DITA and XML translation and multilingual desktop publishing

GPI offers consultation, content analysis and custom workflow design for companies moving into structured authoring and publishing processes using DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture). DITA maintains content in discrete "chunks" as topics, or concepts, which are ideal for management by Content Management Systems. Authoring and workflows based on DITA content can result significantly reduced authoring and translation costs for large scale projects.

Documents based on DITA structure have content that is accessible on a more granular level than with traditional publishing tools. Content Management Systems can determine which content components have changed and submit only those components to GPI for translation. This substantially reduces translation costs by reducing the number of pages that need to go through translation and linguistic review. Your cost savings can be used to translate your content into new languages to reach an even wider global customer base.

GPI engineers are highly adept at modifying legacy Translation Memory (TM) to work effectively with content that has recently migrated into structured XML or DITA. In other words, our engineers ensure that your old, "unstructured" translation memory will provide maximum leverage with your content in its new, structured form.

In a recent 27-language, 5900 page project, GPI achieved TM leveraging that approached normal ratios for "exact matches" of previously translated text in revised content that was published in DITA for the first time! You may review the Adobe Success Story cast study for this project, which shares many of the ROI metrics which were documented on this project.

GPI also offers the critical service of helping customers to migrate from unstructured content into DITA/XML. Not only can GPI create an entire structured FrameMaker application (EDD, DTD, read/write rules, template) for you, but we can also ensure that your structured authoring process is optimized for economic translation and localization. Training and consulting services include documentation of the entire process for your staff.

As an example, GPI recently created a single structured FrameMaker EDD (element definition document) that can automatically localize all paragraph prefixes ("Table", "Figure", etc.) in over 25 languages with a single pull-down menu in a DITA/FrameMaker attribute. The benefit to the customer was immense, as this solution eliminated the headache of reconciling updates to over 25 separate localized templates.

When GPI creates a DITA/XML application/solution for you, our engineers and specialists ensure that as many processes as possible are automated. Our staff also takes steps to reduce the amount of interaction with DITA elements and attributes that your staff will be required to master when authoring new source file content. The process is completely documented and training is arranged to assure your continued success.

Further resources on XML/DITA from GPI blogs

GPI has developed a series of best practices for XML desktop publishing and translation. You will find some technical tips in our XML blogs:

GPI can provide training and/or consulting with your workflow to ensure that your XML documents are optimized for translation and localization. GPI has extensive experience in translating InDesign files into Arabic and other bidirectional languages.

For more information go to our request a quote, or call us at +1 866-272-5874.