!

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BUT THERE ARE TOO MANY FISH (and

other things) OUT THERE…

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INFOBESITY?

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Metadata… Find thy content!

a. Infobesity…

b. Do you use metadata?

c. Make the metadata work for you!

d. Tips and good practices

You Use Metadata

Searching in web sites with keywords

Authors & Company name in PDFs and MS Word files

Filtering a product in an online store

You Use Metadata

You Use Metadata

You Use Metadata

You Use Metadata

MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU!

Metadata

Topic-based, Structured

Documentation Topics Map (ToC) Document

•

<task/> <title/> <shortdesc/> <indexterm/> <taskbody/>

<prereq/> <step/> <step/>

<uicontrol/>

DITA uses metadata DITA Uses Data About Data

DITA Links Data

DITA Links Data

Phrases and variables reused

Images and icons

Segments injected during publishing (captions, links, signal words, …) +

Relationship table

Filters

DITA Uses Metadata

<author>Nolwenn Kerzreho</author>

<publisher>Ocean</publisher>

<status="new">

<vrm="ISBN CODE">

What Can Metadata DO with DITA?

Help you manage content – status, keywords, author, reviewer, proprietor

Create conditional publications – conditional publishing (audience, product,

platform…)

Communicate with translators – Translation=no, commenting, language…

Describe linked information – parents, children, peers… in context

Structure The Information

Search in the work environments categories, keywords, version

Expose what’s here: faceted search

Link connected information: inheritance, status…

1

Manage The Documentation Library

Manage projects: % completed, author topics, reviewed topics…

Plan updates: creation information, review

Control the production: author, reviewer, translator…

2

Adapt the Publications

Reuse fragments, variables and media resources

Create conditional publications:

audience = novice

Translate and send for translation (language, indexing, reading direction)

xml:lang = ja-jp

Control links: inbound and outbound

linking = target only

3

AND, on The Machine Side…

Automate processes in the various environments (action on metadata)

Optimize the research and discovery of elements, the reuse, the consistency, the usability.

4

Wrapping Up…

TC should care about metadata because?

• They shape your work environment

• They help users access the right information

• They enable better control on content in the development team

• They interface with machines

GOOD PRACTICES.

I. Check the Environments

Is the metadata enough outside of your working environments?

> Are the metadata enough in and out of context: included metadata?

> Are the metadata transparent on the final formats (Web example)?

II. Define Your Style Guide and Process

Choose the metadata to use…

Choose your values

– Keywords, versioning…

Adapt your methods

– What is the impact when using New or Changed ?

III. Structure the Information

Think BIG…

What is the real scope of the information in the document library? Today? Tomorrow?

What is the library scope?

Do you need in-house metadata?

IV. Let the Publishing Engine Do its Job

Sample for the Web

V. Don’t Panic!

Communicator… Metadata Champion!

Differentiation, categorisation, cataloguing:

• indexing

• terminology

• documentation information architecture

• online site architecture

• SEO and keywords maintenance

Questions?

nolwenn.kerzreho@componize.com

www.componize.com

@componize

@nkerzreho

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