This guide explains in plain language and by example how to build modular documentation you can re-use in different formats for different audiences and purposes. It includes a conceptual overview of the single sourcing method, a 10-step process for transforming linear documents into modular documents, and detailed writing guidelines. The guidelines show you how to structure content, configure language, and leverage technology to maximize the usability and re-usability of your documents
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Read it, see it in practice:
A very special book. If you ever manage or write documentation This book is not a book about grammar. It applies the best ideas in information architecture and information usability that technical writers or commers can use. If you're using Framemaker, Arbotext, Webworks, Flare, Blaze or even the newer RoboHelp generation of tools where 'single-sourcing' is the 'thing' to be talking about, this book is a must. Its necessary reading. It goes beyond writing and goes into helping you structure for... more info
Somewhat disappointing:
I was recently investigating options for single sourcing when I came across Kurt Ament's book Single Sourcing: Building Modular Documentation. Based on the glowing reviews the book received, I decided to order it from Amazon.com. Unfortunately, the book was not what I expected. For the price of $[...] on Amazon, the book provides little help to experienced professional writers. My biggest complaint is that too many pages of the book are spent promoting the author's own ideas of style and usage rather... more info
An excellent primer on sound tech doc style, but not a roadmap for adopting a single source tool.:
As other reviewers have pointed out, examine this book carefully before you buy it. This book provides excellent basic guidelines on writing technical documentation, and I recommend it strongly to tech doc managers and instructors as something to pass along to their entry level writers and students. Similarly, it might be a helpful resource for engineers or other technical contributors who find themselves having to prepare usable documents for readers outside of their team. However, if you're an... more info
Effective and proven method:
The entire approach given in this book is consistent enough with Information Mapping® that it can serve as a guide to learning that highly effective technique on your own.
I was trained in Information Mapping® in 2000 and have used the principles to excellent advantage since then. More importantly, those techniques - called 'single sourcing' in this book - foster the ability to create coherent documentation using geographically distributed teams. This is because the single sourcing technique... more info
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