What is DITA?

Abbreviation for Darwin Information Typing Architecture. It is an architecture for the creation, management, and utilization of information developed by OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) and is compliant with XML. It is characterized by dividing documents into units of 4 to 5 sentences and managing them comprehensively as components. In addition to enabling the reuse of information in different contexts, it supports output in various formats (PDF, HTML).

Benefits of DITA

In the case of traditional manual creation using FrameMaker, InDesign, or Word, the drawback was that the cycle for document reuse became long due to the large size of each individual file. With DITA, the units of information are smaller, allowing for a shorter reuse cycle, and enabling efficient and low-cost document creation and management.

Solution Process

At Human Science, we propose efficient management, operation, and maintenance flows for large volumes of documents based on the know-how of document and manual production that we have cultivated since our founding in 1985.

We also propose production tailored to your needs.

• ・Reorganization of manuals and documents
• ・Manual Rewrite
• - Componentization, Topic Writing (in the case of DITA)
• ・Translation
• - Coding, XML editing

DITA Localization Solutions Provided by Human Science

The use of DITA not only facilitates document creation but also brings about a synergistic effect of shortened work cycles and cost reduction through integrated document management in localization. At Human Science, we leverage our extensive experience in localizing XML standard manuals that have been widely adopted overseas to provide efficient and effective DITA solutions for localization.

Cost reduction in the Repetition section

In standard documents, even when using translation support software, a cost of about 10% of the translation fee is incurred for Repetition (*). However, in DITA, which is managed independently on a unit basis, there are no Repetition costs incurred at the paragraph level.
* When the same part appears repeatedly, it can be reused at the sentence level.

Reduction of Work Cycle

By translating in units, customers can review the translated text in smaller segments. This eliminates the issue of having to check a large volume of documents at once, addressing the problem of "not having enough time to check thoroughly."

Stable Workflow

The XML standard used in DITA is not affected by the computer environment. In applications like Word, there is a problem where the layout and formatting of documents can change depending on the environment. In such cases, adjustments between the translation company and the client become necessary. On the other hand, DITA is environment-independent, and when processed through translation support software, it does not affect the layout, allowing for a significant reduction in man-hours during the pre- and post-translation processes.

Automation of DTP

One of the features of DITA is the ability to automatically output files in multiple formats such as PDF, CHM, and HTML from XML sources. By leveraging this feature, the time and cost of DTP processing, which previously took several days, can be significantly reduced.

About DITA Consortium Japan

Human Science participates in the DITA Consortium Japan as a DITA player, engaging in the promotion of DITA and providing services that support DITA.

The DITA Consortium Japan is an organization established with the aim of promoting DITA within Japan, accumulating DITA know-how, and leading the re-engineering of content production in companies through international discourse and communication regarding DITA, thereby contributing to the Japanese industrial sector.

For information about the DITA Consortium Japan, please visit the site below.