Structured Authoring vs Word Processing: Key Differences

Structured authoring: trend and expertise

Structured authoring is defined as opposed to writing in word processing. The latter focuses more on the layout of information, whereas in structured authoring, the most important point is the meaning of information and semantics. This is why we are talking more about structure than layout. It is one of the foundations of the separation of substance and form. Indeed, the editor will focus on the meaning of the information he writes (is it a title, a warning, a procedural step?) rather than their layout (police, colour, size, etc.).

This makes it possible to industrialize the drafting process and significantly reduce the time taken to make documents available. The editor focuses on content without wasting time in layout. Moreover, it will be easy to integrate existing content, without taking the risk of "breaking" the structure as is often the case with the "copy/paste" of word processing. The layout will only be done at the end of the writing with a simple click via the appropriate style sheet. The editor can publish his document in different formats to adapt to the reading medium (Print, PDF, Web, mobile media, etc.).

In structured authoring each reusable content can be clearly identified. Its inclusion in the document is immediate. While with a word processing that was not designed for this, searching for content in different documents themselves classified in different folders can be complicated and time-consuming despite the "search" function.

For example, if one makes a contract with a word processing, it will be complicated to identify all the information that is specific to this contract: the name of the recipient of this contract or the price of this contract, the period of validity etc. While in structured authoring, each of this information will be identified and extracted easily and immediately. This makes it possible to make Business Intelligence, while if you're on word processing it requires a step of information retrieval.

Structured authoring, the other way to produce business and community documents effectively

The role of modularisation in structured authoring

Modularization is a strong principle of structured authoring. It allows for either reusable content modules or reusable elements libraries. This structuring makes it possible to identify very precisely the reusable parts, the contexts of this reuse to do so effectively, with all the benefits that result from it.

The role of this modularisation is summarized in the following three points:

• The uniqueness of information;

• Time savings through information reuse;

• Reliability of information.

Better communicate with structured authoring

Structured authoring also enables you to customize the information to provide the recipient with content tailored to his/her case and only the content he/she needs.

The recipient today can request to consult the content on the most suitable medium for a given use. Structured information is not dependent on a publication medium. In other words, this will generate printable versions or digital versions to view data on screen, smartphone, tablet etc.

Do you need special XML skills to use Calenco?

No, since Calenco's great added value is to put all the power of structured authoring at the door of professional experts who master their fields perfectly without being experts in computer science or writing. This allows them to structure information in a completely intuitive way.

Calenco has developed a unique interface on the market to make structured authoring accessible to all.

Structured authoring is based on the XML principle that was designed for this. Widely used in defence and aeronautical for decades to generate and manage sensitive documents, it was previously reserved for expert editors who mastered XML language under S1000D, DITA or DocBook standards.

Calenco's strength is to free the writer from learning complex languages. It allows you to devote yourself to the organization of the production of its documents and to the rapid and reliable writing of them.

Some examples of companies for which Calenco has changed the way documents are written

The most striking example in terms of change, efficiency and reliability is that of a multinational in the field of energy, for the drafting of test procedures for thermal power plants. This allows for the production of test procedures in a semi-automatic way from a library of procedures structured by simple filtering and assembly. And in a second stage, to allow field teams to capture all test results directly on the tablet in a structured way, so that in the end, all this information can be re-exploited in an analytical and statistical way.

A second example could be Bouygues public works. They use all the power of structured authoring. This allows HR assistants to generate customized and reliable work contracts. This contract will include all employees' data in a structured manner, which will then enable them to use this data in a human resources management system.