Mission statement for dita.xml.org: What about user groups?

Let's not lose track of the ways in which the current site is successful and currently serving the needs of DITA adoption. The two most popular pages for all time concern DITA user's groups:

New York DITA User's Group (56,766 reads)

DITA User Groups (40, 945 reads)

Where do user groups fit into the nine listed priorities?

(Note: http://dita.xml.org/hof/node shows the what pages are most heavily trafficked ...)

Best regards,

Kris

Kristen James Eberlein

Advisory Information Developer, IBM Internet Security Systems

Secretary, OASIS DITA Technical Committee

Home office in Durham, NC, USA

Telephone +1 919 682-2290 (UTC/GMT -5 hours)



"Su-Laine Yeo" <>

"Su-Laine Yeo" <> 

03/09/2009 10:24 PM

To

<>

cc

"DITA Adoption TC" <>

Subject

[dita-adoption-fasc] RE: Groups - New Action Item #0002 Develop a draft of a mission statement for dita.xml.org

Hi everyone,

Here are some initial thoughts on a mission statement for dita.xml.org. I'd like us to make this a prescriptive rather than descriptive statement. I.e. let's discuss the goals that we want the site to achieve rather simply describe what it already does. 

I'm going to be even more bold and extend this scope of this discussion to "OASIS-sponsored DITA adoption websites" and not limit discussion to the existing boundaries of dita.xml.org. I'd like to contemplate, for example, having different sites for different subject areas that are currently covered by dita.xml.org, if doing so is what is best for the DITA community and is feasible to implement and maintain.

I think we should try to come to consensus on four things:

1) Who is our intended audience?

2) What is suitable content for OASIS-sponsored DITA adoption websites?

3) What is NOT suitable content for OASIS-sponsored DITA adoption websites?

4) What kind of content development most needs a major *centralized* effort, as opposed to effort from individuals? 

My opinions are below:

Who is our intended audience?

- OASIS-sponsored DITA adoption websites are primarily intended to help current and potential adopters successfully adopt DITA. DITA application vendors, Technical Committee members, and Open Toolkit developers are secondary audiences, but the needs of DITA adopters come first. 

What is suitable content for OASIS-sponsored DITA adoption websites (in priority order from most important to least)?

1) Up-to-date user documentation for using and customizing the DITA Open Toolkit. Take the Open Toolkit user guide and make it up-to-date.

2) Descriptions of DITA features, elements, and attributes that are more user-friendly than the explanations in the official DITA specifications. Use additional examples to make it easier to understand what different element types are for, and how they are likely to be processed. We've started doing this kind of thing for DITA 1.2, but not systematically for DITA 1.1.

3) Sample content and markup examples: Many people learn well by imitating realistic, high-quality examples of DITA topic writing. 

4) Information about implementing DITA, e.g. information modelling, conversion, tool selection. 

5) Concrete ideas for using DITA features to solve realistic problems, e.g. how to implement a "variables" feature

6) Stories about actual DITA implementations.

7) Product reviews

8) Calendar of events 

What is NOT suitable content?

1) Repository of proposed specifications for the DITA Open Toolkit

2) Advertising. Our site(s) might link to press releases and promotional web pages, but should not duplicate large amounts of promotional material. Duplication of content that is available elsewhere is not helpful, and may hinder adoption by increasing confusion and noise.

What kind of content development most needs a major centralized effort? 

- In my opinion, items #1 and 2 in the "suitable content" list above are where we most need a centralized effort. The other things can be managed by passionate individuals or vendors. 

Thoughts? Let's discuss by email first and then take it to the wiki once ideas take shape or if the discussion becomes hard to manage.

Su-Laine

Su-Laine Yeo

Interaction Design Specialist 

JustSystems Canada, Inc.

Office: 778-327-6356 



www.justsystems.com 

-----Original Message-----

From:  [mailto:] 

Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 8:07 AM

To: Su-Laine Yeo

Subject: Groups - New Action Item #0002 Develop a draft of a mission sta...

DITA Adoption Focus Area SC member,

Kristen Eberlein has created a new action item.

Number: #0002

Description: Develop a draft of a mission sta...

Owner: Su-Laine Yeo

Due: 09 Mar 2009

Comments:

View Details:

http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/dita-adoption-fasc/members/action_item.php?action_item_id=2581

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