Single Sourcing: Building Modular Documentation

by Kurt Ament

Overview

Single sourcing is more than mechanical document conversion. It is an information development strategy. Although it is often confused with the process of converting paper-based documents into online formats, single sourcing is a writing strategy that enables technical writers to develop centralized information modules, then map them to distinct audiences and media.
For technical writers, single sourcing means modular writing and information mapping. Rather than developing information for a given format, such as a user guide or online help, technical writers develop information modules at the element (section, paragraph, and sentence) level. They then map these information modules to preselected audiences and media.

This guide explains in plain language and by example how to develop single source documents. It shows technical writers how to develop standalone information modules, then map these modules to a variety of audiences and formats using proven information mapping techniques. In essence, the guide provides a flexible framework for modular technical writing that can be applied to any audience in any medium.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815514916
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	12/03/2007
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	249
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

About Single SourcingBuilding DocumentsStructuring ContentTroubleshooting Scenarios Configuring Language Abbreviations Capitalization Parallel Construction Person Punctuation Sentence Construction Tense Voice Leveraging Technology Conditional Text Conventions Development Tools Filenames Localization Search Engines Variables Glossary Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

This style guide explains in plain language and by example how to develop single source documents. It shows technical writers how to develop standalone information modules, then map these modules to a variety of audiences and formats.

Editorial Reviews

"The book is an easy read and is chock full of tips and guidelines." —Ann Rockley

From the Publisher

Every now and then, you come across a book that makes you stop and think. This is one such book. The timing of the release of Single Sourcing could not be better, for it draws together many of the ideas being presented today at online content development, web publishing and online learning conferences. There is a consensus building that early online web-based learning systems generally failed to satisfy their objectives due to bad information design and a lack of adherence to accepted pedagogical principles. This book masterfully addresses the information design part of the problem. Although aimed at technical documentation writers, editors, professors and students, the methodology is being adopted by non-technical educators involved in developing online learning content. "Single sourcing is a method for developing re-usable information." The methodology delivers "modular content that works anywhere, anytime, anyhow." Information that by design can be both migrated to other communication mediums and cognitively repurposed to address specific audiences or learning objectives. The book presents an overview of the single source technical documentation development method used by large defense, software and multimedia companies.

The book is a well-executed example of modular documentation. Even before reading the content of the book, the efficiency of single sourcing is evident by just browsing through the pages. Concepts being presented are easily identified, defined and connected to related concepts. Each chapter in the book begins with an introduction followed by an annotated table of contents for the chapter. The ten steps of the single source methodology to building documents are laid out in the second chapter of the book. The third chapter, the largest of the book, covers layout guidelines for structuring content. Lastly, writing guidelines are presented in chapter four. Rules for using abbreviations, sentence construction, punctuation, and other "language configurations" are covered. The last chapter of the book, "leveraging technology" is the weakest part of the work. The chapter almost seems like an afterthought as it lacks the depth of treatment the other areas of the book receive. The chapter presents technology considerations requiring attention in writing guidelines for content development. Overall, the book is strongly recommended for professionals involved in developing online information and corporate and academic library collections supporting technical communication and e-learning development activities.
— James A. Buczynski

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