The Rocky Road to DITA
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Transcript of The Rocky Road to DITA
TheRockyRoadtoDublinflickr: ro-silva, Cliffs of Moher
Toni Mantych, ADP, and Sarah O’Keefe, Scriptorium
TheRockyRoadtoDITA
Aboutthepresenters
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: Buddha Dog. Portola Valley, California, USA
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
ToniMantych,@tonimantych❖ Information Architect, ADP
SarahO’Keefe,@sarahokeefe❖ Founder and President, Scriptorium
DITAImplementationTherapySession
Toni Mantych, ADP, and Sarah O’Keefe, ScriptoriumDRAFT
Questions,please!
❖ Fill out an index card and pass it up.
❖ Use the #rockyDITA hashtag on Twitter.
❖ Use the microphone.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: Buddha Dog. Caves Cove, Tennessee, USA
ADPprojectoverview
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: Eva Luedin
ADPprojectoverview
❖ 60 writers
❖ Mostly RoboHelp
❖ Implementing DITA, CCMS, topic-based writing
❖ Business case: Localization, reuse, and quality
❖ The business case was easy.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Weexpectedsmoothsailing.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: zoomzoom
Maybeafewsmallsurprises…
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: amardilo
Butinstead…
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: joiseyshowaa, Bangladesh
Whatmadetheroadrocky?(“Agenda”)
❖ Complex conditions
❖ Resource constraints
❖ The matrix: Influence without authority
❖ Building skills
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Complexconditions
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: shannonpatrick17,Houston, Texas
Complexconditions
❖ So. Many. Meetings.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Graphicshelped.Somewhat.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Balanceandfocus
❖ Value of reuse
❖ Complexity of conditionals
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Don’tfocusonlyonmaximizingreuse.
Complexity is expensive.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
dangerousroads.org, Swindon, UK
Wehadresourceconstraints.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: infomatique, Ormond Quay area, Dublin
Wehadresourceconstraints.
❖ Not enough people.
❖ Not enough funding.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: infomatique, Ormond Quay area, Dublin
Addressingresourceconstraints
❖ Hire consultants for expertise and quick wins to build momentum
❖ But focus on building knowledge internally
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: infomatique, Ormond Quay area, Dublin
Whattodoaboutlackofexperience?
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: deepakkt, Chinnakallar Falls, Valparai, India
Whattodoaboutlackofexperience?
❖ Use consultants wisely
❖ Start learning early
❖ Build your team with care
❖ Plan your project to accommodate learning
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Theconsultantparadox
❖ Expertise = quick wins and momentum
❖ Overreliance = Can’t manage project internally
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: barelyfitz
Bustthroughtheparadox.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: urbanwoodchuck, Tennessee?
Useconsultantsproperly
❖ Hire consultants for expert knowledge at project start
❖ Get quick wins to build momentum
❖ Insist on knowledge transfer
❖ Grow team expertise over time
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: urbanwoodchuck, Tennessee?
Withoutknowledgetransfer,youaren’taclient,you’reahostage.
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: Yellowstone National Park
Projectexpertise
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Project start Pilot Implementation Maintenance
Consultants Staff
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
External Internal
Consultants Staff
Startlearningearly
❖ Informal DITA knowledge acquisition (LearningDITA.com and others)
❖ Read
❖ Attend conferences and learn from others’ mistakes (like right now!!)
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Buildyourteamwithcare
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: North Dakota Department of Transportation
Buildyourteamwithcare
❖ Early adopters
❖ Thrive on learning independently
❖ Build esprit de corps
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Howtobuildtheteam
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: junaelo242a, Chile
Howtobuildtheteam
❖ Diverse skills and attitudes
❖ Continuous learning
❖ Very different from core job
❖ Requires trial and error
❖ Risk perception varies
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Accommodatelearning
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: Jerald Jackson, Spring, Texas, USA
Accommodatelearning
❖ Give early adopters small, low-risk projects
❖ Make mistakes early
❖ Understand that some people like uncertainty and others fear uncertainty
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Intothematrix
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
flickr: robertpaulyoung. Giant’s Causeway
Intothematrix(organization)
❖ Inexperienced matrix team
❖ No in-house experience is the standard
❖ New hires won’t solve the problem because they have no social capital
❖ Best case is someone who by coincidence had previous experience
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Matrixmanagement
❖ Clearly define roles, responsibilities, expectations
❖ Accountability
❖ Establish a communication strategy
❖ Pre-arrange a method for dealing with conflicts
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Learning
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: dennyarmstrong. Mogolion, New Mexico, USA
Mapfrom“oldway”to“newway”
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Learning
❖ Train early and often
❖ Uncover issues with the implementation
❖ Discover unmet needs
❖ Use collaboration systems
❖ Tip page with list of shortcuts
❖ Best practices from experience
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Howtostayontrack
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
flick
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Real-lifeprojectmanagement
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Gra
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: Gre
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Prerequisitesversuslearningduringtheproject
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: ro-silva. Giant’s Causeway
Prerequisitesversuslearningduringtheproject
❖ Flexibility
❖ Willingness to learn
❖ Perseverance
❖ Motivation
❖ We can teach the rest, but only if the person wants to learn
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITA
Questions?
@tonimantych @sarahokeefe #rockyDITAflickr: alexranaldi, Cliffs of Moher