For technical writers, single sourcing means modular writing and information mapping. Rather than developing information for a given format, such as a user guide or online help, technical writers develop information modules at the element (section, paragraph, and sentence) level. They then map these information modules to preselected audiences and media.
This guide explains in plain language and by example how to develop single source documents. It shows technical writers how to develop standalone information modules, then map these modules to a variety of audiences and formats using proven information mapping techniques. In essence, the guide provides a flexible framework for modular technical writing that can be applied to any audience in any medium.
I was trained in Information MappingŪ 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 described in this book is concerned with document design, which is based on a process that identifies requirements and bases the initial draft on procedures and knowledge instead of the more common approach of writing an ad hoc outline.
At the heart of the author's single sourcing approach is a concept called 'chunking' - grouping information into manageable chunks - and factors such as relevance and consistency. When these are employed the cost-effectiveness of the method becomes apparent for two reasons:
(1) Documents written by teams are consistent and developed using a set process.(2) Components within the documents - blocks - can be reused in other documents because they will address a specific, relevant topic (a chunk).
What I like about this book is the fact that it makes Information MappingŪ available to anyone who will take the time to read this book and apply the principles. I also like way it offers an off-the-shelf solution to any company that wants to implement a cost-effective, highly efficient documentation standard that supports readable documentation that can be used instead of 'shelfware'.
The best way to learn about this book is to visit the official Information MappingŪ site (ASIN B0000B01VZ) upon which many of the principles in this book are based. What you will discover there will give you a reasonable idea about what to expect from the approach in this book. If you are a technical writer who works with software architecture I also recommend that you read "Documenting Software Architectures: Views and Beyond" (ISBN 0201703726) because the approach in that book is consistent with both the "Single Sourcing" approach, as well as Information MappingŪ.
It's a good idea to understand the stylistic and writing requirements before getting into tools. Ament's book should be used in conjunction with tool-specific information.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 single-sourcing. You'll probably find new ideas, and applications in developing your doc projects that you can use immediately, simply by the way the book is written and presented. All the earlier and best reviews of this book are pretty head-on. The guidelines that the book recommends are actually applied to in the development and authoring of the book...this is probably why i think this book is a rather 'special' book. There are lots of books on writing, clear and simply, but this book is the real deal. Short, concise applicable.
