Re: Conversion Path

[Kat Nagel <katnagel -at- eznet -dot- net>]

I've been through this several times, using several different 
approaches.  None of them were painless.  The 'best' approach 
depends, not on any tool issues, but on
* the readiness of your internal users to accept change
* the degree of territorial defense mounted by the various stakeholders

If you have a clear mandate for change, and all the relevant managers 
*and SMEs* buy into it, then I suggest:

1.  Start with a standard Frame template for each document type, 
either from the installation disk or the add-on template packs.
2.  Tweak it until it adequately fits your needs.  (Adequately, not 
perfectly--you don't have time for perfect.)
     NOTE:  At this stage, you can start using the new
     Frame template for all new documents of that type.
3.  Map the style definitions.  (Generic functional description=exact 
style name)
     Examples:
        chapter titles = Title
        first-level headings = Heading 1
     Do this for both paragraph and character styles
4.  Modify the legacy Word documents to match the new template's 
style map.  Rename the Word styles, where possible, or create new 
ones and assign them to the appropriate functional components.  If 
you have time, standardize all the legacy documents of a single type 
(user manuals, installation or admin manuals, requirements specs, 
development plans, marketing brochures, whatever).  If you don't have 
time for this, then convert each legacy doc when it's due for 
revision.

OK, that's for an ideal situation.  Most of the time, you will be 
dealing with managers who have proprietary feelings about particular 
documents or document formats, SMEs who object to any changes in 
their deathless prose, and internal and external users who want 
everything to look the way they expect it to look.  In this situation:

1.  Find, if possible, an existing document that
  a. looks pretty decent
  b. has most of the styles you think you'll need, even if they
      aren't consistently applied in the original Word document
  c. most of your (internal) users will accept as a 'good' format
      for that type of document
2.  Build a FrameMaker template that
     a.  reproduces the general look and feel of that document
          (this guarantees acceptance by a majority of your critics)
     b.  has logical styles, logically applied (this makes it easier
          for you to make future changes)
     c.  incorporates the new style elements you feel are
          immediately necessary (this keeps you from going nuts)
3.  Start using this template immediately for all *new* documents of that type.
4.  Standardize and convert all documents of a given type at the same 
time.  No exceptions.  Don't leave anything for people to point to as 
an example of the good old days.
5.  Make other format changes gradually, as needed, updating the 
standard Frame template and applying it to older documents during 
scheduled revisions.

Good luck!
--
Kat Nagel
"If the business notion of best practices had been applied from the
 dawn of human civilization, human beings never would have achieved
 civilization."         Christopher Locke,  EGR newsletter 15May2001

At 9:46 AM -0400 7/16/01, Martin Soderstrom wrote:
Hi, all.  Looking for some procedure opinions.  I'm the sole techwriter for
a corp where I manage over 90 documents of varying complexity.  At the
moment, they are 99% in Word.  Many tech writers of varying expertise have
worked /h/a/c/k/e/d/ on these documents over the years (I just started here
a couple months ago and inherited this mess.)

Currently there is no consistent use of styles, templates, fonts or
structure.  Ultimately, I want to convert everything to FrameMaker.  Here's
my question:

Is it better to start converting to Frame right away, or would it be wiser
to get all of the Word documents consistent in style before starting the
conversion?

Any opinions appreciated.

Cheers,

-- Martin Soderstrom

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