TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Eileen Neumann wonders: <<I'm planning an Intranet redesign and need to
create a site map. As the site is largish, just under 1,000 pages, the
thought of manually creating a link to each page is daunting. Does anyone
know of any software out there that will help create a site map? Any tips on
site mapping?>>
If the Intranet has been created in a specific authoring package, start
there; most tools now offer a "site map" view that automatically updates as
you move pages around. Given that part of the redesign will involve
shuffling pages around until you find an effective arrangement, it's hard to
imagine a better approach than working directly in the authoring software.
Among other things, this gives you an interactive prototype rather than
simply a static flowchart.
If you're not using an authoring tool that provides decent site management
tools, then given the size of the site, you should insist on obtaining such
a tool. Any good flowchart software (Visio is probably the best) will
provide what you need, but since that's one step removed from the actual
site, I still think using the authoring software is more effective.
--Geoff Hart, geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
(try ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca if you get no response)
Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada
580 boul. St-Jean
Pointe-Claire, Que., H9R 3J9 Canada
"Work is of two kinds: first, altering the position of matter at or near the
earth's surface relative to other matter; second, telling other people to do
so. The first is unpleasant and ill-paid; the second is pleasant and highly
paid."--Bertrand Russell
