Want to reap the benefits of community-based documentation? This game-changing trend is gaining traction fast, but many organizations lack resources to build solutions. The open source DITA2Wiki Project is a free resource to do just that. You can get a proof-of-concept system up and running in an hour. A governing concept is mixing company-generated ("warranted") content with community-generated ("non-warranted") content to provide richer user assistance. And with DITA XML in the mix, you can deliver rich information online, offline, and directly within your apps.

1. The open source DITA2Wiki Project Building DITA-wiki hybrids to reap the benefits of community-based documentation

2. What is the DITA2Wiki model? A framework for collaborative information development. Documentation source in DITA, output to wiki. Applies concept of warranted and non-warranted content. Different expectations, different interactions, integrated user experience. 2

3. Business goals Help customers and partners scale faster, better Increase everyone’s productivity 3

4. Use cases Find out what's new* Search for specific information* Share knowledge* Get notified of updates* Call out nuggets of information (e.g. rate, vote, favorites) Find something to play with Personalize the experience Ask a question Rant and/or rave Report a problem Talk about myself * Identified as highest priority 4

5. “Zoomquilt” 2 – Created by a dozen artists collaborating online 5

6. Brokered collaboration model for warranted information Cohesive collaboration model for non-warranted information Core contributors versus trusted contributors Reference: MIT Sloan Management Review, Fall 2007, Vol. 29: “Breakthroughs and the ‘Long Tail of Innovation’”; L. Fleming 6

7. “warranted” “non-warranted” 7

8. It’s the age-old process…

9. …in which some activities are new Contribution Processing Refresh (wiki) Publishing (all outputs) Gardening Update wiki Accept or reject contribution Run DITA2wiki in test Build release candidates Delete/archive old comments Receive notification Run DITA2wiki in production Inspect against wiki content Inspect incoming/outgoing links Acknowledge contribution Ship it Initiate updates Update done

10. “There will be a DITA-enabled wiki in the marketplace in 6 months.” Lisa Dyer, April 2005 10

11. System demo 11

12. The importance of reporting

13. Process brainteasers The trouble with comments As they collect on a page, info is harder to consume Comments have a life cycle, but how exactly do you define? Deleting comments might impact aspects of community equity Round-tripping What’s the best way to arbitrate community edits back into the source, in this case, DITA? Short answer: it’s the process, not the technology. Avoid over-engineering things. Content lifecycle Restricting views or edits: when is it an anti-pattern? Workflow: to automate or not to automate? 13

14. Architecture brainteasers Access point (hub space) Space Deliverable (= DITA map) 14

15. Thank you! Questions or feedback? lisa.dyer@lombardi.com Resources DITA2Wiki Project home: http://sourceforge.net/projects/dita2wiki/ DITA2Wiki Quick Start Datasheet Lombardi Blog: http://development.lombardi.com/ Building a DITA2wiki hybrid: A new approach to reuse and personalized content White paper: Using Structured Wikis in Software Engineering Blueprint it. The easiest way to get started with BPM is now available! www.lombardi.com/blueprint 15