Topic-based authoring

Topic-based authoring is the practice of writing documentation as self-contained units — topics — that each answer one question or support one task, instead of long linear chapters. The topics are then assembled into manuals, help systems and portals.

Principles

• One topic, one purpose — a concept explains, a task instructs, a reference lists facts
• Self-contained — a topic makes sense when a reader lands on it from search, without reading what came before
• Typed — each topic follows the structure its type prescribes in the Content model
• Linked, not embedded — related information is referenced, which supports Navigation systems and reuse

Standards

DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture), an OASIS standard, is the best-known XML architecture for topic-based authoring, with concept, task and reference topic types and maps that assemble them. See the site's DITA 1.3 glossary.

Why it helps information architecture

Topics are the right grain for classification: each can carry its own Metadata and be filtered by Faceted classification. That is what lets a portal show exactly the procedure for one product variant — and what lets AI retrieval systems cite a precise, self-contained source, improving Findability.