DITA: Introduction to the standard
Presentation
DITA: Introduction to the Standard is a ‘How to’ guide based on your specific needs in terms of writing and organising production in DITA mode: How do you divide content into Topics? What markup should you use for an illustration caption? How can you reuse cross-functional data?
Created by our DITA specialists based on extensive customer feedback, the 4D CONCEPT DITA: Introduction to the Standard training course will give you the keys to get started quickly, using your own data if you wish.
Each module includes practical exercises. A sample publication is provided to help you remember all the recommended practices.
The training course is presented in oXygen.
Next sessions
To know
Public
2 to 5 trainees maximum per sessions
Duration
2 days
Price
On demand
Target
Technical writers, documentation architects.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites
Location
All our training courses can be delivered in person or remotely. Intra-company or inter-company training.
Accessibility
4D CONCEPT is committed to offering training courses to everyone. Our centres are accessible to people with reduced mobility, and our teams are on hand to provide the best possible support to participants with disabilities of any kind throughout their training.
Please contact our disability advisor at psh-accueil@.4dconcept.fr so that we can assess your request and its feasibility.
Goals
By the end of the training course, you will know how to:
- Structure topics using main tags
- Build a topic tree structure
- Use cross-functional libraries
- Use variables
- Create dynamic links
Program
1. Structured writing - theory
- Challenges in technical documentation
- Centralise, modularise, structure
- Towards standardised writing
2. XML: a code to rule them all – theory
- Brief history
- The XML structure
- Edit, publish
3. DITA: a documentation standard – theory
- And IBM created DITA
- DITA in principle
- DITA files
- Distinguishing between content and form
- Organisation of the Standard
4. An XML editor: oXygen XML – theory and practice
- XML editor vs word processor
- Getting started
5. DITA in practice – theory and practice
TOPICS
- Presentation
- Review of elements
PUBLICATION
- Contextualisation
- Prioritisation
REUSE
- Of topics
- Of content fragments
VARIABILITY
- Applicability (conditional filtering)
- Replacement of key data
DYNAMIC LINKS
- Index
- Summary
- Reference
Practical work
- Converting unstructured content into structured XML DITA content
- Organising a publication
- Creating and using libraries
- Variabilising content
Assessment methods:
The trainer will assess the knowledge acquired at the end of the course.
Updated December 2025
Testimonials
The speaker has a thorough understanding of the subject matter. Well-structured practical exercises.
You will come away with a concrete idea of structured content and the DITA standard, as well as a solid foundation of understanding.
Programme suitable for beginners, logical and comprehensive exercises.
