The document discusses the balance between standardization and creativity in structured content management, highlighting the importance of flexible layout specifications for automated outputs. It presents case studies on the communication of layout requirements and the complexities of managing customized structures within content creation workflows. The conclusion emphasizes the need to evaluate the costs and biases in structural changes while leveraging technology for streamlined communication.

1. Balancing standardization against
the need for creativity
Flickr: Paxson Woelber
Alan Pringle
Scriptorium
August 3, 2016
@alanpringle

2. Type questions and
comments in the
Questions module of
GoToWebinar.
Questions? Comments?
Flickr: Veronique Debord
Attendees are muted
during webcast.
Webcast is being recorded,
but your name won't be
shown.
@alanpringle

3. About me
Chief operating officer,
Scriptorium Publishing
Working with structured
content since 1988
Coauthor, Content Strategy 101
and Technical Writing 101
@alanpringle

4. About me
@alanpringle

5. Stereotype of structured authoring
Flickr: Umberto Salvagnin
No creativity!
@alanpringle

6. Three case studies
Communicating layout specifications for
automated outputs
Considering the true costs of customized
structures
Flexibility in layout as a business
requirement
@alanpringle

7. Flickr: State Library and Archives of Florida
Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
@alanpringle

8. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
@alanpringle

9. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
<xsl:variable name="level-1-family">SansBold</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-size">14pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-line-height">15pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-weight">normal</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-style">normal</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-indent">0pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-color">#000000</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-space-before">42pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-space-after">4pt</xsl:variable>
Settings for heading 1 paragraphs:
@alanpringle

10. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
Typical workflow for automated PDF output
@alanpringle

11. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
Programmer develops stylesheet in
text/XML editor.
Code specifies page size, font use, and
so on.
@alanpringle

12. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
<xsl:variable name="level-1-family">SansBold</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-size">14pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-line-height">15pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-weight">normal</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-style">normal</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-indent">0pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-color">#000000</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-space-before">42pt</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name="level-1-space-after">4pt</xsl:variable>
@alanpringle

13. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
Any changes?
“Change the heading color to our new
corporate blue.”
“Make the chapter heading a little bigger.”
Programmer gets specifications from
template.
@alanpringle

14. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
Developed process that relies on... stylesheets!
Programmer added detailed code comments.
Programmatic formatting requires specific
numbers. How do you collect them?
@alanpringle

15. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
Sample code comment for page size:
Physical page dimensions.
US Letter is 8.5 in x 11 in;
A4 is 8.3 in × 11.7 in.
Dimensions that accommodate
both paper sizes are 8.3 in x
11.0 in.
@alanpringle

16. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
Extract code comments and create Word
file:
@alanpringle

17. Communicating layout specifications for
automated output
Designer fills out settings and returns file.
Programmer gets specific measurements.
Code comments serve as reference for
later maintenance.
@alanpringle

18. Flexibility in layout as a
business requirement
Flickr: Creative-Tools.com
@alanpringle

19. Flexibility in layout as a
business requirement
Automated PDF formatting is not for all
information types.
Highly designed study guides required
greater flexibility in layout.
How do you preserve high-quality layouts
for print?
@alanpringle

20. Flexibility in layout as a
business requirement
Transform source XML into InDesign-
compatible XML.
XML refers to styles in the InDesign
template.
@alanpringle

21. Flexibility in layout as a
business requirement
<ParagraphStyleRange AppliedParagraphStyle="ParagraphStyle/body">
<CharacterStyleRange AppliedCharacterStyle="CharacterStyle/
$ID/[No character style]">
<Content>When developing a test bed, it is important to
ensure that you cover </Content>
</CharacterStyleRange>
<CharacterStyleRange
AppliedCharacterStyle="CharacterStyle/bold">
<Content>all </Content>
</CharacterStyleRange>
<CharacterStyleRange AppliedCharacterStyle="CharacterStyle/
$ID/[No character style]">
<Content>basic cases for your requirements.</Content>
</CharacterStyleRange>
...
</ParagraphStyleRange>
InDesign Markup Language (IDML) sample:
@alanpringle

22. Flexibility in layout as a
business requirement
Place XML file into InDesign template.
Styles and other formatting applied
automatically:
@alanpringle

23. Flexibility in layout as a
business requirement
@alanpringle
Wikipedia: Guma89

24. Flexibility in layout as a
business requirement
Adjust line breaks, pagination, image
placement, and so on.
Reduced production time significantly.
Get benefits of structured content (reuse,
in particular).
@alanpringle

25. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Flickr: Japanexperterna.se
@alanpringle

26. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Standardization versus creativity is not
just about layout.
Create custom structure? Adopt standard?
When should you change a standard's
default structures?
@alanpringle

27. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Implement XML for conditional content,
mobile delivery, and localization.
Installation guides: procedures with more
than 100 steps.
Steps could contain substeps and
sub-substeps.
@alanpringle

28. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Procedure layers:
63. This is the 63rd
step in a procedure.
a. This is a substep.
i. This is a sub-substep.
@alanpringle

29. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Content model did not support sub-substeps
by default.
Content creators requested addition of
sub-substep element.
@alanpringle

30. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
My reaction to a 100-step procedure with
three layers of steps:
a. Time to re-evaluate
b. Excellent tech comm
c. Absolutely not
d. CENSORED
@alanpringle

31. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Information architects: reconsider the long
procedures and sub-substeps.
Level of effort: modifying versus
maintaining default structure.
@alanpringle
Please.

32. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Modify:

Develop and test modification

Implement in authoring tools, CCMS, and
stylesheets

Distribute to localization vendors

Train writers on custom structure
@alanpringle

33. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Maintain:

Rethink procedures to eliminate sub-substeps.

Rewrite to break up lengthy procedures.
@alanpringle

34. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Content creators:
Did not want to rewrite content.
Adding sub-substep path of least resistance.
Rewriting = admitting that process is bad.
@alanpringle

35. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
Information architects:
Rewriting: short-term effort, long-term
benefits.
Rewrote some content to show increased
reuse.
What about reading on phones and
tablets?
@alanpringle

36. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
@alanpringle

37. Considering the true costs of
customized structures
No agreement on approach.
Company planned to re-evaluate later.
Not every consulting engagement has a
happy ending.
@alanpringle

38. Conclusions
Streamline communication with technology.
Evaluate costs and biases while considering
structural changes.
Get benefits of structure and flexible
formatting.
@alanpringle

39. Conclusions
Technical ≠ not creative
Need versus want
@alanpringle

40. Resources
PDF specifications (Word file)
tiny.cc/PDFsettings
Managing change (Content Strategy 101)
tiny.cc/manage-change
InDesign XML
InDesign & DITA post: tiny.cc/indesign-dita
IDML specifications (PDF): tiny.cc/idml
@alanpringle

41. Resources
Case study summaries:
tiny.cc/balancing-case-studies
@alanpringle

42. Flickr: Veronique Debord
Questions?
Comments?
@alanpringle

43. Contact me
Alan Pringle
asp@scriptorium.com
scriptorium.com/blog
@alanpringle