DITA: Handling SME review
To handle SME review of content, you have a number of options. However, the most efficient review process allows for the following:
- The ability to iterate on the content during review (based on incoming feedback) so you can update topics before other reviewers begin their review.
- The ability for reviewers to interface with each other via comments.
- Historical comments so other reviewers can see the evolution of the content.
- Presentation of the content in the same form that users will view it in (rather than a rendered PDF or Word document).
- The ability for reviewers to review the content asynchronously on their own schedules and times.
- The ability for reviewers to see the updates you've already made to the content so they know their recommendations don't fall on deaf ears.
- The ability for reviewers to continue their review post-release since people are usually busy up until release time.
Based on this criteria, probably the best way to review DITA content is through Oxygen's Webhelp with Feedback output. This provides a comment section at the bottom of topics that allows people to comment on the topic, read others' comments, allows authors to reply to comments, allows for notifications that stimulate conversation, and more.
For details on creating the webhelp with feedack theme, see DITA: Webhelp with Feedback.
About Tom Johnson
I'm an API technical writer based in the Seattle area. On this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, AI, information architecture, content strategy, writing processes, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation course if you're looking for more info about documenting APIs. Or see my posts on AI and AI course section for more on the latest in AI and tech comm.
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