The decision to use a MS Word Add-In to demonstrate the power of the DITA architecture must be justified. The reason for this is that there are many feature rich XML editors on the market with some DITA support. Building another editor may seem redundant, but after reading this justifications for developing DITA-Word below, the reader should come to the realization that simple control mechanisms over content creation, cataloging, access, and delivery are key to information assent management.
Controlling DITA content, or any information for that matter, is the one asset that transcends the volatility of resource value. The validity of information can be volatile but when a truth is established, volatility subsides and control becomes the issue of asset value recovery. The DITA architecture provides mechanisms for the control over information. The elements of control are far greater in number then just access. The idea of information control must also include how content is created and how it is transformed to meet understandability requirements of its consumers. Control is so important that using proprietary system can directly affect the value of the information. In fact, choosing the wrong system can make information vulnerable to a total loss of the asset.