The Benefits of Using Structured Authoring in Technical Writing

by Bradley Nice, Content Manager at ClickHelp — all-in-one help authoring tool

Of course, you have come across websites that are nothing but a collection of inconsistent documents that are created and posted to a non-navigable platform. This is quite an unfriendly environment for tech writers who have to waste time searching for information or adjusting the same element in multiple publications. You may use this time to write fresh content instead. For this issue, structured authoring is an excellent remedy. Let’s discuss the benefits of structured authoring and how to make the most of it.

Structured Authoring: What Is It?

In a most abstract way, the term ‘structured authoring’ can be defined in the following way:

Structured authoring is a workflow for technical documentation where the content is controlled by certain rules.

Structured authoring is a writing process that adheres to strict guidelines and formats, often used in technical writing. It’s a way of creating and maintaining documents where both the content and the format are governed by predefined rules. The ‘structure’ in structured authoring refers to the organizational framework for the information, including its format, layout, and how it is to be understood and navigated.

The Benefits of Structured Authoring

The key benefits of structured authoring include:

• Consistency: As the content is structured according to a specific set of rules, structured authoring produces documents that are uniform in style and terminology, which is highly beneficial for readers as well as for maintaining brand consistency.
• Reusable Components: Content can be broken down into smaller, reusable components or modules. These can be used across multiple documents without having to rewrite them.
• Separation of Content and Formatting: In structured authoring, content creation is separated from its presentation. The author focuses solely on writing the content, while the format is applied separately, often automatically, according to predefined styles and layouts.
• XML and Markup Languages: Structured authoring commonly uses eXtensible Markup Language (XML) or similar markup languages like HTML. Using XML allows content to be easily parsed, manipulated, and displayed across different platforms and devices.
• Content Management: It’s often integrated with content management systems (CMS) to track changes, manage versions, and streamline the publication process.
• Efficient Localization and Translation: Because content components are modular and standardized, it becomes easier to localize content for different regions and languages.

Structured authoring is particularly helpful for organizations that deal with large volumes of content, such as manuals, legal documents, or product descriptions, which need to be kept up-to-date and consistent across various platforms and formats. It helps to reduce duplication, minimize errors, and improve the manageability of documentation, leading to more efficient content delivery workflows.

Tools for Implementing Structured Authoring

Content management systems (CMS) facilitate structured authoring through a range of functionalities. While ClickHelp is primarily known as a documentation authoring tool rather than a traditional CMS, let’s see how it implements some features of structured authoring within its platform.

• Templates and Standards: ClickHelp provides pre-defined templates and standards for creating structured content, ensuring consistency and adherence to specific guidelines.
• Metadata and Tagging: ClickHelp allows for the addition of metadata and tagging to content. This categorization aids in organizing and retrieving content elements for reuse in structured authoring.
• Version Control: ClickHelp offers version control capabilities, allowing for the tracking of changes to structured content. This ensures that content remains consistent and accurate during the authoring process.
• Content Reusability: ClickHelp enables the identification and reuse of specific content components, ensuring that structured elements are repurposed across different documents or channels.
• Content Taxonomies: ClickHelp supports the creation and management of content taxonomies, which are integral for structured authoring. This helps to organize and classify content elements to ensure easier retrieval.
• Workflow Management: ClickHelp facilitates structured authoring by providing workflow management tools, allowing multiple contributors to collaborate on structured content while adhering to a predefined process.

By employing these features, ClickHelp assists in implementing structured authoring by enforcing consistency, aiding in content organization, and easing the process of content creation and reuse.

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It’s a hard fact that many companies still keep exchanging Word and PDF files via corporate email to collect feedback. The requirements of contemporary technical writing no longer align with those of antiquated procedures. The landscape of technical writing has shifted as a result of a sharp increase in the amount of content needed to support digital products. Businesses are unable to operate in the same way as they did in the past. To adjust to the new reality, you can use online documentation management tools to implement structured authoring.

Happy documenting!

Bradley Nice, Content Manager at ClickHelp.com — best online documentation tool for SaaS vendors