understanding information architecture
DESCRIPTION
Presented at DocTrain East 2007 by Joe Gelb, Suite Solutions -- Designing, building and maintaining a coherent information architecture is critical to proper planning, creation, management and delivery of documentation and training content. This is especially true when your content is based on a modular or topic-based model such as DITA and SCORM or if you are migrating to such a model.But where to start? Terms such as taxonomy, semantics, and ontology can be intimidating, and recognized standards like RDF, OWL, Topic Maps (XTM) and SKOS seem so abstract. This pragmatic workshop will provide an overview of the standards and concepts, and a chance to use them hands-on to turn the abstract into tangible skills. We will demonstrate how a well-designed information architecture facilitates reuse and how the information model is integrally connected to conditional and multi-purpose publishing.We will introduce an innovative, comprehensive methodology for information modeling and content development called SOTA Solution Oriented Topic Architecture. SOTA does not aim to be yet another new standard, but rather a concrete methodology backed up with open-source and accessible tools for using existing standards. We will demonstrate ֖and practice—hands-on—how this powerful methodology can help you organize and express information, determine which content actually needs to be created or updated, and build documentation and training deliverables from your content based on the rules you define.This workshop is essential for successfully implementing topic models like DITA and SCORM, multi-purpose conditional publishing, and successfully facilitating content reuse.TRANSCRIPT
Understanding InformationArchitectureDoctrain East, October 2007
Joe GelbPresident, Suite Solutions
Main Training Topics
Introductions: Who is this guy?What is information architecture?Why is it important?Introduction to key concepts and standardsMethodology for developing information architecture for techdocs and trainingLet’s try it
Who is this guy?Background in Mechanical Engineering
CAD/CAMProduction process planning
CTO for a leading techdoc provider and technology vendor
Built and managed professional services groupResponsible for design, development and implementation of DB and publishing applications for tech and reference publications, including CMS
Left to form independent consulting and implementation group
Main Training Topics
Introductions: Who is this guy?What is information architecture?Why is it important?Introduction to key concepts and standardsMethodology for developing information architecture for techdocs and trainingLet’s try it
What is Information Architecture
The science of expressing a model or concept for information
Used for activities that require expressions of complex systems
Consists of:
Structural design of shared information environmentsOrganizing and labeling information to support usability and findability
From Wikipedia
What is IA for us?
Method for organizing documentation and training resources – text, media – into an overarching knowledge modelThe knowledge model is created and maintained separate from the actual content – like creating a global indexAllows us to provide access to the information based on the model of the knowledge it containsSteve Newcombe
Simple level: Organization of content by hierarchy, relationshipsNext level: Organization of subjects, and relate content to those subjects
Why it is it important for us?
Best practices for technical content development based on topic-oriented content architecture
Topic-oriented content = modular = component-based documentation
Instead of creating deliverables, we create discrete topics of information
Need better methodologies to plan, create, manage, localize, publish, deliver and find content
Why?
Sheer volume of individual resourcesAllows us to reap the benefits
Topic-Based ContentTopics
Each topic answers a single questionOnly enough information to understand one concept, perform one procedure or provide one set of reference information
Maps
Assemble topics into deliverablesDefine relationships between topics
Standards being adopted
DITASCORMS1000D
Business Advantages of Topic-based Content
More efficient authoring
Reuse content in multiple deliverablesEasier to maintain contentTopic architecture and DTD promotes minimalization
Easier to customize deliverables:Conditionalization on the map level, topic level, and element level
Automated publishing
Business Advantages of Topic-based Content
Reduce review time
Review topics as they are readySMEs focus on single topics instead of entire deliverablesReview topics once, even if they appear multiple times in multiple deliverables
Reduce localization costs
Only send new and updated topics for translationTranslate topics as they are ready: no need to wait for entire deliverable to be completed
Reduce time to market:Quicker authoring, review, translation, publishing
Overview of DITA
Darwin Information Typing Architecture
OASIS standard
Open Source: DTDs, schemas, DITA-OT are free
Not just a DTD: an architecture for designing, authoring, managing and publishing content
