How To Overcome Resistance To XML Authoring And Convert Reluctant XML Authors Into Great Ones

From the Arbortext XML Publishing Network

Since its inception in 1997, XML�s usage has grown at a stunning pace. Virtually every software product has an XML aspect, whether it�s the foundation of the product or just an import/export format.

The XML revolution started in data-intensive applications such as the exchange of financial information over the Web, but today even software such as word processors and desktop publishing systems offer some degree of XML support.

However, authoring in XML differs from traditional authoring in important ways, even if the author uses the same tool. To produce XML content effectively, authors must break out of their old thinking and habits.

This article outlines the differences that XML brings to the authoring process, and also advises how to help authors become more productive than they ever dreamed possible.

Tens of thousands of people today create XML content directly using Arbortext�s Epic Editor. These people include both full-time authors such as technical writers, and occasional contributors who spend most of their time on other tasks such as product design, clinical research or field service.

Based on our experience with people who have made the transition to XML, they overwhelmingly prefer authoring in XML compared to the traditional approach. It�s not an easy change, but in fact over 97% of authors who switch to XML have made the change successfully.

There are two key changes in approach that authors must adopt in order to be successful:

Modularize and reuse � The traditional approach to reusing information is to cut and paste. For information that requires future updates, the problem with this approach is that it creates multiple instances of the same information that you have to revise in the future. Locating and applying the same change over and over again raises the cost of improving information. In our experience, this cost is as much as twenty times higher than the cost of creating information in the first place!

Because XML provides a mechanism for making documents out of small components and ensuring that those components �fit,� most organizations who adopt XML for publishing also want to shift from a mostly monolithic approach to creating documents to a highly modular approach.

The benefits of modular content extend beyond reusing existing information in multiple documents. Another benefit is the reduction of translation costs by reducing the information sent for translation to only those modules that have changed.

For many organizations, another reason to modularize content is to enable on-demand assembly of components so that information can be precisely and automatically tailored to the needs of each individual.

The decisions about appropriate component size involve weighing many factors and will be the subject of a future article. To implement modularity successfully, authors must avoid cutting and pasting existing content and instead incorporate that content by reference. Eliminating redundant information and instead creating �single-source� content means that you can make a single change to content and have it appear everywhere automatically.

Even more important, authors must write in a way that makes information modules reusable to begin with. In other words, each module must be able to stand alone, without depending on the existence of other modules. For example, authors must avoid the use of transitional sentences such as �As we saw in the previous section,� because in some instances, that previous section may not exist.

Let go of document design � In most traditional publishing situations, authors are not only responsible for collecting or creating the content, but also for applying formatting and squeezing paragraphs in order to control the final appearance of the document.
With XML, the objective is to separate the process of creating content from the process of publishing it. Therefore, authors must stop thinking about how the document looks and focus solely on creating the information itself.

This is a difficult transition to make. We�re not just asking authors to give up control of the document�s appearance � we�re also asking them to give up the highly gratifying experience of lovingly crafting each page until its layout is perfect. There�s no surprise there � virtually all of us who use word processing or desktop publishing software enjoy being able to see and control the final appearance of a document.

Persuading an author to give up the design portion of their job is one of many challenges that we face in the transition to XML authoring. Here are a few ways to help authors through this change:

Inform � Authors need to understand the business reasons that are driving the changes they will have to endure. They should know how customer needs and competitive pressures are driving the organization to reduce publishing costs, streamline the publishing process, reduce delivery and update times, and provide information that�s more personalized, more accurate and timelier.

You should help authors appreciate the career prospects that the transition to XML will enable. In particular, authors should understand that by freeing them from low-value work such as decorating documents, their value to the organization will increase.
�
Educate - You should start educating authors early, even months before implementation, about concepts and principles. Formal training should occur just before the authors will be able to put that training to use, but general education through �lunch and learn� sessions should begin much earlier.
�
Involve � Top employees and key opinion leaders should be involved in the decision, planning and implementation processes. Removing key employees from current projects to include them in the next generation can be painful, but failing to take advantage of their expertise and gain their support can be even more painful.
�
Specialize � With the transition to XML, authors are no longer responsible for everything from creating content to producing publications. Instead, their responsibilities are more focused, with deeper expertise in one of several areas.

Some sample job categories (roles) include:
�

Subject matter expert � creates and maintains information modules
Content architect � decides which information products are needed, determines which information modules to include and in what order, sets up the business rules for customizing information based on audience
Style designer � determines how to present (i.e., format) information for each media type
Data designer � designs the data model for each type of information module and product

�
Gain management support � Greater visibility within the organization will yield greater impact. Management needs to understand that without their visible and energetic support, the risk of slower implementation, reduced results and increased resistance goes up.

In a well-designed and implemented application, authors will experience lower productivity at first, equal productivity within three months, and from 50% to 100% higher productivity within six months. Most authors will be resistant to change, but with coaching and involvement, we have seen repeatedly that even the most outspoken opponents will become enthusiastic supporters of the new system.

More articles about Content Management : Technical Writing