Single source of truth
Every topic exists once. Updates propagate automatically to every deliverable that references it — no manual copy-paste, no version drift.
Structured Content & CCMS
Turn fragmented content into a governed, reusable asset
We help technology organisations move from unstructured, siloed documentation to DITA-based structured content managed in a CCMS — so every topic is written once, reused everywhere, and published consistently across all outputs.
Why structured content
The case for structured authoring
Unstructured content — Word files, PDFs, wiki pages, and legacy HTML — creates duplication, inconsistency, and publishing bottlenecks. Structured content solves this at the root.
Consistent structure
DITA topic types (concept, task, reference) enforce a predictable shape so readers always know where to find what they need.
Multi-channel publishing
One content set produces PDF, HTML5 web help, mobile, and chatbot-ready outputs through DITA-OT transforms — without re-authoring.
Reduced translation cost
Structured, reused content means fewer words sent to translation. Consistent terminology and metadata cut per-word costs by 20–40%.
CCMS platforms
Component Content Management Systems we work with
A CCMS stores, versions, and manages DITA topics at the component level — not the document level. We have hands-on experience implementing and migrating content across the leading platforms.
Oxygen XML Author / Content Fusion
DITA authoringWeb-based reviewGit integration
The most widely adopted DITA authoring environment. We configure custom frameworks, validation profiles, and Content Fusion review workflows for distributed teams.
Ixiasoft DITA CMS
Enterprise CCMSWorkflow automationLocalization
Purpose-built for large-scale DITA content operations. We handle installation, taxonomy design, workflow configuration, and migration from legacy repositories.
Vasont Systems
Component managementReuse trackingPublishing
Flexible CCMS with strong reuse analytics. We design content models, configure reuse strategies, and integrate Vasont with DITA-OT publishing pipelines.
SDL / RWS Tridion Docs
Translation managementStructured authoringEnterprise scale
Combines CCMS with translation memory and terminology management. We configure SDL for multilingual DITA workflows and connect it to downstream publishing.
Astoria / Quark XML Author
XML authoringWorkflowIntegration
XML-native authoring and management for regulated industries. We implement topic models, approval workflows, and DITA-OT output configurations.
Paligo
Cloud CCMSTopic reuseMulti-output
Modern cloud-based structured authoring built on DocBook/DITA concepts. We migrate legacy content into Paligo and configure publication channels.
Content reuse & single-sourcing
Write once. Publish everywhere.
DITA's reuse mechanisms — conrefs, keyrefs, and filtered conditions — let a single topic serve multiple products, audiences, and output formats without duplication.
Content references (conref)
Reuse a paragraph, step, or warning across dozens of topics. Change it once and every reference updates automatically.
Key references (keyref)
Abstract product names, version numbers, and URLs into keys. Swap a key definition to produce a variant deliverable for a different product or release.
Conditional filtering (ditaval)
Tag content with audience, platform, or product attributes. A single map produces audience-specific PDFs and web outputs from the same source.
Map and bookmap architecture
Organise topics into reusable submaps. The same submap can appear in a user guide, a quick-start, and an online help system — each with its own context.
Metadata, taxonomy & governance
Governed content starts with a clear taxonomy
Without metadata standards and governance, even well-structured content becomes unsearchable and unmaintainable. We design taxonomy frameworks that scale.
Taxonomy design
We define controlled vocabularies for product, audience, lifecycle stage, and content type — aligned to your information architecture and CCMS capabilities.
Metadata schemas
Custom DITA specialisations and prolog metadata templates ensure every topic carries the attributes needed for filtering, search, and reporting.
Authoring governance
Style guides, Schematron validation rules, and DITA constraint sets enforce standards at the point of authoring — before content reaches review.
Content lifecycle management
Workflow states, review cycles, and retirement policies keep your repository clean and your published content current.
Migration to structured content
A proven five-stage migration roadmap
We have migrated content from Word, FrameMaker, RoboHelp, Flare, Confluence, and legacy HTML into DITA XML. Our roadmap minimises risk and preserves institutional knowledge.
Audit & ROT analysis
Inventory all source content. Identify redundant, outdated, and trivial material. Establish a baseline for what gets migrated, rewritten, or retired.
Information architecture & schema design
Define topic types, map structures, metadata schemas, and reuse strategies before a single file is converted.
Automated conversion
Use XSLT transforms, oXygen batch scripts, and custom parsers to convert source formats to valid DITA XML at scale.
Manual enrichment & QA
Human review adds semantic markup, resolves ambiguities, applies conrefs and keyrefs, and validates against your style guide.
CCMS onboarding & validation
Import validated DITA into your CCMS, configure workflows and permissions, and run end-to-end publishing tests across all output formats.
Publishing outputs
DITA-OT: one source, every output
DITA Open Toolkit is the reference publishing engine for DITA XML. We build and maintain custom DITA-OT plugins that produce branded, production-ready outputs.
XSL-FO · Antenna House · Prince XML
Branded PDF with custom cover pages, running headers, cross-references, and conditional content. Supports complex tables, callouts, and regulatory formatting.
HTML5 web help
DITA-OTDITA-OT HTML5 · custom skins
Responsive, searchable web help with branded navigation, breadcrumbs, and faceted filtering. Deployable to any static host or integrated into a developer portal.
Eclipse / CHM help
DITA-OTDITA-OT Eclipse · HTMLHelp
Context-sensitive help integrated into desktop applications. Mapped to application UI states via topic IDs and help keys.
Markdown / Docs-as-Code
DITA-OTLightweight DITA · Pandoc · MkDocs
DITA topics converted to Markdown for Docs-as-Code pipelines. Enables Git-based review and publishing to Docusaurus, MkDocs, or Hugo.
SCORM / eLearning
DITA-OTDITA Learning & Training specialisation
DITA Learning & Training specialisation produces SCORM-compliant packages for LMS delivery from the same source used for product documentation.
Client outcomes
What structured content delivers in practice
40%
reduction in translation spend
Achieved through aggressive conref reuse and consistent terminology governance across a 12,000-topic DITA repository.
3×
faster release cycle
Automated DITA-OT publishing pipelines replaced a manual InDesign layout process, cutting time-to-publish from three weeks to five days.
60%
content reuse rate
Information architecture redesign and conref strategy lifted reuse from under 10% to over 60% across a product suite of eight variants.
Figures are representative of outcomes achieved across client engagements. Specific results vary by project scope and starting state.
Ready to move to structured content?
Whether you are evaluating a CCMS, planning a migration, or optimising an existing DITA repository, we can help you build a roadmap that fits your team and your tools.