Frequently Asked Questions

Who is DITA Strategies?
DITA Strategies is a boutique information architecture (IA) consulting company that specializes in developing architectural solutions to create client opportunities – opportunities to design new content, deliver content in more ways, improve content consistency, and leverage content to meet new business needs. Led by internationally-recognized information architect, Amber Swope, DS provides tailored support to clients as they implement DITA with Tridion Docs to use IA as a transactional framework for their critical content.

What problems does DS solve for customers?
For teams initially implementing DITA, Amber Swope collaborates with the client to develop a flexible, scalable information architecture (IA) to optimize their existing content. This includes creating deliverable and structured content designs, defining the DITA content model, identifying necessary metadata, creating sample content in DITA, identifying transform requirements, helping develop a content migration strategy, and mentoring client personnel to own and maintain the IA.

For teams with existing DITA implementations, Amber collaborates with the client to evaluate their current implementation based upon business requirements, evolve the management IA to meet new needs and/or take advantage of partner technology, assess how to harmonize the IA to support content from multiple legacy DITA implementations, as well as mentor client personnel in the IA discipline.

To get personal IA assistance from a DITA expert, check out our coaching packages.

How does DS help partners win?
For partners with an enterprise client, DS can lead a discover workshop to clarify business needs, determine IA challenges, identify where current technology doesn’t meet client needs, and understand the client’s process maturity. As a third-party expert, DS can lead the workshop and help the client understand the opportunity that structured XML content provides. As participants in the workshop, partners' resources gain first-hand knowledge of the client’s challenges and opportunities. For clients who are merging multiple DITA implementations into a single implementation using partner technology, DS can simplify the migration process by developing an interim IA using out-of-the-box DITA to support content migration as well as the full implementation IA, designed to leverage the latest partner technology. For clients who are extending their solution to include Tridion Docs, DS provides expert IA support for structured content that optimizes the clients’ investments.

How does DS complement partners?
DS partners with companies that do not have IA professional services offerings. Because of this DS does not compete in any of the areas where partners provide professional services, and DS is uniquely positioned to support partners in client engagements implementing Tridion Docs.

When should you consider working with DS?
In the sales cycle when prospects need to understand how DITA, structured content, and metadata can help their business, consider the Discovery Workshop or an IA coaching package to educate the prospective client. For clients with existing DITA implementations, DS is a great resource when clients do not have in-house information architecture support or need targeted support for a specific business challenge or project. Based on need, consider an IA coaching package or custom IA engagement.