Topic-based authoring is a content authoring approach that supports modular, reusable content pieces called topics. Topics are discrete pieces of content about a specific subject that can stand alone. MadCap Flare is a technical authoring tool that uses a topic-based, single-sourcing approach to allow authors to create and publish content to multiple outputs from a single source.

1. Mike Hamilton
V.P. Product Evangelism
MadCap Software
mhamilton@madcapsoftware.com
MadCap Flare Overview

2. MadCap Software Concepts:
Topic-based Authoring

3. Multiple Source Publishing Limitations
Original Draft
Employee
Manual
Hourly
Employee
Manual
Management
Employee Manual
Management Manual
London
Management Manual
Paris
Hourly Manual London
Hourly Manual
Paris

4. Concepts
Topic-based authoring
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Topic-based authoring is a modular content creation approach
(popular in the technical publications and documentation
arenas) that supports XML content reuse, content
management, and makes the dynamic assembly of personalized
information possible.
A topic is a discrete piece of content that is about a specific
subject, has an identifiable purpose, and can stand alone (does
not need to be presented in context for the end-user to make
sense of the content). Topics are also reusable. They can, when
constructed properly (without reliance on other content for its
meaning), be reused in any context anywhere needed.

5. Definitions
Topic-based authoring
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A topic is:
• A discrete piece of content
• About a specific subject
• Has an identifiable purpose
• Can stand alone
Topics are reusable. They can be reused in any
context anywhere needed.

6. Remember – Think Topics
Printing
Reports
Using
Container
Objects
Saving reports
Creating
Reports
About
Schedules
Adding
Users
Setting
Permissions
Deleting
Users
Placing
Objects
About
Objects
About Users
Exporting
Objects
About
Containment
Customizing
Objects
About
Programming
Objects and
Inheritance
Editing
Reports
Containing
Objects
Relating
Objects
Importing
Reports
Setting
SchedulesAbout
Reports
Project

7. MadCap Software Concepts:
Single-source Publishing

8. Single Sourcing: Work Flow
Create Master
Source Files
(Content)
Add Conditional
Tags/Variables
(Customize)
Define Publishing
Targets
(Output)
Generate
3 different
Outputs
Target – Enterprise Mobile
• Include: Enterprise info
• Exclude: Standard info
Print Info
• Define other specific attributes
Target – Standard Print
• Include: Standard info
Print info
• Exclude: Enterprise info
• Define other specific attributes
Target – Standard Browser Help
• Include: Standard info
• Exclude: Enterprise info
Print Info
• Define other specific attributes
Standard
Enterprise
Print Only

9. MadCap Flare Workflow
Import
DITA
Microsoft Word
Adobe FrameMaker
HTML files
XHTML files
RoboHelp and other
Help Projects
.CHM files
Publish
Print
PDF
Microsoft Word
Adobe FrameMaker
Microsoft XPS
Microsoft DOCX
Web Browser
HTML5
WebHelp
Mobile
EPUB
WebHelp Mobile
(iPhone, Android, Windows
Mobile, Blackberry)
Windows Desktop
DotNet Help
HTML Help (.CHM)
Other
DITA
XHTML Book
Create/Edit

10. Modularity
TopicsTopicsTopicsTopics
Target
(The rules that
make a document
unique)
CSS
(Content
look/feel)
Page
Template
TOC
(Topic
Organization)
Publishing
UI Template
(for Web)

11. Questions?
Mike Hamilton
V.P. Product Evangelism
MadCap Software
mhamilton@madcapsoftware.com

12. Thank you
Mike Hamilton
V.P. Product Evangelism
MadCap Software
mhamilton@madcapsoftware.com

13. MadCap Flare
Live Demonstration

14. MadCap Software
• Founded: 2005
• Location: La Jolla, CA
• Profitable
• Double digit YOY growth
• MadCap is the leading technical communication
software firm specializing in content
development, delivery and management

15. Industry Standard
• Largest Technical Writing Universities around the world
now educate with MadCap Flare:
– Princeton University
– San Francisco State University
– Carnegie Mellon University
– University of Washington
– University of California San Francisco
– University of Massachusetts
– Karlsruhe University (Germany)
– University of California Los Angeles
– Towson University
– Swinburne University (Australia)
– And many more…

16. Thousands of Customers Worldwide…

17. Three Phases of Content
SourceControl
Source
Content/
Topics
SharePoint
Review
Content
SharePoint
Published
Content

18. Storage on Local Machine
Advantages
• Best performance
• Files always available
Disadvantages
• Difficult to share common files (logos, style
sheets, etc.)
• Back up plan needs to be defined

19. Local Machine with Ext. Resources
Shared External Resources:
• Flare projects on local machine
• Shared files/content on network

20. Storage on the Network
Network / Intranet

21. Storage in Source Control

22. Production (Authoring and Review)
Source
Control
SharePoint /
Network
Build
Machine

23. Thank you

24. Thank you
• Top speed:
220 miles/hour
• Annual budget:
$470 Million Dollars
• Staff: 500
• Car designed/engineered by team
Formula 1 Racing

25. Thank you

26. Thank you
• Top speed:
220 miles/hour
• Annual budget:
$15 Million Dollars
• Staff: 25
• Car purchased by team
Indy Car Racing

27. Comparison
Formula 1
• 20 x Larger Staff
• 31 x More Expensive
• 1-2% Higher
Performance
Indy Car
• Smaller Staff
• Cost Effective
• High Performance
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