Overview of DITA
Facility for customization within the standard: specialization (thus Darwin)
Facilitates documentation minimalization with semantic tagging
Open Source Toolkit (DITA-OT) for producing outputs
Active user and development community: reaching critical mass
DITA Facilitates ReuseAssemble topics into deliverables
Reference topic elements within other topics: conrefs (content references)
Conditionalize content within topics using conditional attributes
Filter content based on conditions to get multi-purpose outputs(conditional processing)
Manage links separately from the content using relationship tables
DITA Maps: Assembling Topics into Deliverables
Assemble any number of topics into sequences for print or online delivery
Organize topics into a hierarchy
Based on context and position, not the topics themselves
Use sub-maps within maps
Allows you to create building blocksTopics can occur in more than one position in the same map
DITA Maps: Assembling Topics into Deliverables
Can create different types of maps:
Solution-orientedHow products and procedures work together
Task-orientedHow to accomplish a specific goal
Feature-orientedWhat does a product or component do
Where Does IA Fit Into This
Hierarchical and sequential organization of topics into deliverables:DITA Maps, SCORM manifests
Definition of relationships between topics:DITA relationship tables, related links
Overarching knowledge model:XTM, SKOS, DITA Taxonomy specialization
Helps organize creation and sharing of contentDetermines valid use of conditionalization in the content – topics and mapsAllows usage of standard tools for navigating and searching content: semantic web
Main Training Topics
Introductions: Who is this guy?What is information architecture?Why is it important?Introduction to key concepts and standardsMethodology for developing information architecture for techdocs and trainingLet’s try it
What is Semantic Web?Semantics: the study of meaning
Semantic technologies: help separate meaning from the documentation content itself based on open standards
Allows computers to interpret and process the meaning of a document
Semantic Web: framework that allows information to be identified and reused across application, organization and community boundaries
Meaning is represented using ontologies and provide reasoning through relationships, rules, logic and conditions expressed in the ontologies
What’s an Ontology?Terms used to describe and represent an area of knowledge – subject matter
Model for the meaning of those termsVocabulary and the meaning of that vocabulary
For us, that means standardized index, glossary, conditional tags/conditional attribute values
Used by people, databases and applications to navigate, identify and share information in a specific domain (specific area of knowledge)
For us, that means better planning and content reuse on the authoring side and better delivery on the production side
- Dr. Leo Obrst, MITRE Information Semantics Group
What are Semantic Technologies
Global naming schemes: URI (identifier)
Standard syntax to describe data and properties of the data: RDF
Standard way to describe relationships between data: Ontologies defined with:
OWL Web Ontology LanguageXML Topic Maps (XTM)SKOS – Simple Knowledge Organization System
Spectrum of Ontology
RDF: Resource Description Framework
Standard model for representing information
Standard syntax to describe and exchange data
Defines a graph of relations represented byobject-attribute-value triplesThat is: Object O has an attribute A with value V
Sample RDF XML
Object type: Component
Object identifier: C89722A8-…-68F01FCD2ADE
Attributes
TitleRelease datePart Number, Part Name
RDF Graphical Representation
OWL: Ontology Working Language
Describes relations between classes of information
Based on classes, individuals and properties
Class: a concept or subject in a domain; can be organized hierarchically
Individual: instance of a class
OWL: Ontology Working Language
Properties:Object: relate individuals to other individualsDatatype: relate individuals to data values (numbers, strings, etc.)Functional: property takes only one value (e.g. age)Inverse Functional: Two individuals cannot have the same value (e.g. social security number)Symmetric: If A links to B, then infer thatB links to A (e.g. siblings)Transitive: If A links to B and B links to C, then infer that A links to C
OWL: Ontology Working Language
“The Future of the Web is Semantic,” Naveen Balani, 18 Oct 2005
Topic Maps (XTM)
Semantic knowledge model to express an ontology
ISO standard; can also be expressed as XML
Topic
Represents a subject or conceptCategorized by Type
Map
Associations: relationships between topicsOccurrences: link between information resources and the subjects that they express something about
Graphical Representation of a Topic Map
“The TAO of Topic Maps,” Steve Pepper
SKOS: Simple Knowledge Organization System
Standard for modeling an ontology
Similar to Topic Maps, however it is expressed using RDF, the accepted syntax of expression for the semantic web
Thus, SKOS bridges the gap between traditional indexing and formal ontologies for the semantic web
