Brief overview of how you as an author can work with structured content in Paligo. To find out all the details, we provide an in-depth demo video (approx 50m long) on Paligo Academy.
What is structured authoring?
Structured authoring is a method of writing that uses a predetermined structure, or components, to create structured content. By using a predefined structure, the author can focus on the content itself, rather than on the format. This content can be in the form of articles, manuals, knowledge-based websites, etc.
Structured authoring separates content from layout/formatting. Stylesheets (XSLT and CSS) apply formatting separately, increasing content reuse and consistency, while reducing technical documentation costs.
Structured authoring organizes your content into manageable chunks and makes it easy to reuse and update information. Plus, structured authoring can help you save time, ease your workload, and save costs by:
- Automating the creation and updating of publications
- Reusing chunks of text and updating them all in one place.
- Publishing to multiple systems simultaneously
Paligo’s topic-based design makes structured authoring easy
Paligo bases its structured authoring on XML (Extensible Markup Language) which is an industry-standard markup language used to encode documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. Paligo is also designed for “topic-based authoring”, which is a more efficient way of producing and managing documentation. With topic-based authoring, you create each section of your content in separate “containers” called topics. Writing structured content in topics has many benefits. They are easier to manage and translate, and you can reuse them in different publications.
Advantages of structured content:
- Easily find and edit specific sections of your content with individual components.
- Single-sourcing eliminates redundancy and makes it easier to manage your documentation.
- Allows the reuse of existing content rather than creating it from scratch or copying and pasting.
- Translation editors and TMS integrations save both time and costs.
- Multi-channel publishing keeps content consistent.
The Benefits of Structured Authoring using Paligo
There are many benefits to be gained from structured authoring: improved documentation quality, reduced time / training costs, and better content management.
Using predefined structures ensure all necessary information is included in the content. As a result, readers are less likely to encounter errors or omissions in the documentation.
Time and cost are also minimized when authors have no need to spend time formatting the content.
All content is stored in a central location, for easier management, while the common structure simplifies the search for specific pieces of information. Furthermore, storing content in a central location makes it easier to update and revise when necessary.
Authors can spend more time focusing on the content itself, as the structure is already in place. This also allows for a better flow of information and more concise documentation.
Content can be reused across multiple documents and platforms, saving time and effort. This eliminates the need for manual updates and makes it easier to keep content up-to-date.
Who Should Use Structured Authoring?
Structured authoring facilitates the efficient management of content, while reducing costs and improving productivity.
It is most beneficial for companies that create and maintain large or complex documentation, such as manuals or online help systems. By ensuring high quality and consistency, your content stays well-organized, and presented in a clear and consistent way.