DITA task template

Publishing

Tasks are the main building blocks for task-oriented user assistance. They generally provide step-by-step instructions that enable a user to perform a task. A task answers the question of "How do I...?" by telling the user precisely what to do and the order in which to do it. Tutorials, use cases, samples, and scenarios are all different ways of explaining the same thing: how a product’s features can be used to solve a problem.

A task contains the following sections:

  • Context

    The context section of a task provides background information for the task. The last paragraph will usually be a subheading for the steps, marked with the Instruction style. Optional.

  • Steps

    The steps section of a task provides the main content of the task topic. The task is described as a series of steps that the user must follow to accomplish the task. Mandatory.

  • Result

    The result element describes the expected outcome for the task as a whole. This describes the results of the task or anything else that may need to be done afterwards. Anything after the steps will be placed in the Results section. Optional