Arbortext Authoring for Defense: Authoring MIL-STD in Arbortext Editor

Overview

In this multi-session workshop, we guide you from unstructured authoring through structured authoring in a generic architecture to reach a common proficiency with the tool. This course is a combination of lectures mixed with examples and hands-on exercises. Once the basics are understood, we add instruction in one of the MIL-STD doctypes (38784, 3001, 40051, etc.). 

This 36-hour two-part course includes everything from the Arbortext for Authoring workshop and an training in authoring to one specific MIL-STD specification in Arbortext Editor. 

Course Details

How do you access the software?

You do not need to purchase Arbortext to attend this class, nor do you need to sign up for a free trial license. Students connect through a standard web browser to access a virtual desktop that already has the software installed.

Where is the class held?

We offer both public and private deliveries, either fully remote or in-person. Regardless of the delivery style, all workshops are led by a live, online expert instructor, making for a fully interactive and engaging experience. 

Virtual Public Deliveries are held online and, when you share your screen, it's just as if we're just like we're standing behind you and looking over your shoulder. All students can speak and hear each other and the instructor during lecture and hands-on lab exercises. The only difference between this class and in-person? No travel costs.

Private deliveries can be held on-site at your facility or at a location nearby. Contact a training advisor to discuss specific requirements.

Arbortext, XML, and MIL-STD Training Topics (36h)

Our training sessions are highly interactive and engaging. All sessions are designed to be hands-on using standard, out-of-the-box Arbortext Editor. Training includes a combination of the following topics. All training is done through hands-on exercises to increase adoption and solidify learning.

This 36-hour two-part course includes everything from the Arbortext for Authoring workshop and our Authoring MIL-STD Technical Manuals workshop.

Part 1: Arbortext Editor for Authoring (18h)

• Structured data (history, industry standards, benefits, SGML vs XML)
• XML core concepts (how it works, what it looks like), separation of content and formatting
• Well-formed XML (valid vs well-formed, start/end tags, parent/child relationships)
• Stylesheets (basics, supporting multiple stylesheets, output options)
• Writer roles and responsibilities
• Preparing your content (schema/DTD, elements/attributes, content)
• Storing your content (content management basics)
• Styling your content (raw content though 1+ stylesheet)
• Creating your output (different stylesheets for different outputs)
• Arbortext Editor-specific tasks (creating a new file, inserting elements, modifying attributes, inserting graphics and tables)

Part 2: Authoring to MIL-SPEC (18h)

Any instance of this workshop focuses on one MIL-SPEC for training in the spec itself as well as authoring to the spec in Arbortext Editor.

• Introduction to authoring for defense
• Typical project requirements
• Creating documents, work packages, modules, etc
• Understanding a specific version of MIL-SPEC (38784, 3001, 40051, etc.). 
• Cross-References and linking
• Collaboration, content management, shared authoring
• Resources and navigating the specification

Instructors

JANICE SUMMERS, Single-Sourcing Solutions, specializes in helping people who’ve only ever used unstructured desktop publishing applications learn structured authoring. She graduated with a degree in I/O Psychology from San Jose State University and finds that her background helps adult learners in mastering new material. In fact, she’s been successfully transitioning Word users to XML authoring since 2005 and hasn’t lost anyone yet! She's the author of “Arbortext for Authoring: An Author's Guide to Getting Started with Arbortext Editor” (available on Amazon).

LIZ FRALEY, Single-Sourcing Solutions, is a long-time Arbortext user, customizer, stylesheet developer, and implementer. In addition to being a senior software architect, she is the founder of Single-Sourcing Solutions, a qualified, experienced trainer of Arbortext Products. She has over 25 years experience programming, teaching, and supporting knowledge growth in the communities she serves. She holds degrees in Computer Science and English from the University of Maryland College Park and a Masters in English from the University of Southern Mississippi. She's the author of “Arbortext 101: Best Practices for Configuring, Authoring, Styling, and Publishing with Arbortext,” available on Amazon, and has several more planned.

What attendees have said

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