Alan Houser doesn’t believe in magic—at least not when it comes to XML. He thinks the fact that airplanes can stay up in the air is magic, but what makes XML an effective technology for structuring content has more to do with foresight, planning, and execution than sleight-of-hand. However, Alan does make his living helping organizations to improve their publishing processes, and much of his work involves XML. He cautions companies to not get caught up in the XML hoopla—XML is only a tool, and just as you shouldn’t hammer a nail with a screwdriver, you shouldn’t try to implement an XML solution unless it actually meets a company’s publishing
requirements.

The enticing image of XML as a magical solution to every company’s publishing needs is a bubble Alan frequently has to burst as an electronic publishing consultant. He notes that while most companies are trying to achieve similar goals, such as improving publishing flexibility, and efficiency, the tools and processes with which companies can achieve these goals varies widely.

Alan enjoys the challenge of the range of business problems that customers present to him. Equally challenging is implementing solutions in different corporate cultures with different resources, constraints, and business requirements. Alan eschews “magical” solutions to real-world publishing challenges, nonetheless, his customers have come to rely upon his technical wizardry. His wizardry is actually just plain hard work, but there is no need to burst that bubble.

Alan is teaching two half-day workshops—Making DITA Work For Your Data and DITA Authoring and Publishing With XMetaL—and one 60 minute presentation, Using DITA for Online help at Documentation and Training West.