Unresolved Topics
By Michael Hahn
Why do these topics keep coming up?
In the short history of TC Camp, some topics are perennial. Why are the same questions asked?
Some topics are exhausted in a session or two, but others continue to challenge our attendees. In the next few weeks, I'll look at some of those recurring topics.
Document review process
What do we do after information is created? Document Review is one of the most popular topics. It breaks down into tools, people, and processes. I think part of the continuing discussion of this topic is the mix of strategies.
Not every organization has the personnel to devote to a QA/QC process or the budget for a dedicated set of tools to answer the "who," "what," and "when" of making content accurate and interesting. Discussions have centered around routing challenges, whether to use peer review or dedicated editors (or both), and when in the life cycle to review the content, post-author or pre-publication.
Challenges of using standards
The old joke is the great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from. Discussions of standards often center around their value in information production and management, balanced against the tools and techniques needed to work with a standard.
Is it just a vocabulary or a framework or a specific set of rules that must be obeyed? Is the value of using the standard in information exchange (with other organizations or other parts of the same organization), or is it valuable because of the library of tools and techniques that may come with it?
There are many things to consider in choosing to adopt a particular standard, whether it's DITA, S1000D, or a variety of other available national, international, or industry standards.
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