Single sourcing is a method for developing re-usable information.

Although project planning and document conversion are essential to any single sourcing project, it is modular writing that ultimately determines success. This guide explains in plain language and by example how to build modular documentation you can re-use in different formats for different audiences and purposes.

This guide begins with a conceptual overview of the single sourcing method. It then walks you through a 10-step process for converting linear documentation to modular documentation. Each step of the process is cross-referenced to detailed guidelines. These guidelines show you by example how to structure content, configure language, and leverage technology to maximize usability and re-usability.

To provide you with a realistic picture of the single sourcing process, the steps, guidelines, and examples in this guide are very specific. Each is based on successful single sourcing projects in the real world. To provide you with a flexible framework you can re-use for your own purposes, the guidelines are modular. Pick the guidelines you need. Then customize them to meet your specific needs.