Switching to Structured FrameMaker

[Fred Wersan]

--What was your documentation situation? (How many product lines, how 
many publications, how much single-sourcing, how much translation?)

 > I am a single writer documenting 8 products  =~ 16 books and 10 or so 
online help systems, with a fair degree of text reuse, plus occasional 
contract manuals added in.

--Why did you decide that it was time to switch to structured 
documentation? What kind of limit had you reached?

 > I did it so that I could single-source my online help. I was using a 
dead-end HAT tool. I now use a home-grown system that wouldn't be 
possible without the XML output from Framemaker.

--What kinds of output do you create from structured FrameMaker? books 
and online help

--Has structured FrameMaker made your work easier or more efficient? Has 
it improved the responsiveness or quality of your documentation?

 > I couldn't do what I do without it, both in terms of my online help 
process and text reuse. I think that even aside from the XML/reuse 
issue, structured frame fosters improved document quality. To do it 
right, you have to get your formatting and style under control - no 
rogue para and char formats etc. I also rely heavily on plugins from 
West Street Consulting and scripts that I've written with framescript to 
automate and manage my doc process. Structured frame gives a level of 
control that facilitates this automation process.

As a practical matter, I developed my first EDD over a two month period 
and began converting books over the next couple of months, but I've been 
tweaking it ever since.



Fred
-- 
Fred Wersan
Senior Technical Writer
VT MAK
68 Moulton St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-876-8085 x 124

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