Summary of Part III: Key Takeaways

This summary highlights the key takeaways from Part III on DITA topic types.

• Each DITA topic type is structured for a specific use case and tailored to different user intents:
  • Concept: understand
  • Task: do
  • Reference: look up
  • Glossary: define
  • Troubleshooting: fix
• Using the correct topic type makes content more understandable, reusable, and maintainable.
• Tags vary by topic type but follow predictable XML structures.
• When content is structured consistently (topics follow predictable patterns), users can find information more efficiently.
• Cross-linking between all five topic types creates a seamless user experience and takes full advantage of DITA’s structure — concepts link to tasks, tasks connect to troubleshooting and reference topics, and glossary entries support all types.