DITA (online self-study elearning) training course

elearning

This online training course teaches the basic skills in how to create content using the DITA XML technical writing standard. The ten learning modules in this course contain videos of the trainer with supporting slides and images. The course includes exercises and model answers for the delegates to complete and review.

If you’re not sure what DITA is, and why you’d want to use it, download our free illustrated guide to the business benefits of DITA.

Why attend this course?

This course is recommended by the Australian Society for Technical Communication.

Who is this course for?

If you need a solid understanding of the basics of DITA, this affordable training course is ideal for you. We’ve designed the course for anyone who wants a solid understanding of DITA.

Comments from delegates

“The Cherryleaf DITA course ticked a lot of the boxes for me: good content, good value, and available without having to travel to the South East. The introduction to the key DITA areas was presented very well – I have read similar information in books and online, but I was able to absorb it much better through the e-learning course.”

Craig Wright

What will I learn?

This online training course teaches the basic skills in how to create content using the DITA XML technical writing standard.

Topics covered

Introduction

  • Introduction – What is DITA?- In plain English
  • Introduction – What DITA is not
  • DITA – What it looks like
  • Which problems is DITA trying to solve?

DITA Fundamentals

  • Topic-based writing
  • Fundamentals – Topics
  • Fundamentals – Maps
  • Fundamentals – Information Typing
  • Fundamentals – Specialisation
  • DITA and reuse
  • Granularity
  • Transformations

Introduction to Topics

  • Topic-oriented writing
  • Compulsory elements and attributes
  • High-level topic elements
  • Body elements
  • Sections
  • Block level elements
  • Phrase level elements
  • Table elements
  • Images and figures

The base types of topics

  • Concepts
  • Tasks
  • References
  • Metadata
  • Constraints

Maps

  • What are maps?
  • Relationships in a map
  • Collections
  • Map elements
  • Grouping content together in a map

Linking

  • Linking and reusing topics
  • Cross references – pros and cons
  • Related Links
  • Relationship tables
  • Conrefs
  • Conditional content
  • Ditaval syntax
  • Indirect linking

Transforming and publishing DITA

  • Transforming DITA
  • Why transform DITA?
  • What is XSLT?
  • What is the DITA Open Toolkit?
  • What is Ant?
  • What is FOP?
  • Running transformations
  • Creating other outputs

Using tools with DITA

  • Publishing tools

Delivery format

The course comprises ten modules in total, which you can complete at your own pace. The course will take delegates approximately 1 day to complete.

The course modules are delivered via the Web in small, manageable modules. With the exercises, each delegate will need to allocate around seven hours to complete the course.

Our expertise

As well as teaching technical communication, we also create end-user documentation, Help and UI text for clients. This means every course is based on practical experience of technical writing in today’s environment. The techniques you’ll learn on this course are the same ones used by our projects team.

Price and how to book

You’ll find the pricing on our elearning platform:

Go to the course

Contact us

Interested in this training course?

To help us gain an initial understanding of your situation, please answer the questions in the contact form below.

Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers to all the questions.

We will contact you to discuss your situation and requirements.

* Required

    Your name (*)

    Your email (*)

    Your telephone number

    Your location (*)

    Are there any particular training courses/topics you are interested in?

    Tell us a little about your situation and your requirements (*)

    Are you interested in an onsite (private) or public training course? (*)

    Onsite courses are for groups in a single organisation. Public and online courses are for individuals.

    How would you like Cherryleaf to help you?

    We'd love to email you links to useful articles and news on developing content. If you would like us to add you to our newsletter, please tick below. We'll always treat your details with the utmost care, in accordance with our privacy policy.

    No, I don't want to receive updates.Yes, I'd like to receive updates.