Define subjects and if desired, organize them into a taxonomy (i.e. hierarchy)
Classify content to indicate its subject
DITA Taxonomy specialization allows you to maintain the ontology in DITA and transform it into SKOS RDF for processing and use with standard tools
SKOS: Simple Knowledge Organization System
“Subject Classification with DITA and SKOS,” Hennum, Anderson and Bird, October 2005
SKOS: Simple Knowledge Organization System
“Subject Classification with DITA and SKOS,” Hennum, Anderson and Bird, October 2005
Assembling a deliverable from the subject and content maps
SKOS: Simple Knowledge Organization System
“Connecting the Dots: Relationship and Relevance with DITA Maps,” Hennum
RDF expression of a SKOS ontology
Main Training Topics
Introductions: Who is this guy?What is information architecture?Why is it important?Introduction to key concepts and standardsMethodology for developing information architecture for techdocs and trainingLet’s try it
Solution Oriented Content DevelopmentDevelop a High Level Information Architecture
Create a knowledge model of subjects encompassing:
All products, features, system componentsAll life-cycle stages
From that model, compile lists of content to be created to express the knowledge model
Compile content to form maps representing documentation deliverables
DITA MapsSCORM Manifests
Examples of Subjects
DesignSell: Demos, Positioning, Related Products, Related Services, Strategy, Target MarketImplement: Initialize, Install, Configuration, TrainingUse: End Use, AdministerMaintain: Troubleshoot, Optimize, Service, Maintenance
Life Cycle
Servers: S1, S2, S3Endpoints: E1, E2, E3Peripherals: P1, P2, P3
Products
Other Subject Types: Features, Tasks, Interfaces, Screens, Use Cases, User Roles, Legal Info
Assy1, Assy2, Assy3P101, P102, P103
AssembliesParts
Windows, Unix, Linux, MacintoshPlatformsSupported
SubjectsType
Subject Associations
Define relationships between subject types to help compile the full list of subjects to be documented
Solution System ComponentProduct Platform SupportedProduct FeatureFeature TaskTask InterfaceTask Life CycleTask User RoleProduct AssemblyAssembly Part
Build Your Own OntologyList Solutions your company offersFor each Solution: list System ComponentsFor each Product:
Associate with System ComponentsAssociate with Platforms SupportedList Features
For each Feature:Associate with Platforms SupportedAssociate with User RolesList Tasks
For each Task:List ScreensAssociate with Life Cycle StageAssociate with User Roles
Content Resources
Different types of content resources are used to express information about the subjects
DITA TaskDITA ReferenceDITA ConceptIllustrationDrawingFlashVideoPresentation
Generate List of Content to be Created
Set rules: Topics needed to express each subject
Description, Supplier, Replacement Part, DiagramPart
Installation Task, Maintenance Task, List of PartsAssembly
List of buttons and fields (DITA Reference)Screen
Description, Use CaseFeature
Procedure (DITA Task), safety instructionTask
Overview (DITA Concept), Legal license / liability / warrantee
Product
Create Content Topic:For Each:
Author ContentFor each content instance, author knows the topic to be described and the characteristicsExample:Procedure: Configuring Server Ports (DITA Task)Characteristics:
Product: Server S1Task: Configure Server PortsUser Roles: Administrator, ImplementerInterface: AdminScreen: Port ConfigurationLife Cycle Stage: Installation, ConfigurationPlatform: Windows, Unix, Linux
Related Content:Screen element reference, Screen capture
Generate DeliverablesSet rules for each type of deliverable to create maps
Product Overview, Legal ReferencesFor each interface associated with Admin, Implementer, Technician
For each screen, include screen referenceFor each Task associated with life cycle stage: Installation, Configuration, Administer, Troubleshoot
Include Procedures (DITA Task)
Admin Guide
Product Overview, Legal References, Installation and Configuration Procedures associated withUser Role=Implementer
Installation Guide
ContentsDeliverable
Generate DeliverablesSet rules for each type of deliverable to create maps
Product Overview, Legal ReferencesGetting Started
For each Task associated with User Role: End User, Life Cycle: Installation, Configuration, include all procedures
FeaturesFor each Feature
Include Feature DescriptionFor each Task associated with Life Cycle: Use, User Role: End User include Procedure
User Guide
ContentsDeliverable
Main Training Topics
Introductions: Who is this guy?What is information architecture?Why is it important?Introduction to key concepts and standardsMethodology for developing information architecture for techdocs and trainingLet’s try it
Let’s Give it a Try
1. Create a list of subject types:Solutions, products, components, features, procedures …
2. What kinds of relationships are there between the different kinds of subjects?
3. Note the relationships between the different subjects
4. Compile your list of content to create
5. Develop rules for how to build a deliverable
Good Luck Good Luck Good Luck ! ! !
End of Understanding InformationArchitecture