DITA XML & PEACE OF MIND RETREAT
A 2-Day Industry Reset for DITA & Structured Content Professionals
Hosted by: Ictect and Enlightened Living Center (ELC)
Location (In-Person): Burlington & Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Dates: June 18–19, 2026 (Thursday & Friday)
WHO THIS RETREAT IS FOR
This retreat is designed for professionals working with DITA and structured content, including:
- DITA XML practitioners
- Information architects & content engineers
- Technical writers & documentation leads
- CCMS administrators & content operations managers
- Learning & training content specialists using DITA
- Toolchain architects (DITA + Word + CCMS + AI)
Participants may attend in person or remotely, depending on preference, budget, and availability.
RETREAT PURPOSE
To help DITA and structured content professionals:
- Reduce cognitive overload from complex standards and toolchains
- Maintain peace of mind while managing large, modular content ecosystems
- Explore the future of DITA, CCMS, and AI-assisted authoring
- Share real-world challenges in a trusted peer environment
- Build meaningful professional relationships
- Integrate wellness practices that support sustained focus and creativity
PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
Both participation types contribute to discussions and receive post-retreat materials.
- Full 2-day immersive experience
- Includes wellness, nature, meals, lodging, and all sessions
- Ideal for deep reset, reflection, and relationship building
- Live, interactive access to core intellectual sessions
- Facilitated peer discussions and breakout rooms
- Designed as a curated experience, not a passive livestream
IN-PERSON LOGISTICS OVERVIEW
Transportation (Included)
Day 1 pickup
- Chicago O’Hare / Downtown Chicago (late morning or early afternoon)
Day 2 drop-off
- Return to Chicago O’Hare by evening
Accommodation
11 Gables Inn on the Lake – Lake Geneva
- Lakefront views
- Quiet rooms
- Group lounge for reflection
Meals
- All vegetarian, nourishing, thoughtfully prepared
- Tea, coffee, herbal drinks, fruit, and healthy snacks available all day
Group Size
- In-person: 8–14 participants
- Remote: Limited to maintain high interaction quality
FACILITATORS & EXPERTS
Sessions are led by Pradeep Jain and Amber Swope, experienced practitioners in DITA, CCMS, and intelligent structured content. Wellness sessions are led by Donna Mosca, an experienced facilitator from Enlightened Living Center
Pradeep Jain 
Founder and Chief Content Architect
Pradeep is Founder and Chief Content Architect for Ictect, Inc. His specialization is in Intelligent Content, Semantic Technologies, High-quality XML, and Content Architectures for large-scale applications. He has extensive experience in implementing Electronic Publishing processes for Department of Defense (AFI 33-360, MILSPEC, AR 25-30, and DA PAM 25-40), Book Publishers (ePUB and DocBook), Technical Documentation (DITA), Journal Publishers (JATS), and Educational Publishers (QTI). Pradeep has assisted several organizations with their complex document processes.
Amber Swope
DITA Specialist, DITA Strategies Inc.
Amber Swope is an internationally recognized content expert with over 30 years of experience guiding industry leading organizations to structure and optimize their content. By aligning their content structure with their business goals, Amber specializes in helping organizations create content with confidence.
Amber Swope is specialize in information architecture (IA) and Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA). With more than 15 years of DITA expertise, I help teams design, develop, and optimize their IA and implement DITA to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and create dynamic, reusable content.
Donna Mosca 
Wellness Facilitator
Donna is committed to sharing the wisdom teachings of Yoga through daily, sacred practices, workshops, and retreats within Peace Tree Yoga Studio, located on the 3rd floor of The Enlightened Living Center. Donna is certified as a Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), and enjoys examining “way of life” as preventive medicine for treating the root cause of disease, versus band-aiding the symptom. She is inspired by what is possible for humanity and appreciates the conscious community that gathers within the center.
TWO-DAY PROGRAM (IN-PERSON & REMOTE)
In-Person Only
10:30 – 12:30 PM
Shuttle pickup from Chicago
- Light snacks, informal introductions
In-Person Only
12:30 – 1:30 PM
Welcome Lunch — Food as Calm
All Participants
1:30 – 2:00 PM
Opening Circle
- Intentions and introductions
All Participants (Live + Interactive)
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Session 1: Structured Content and Metadata - Investments for the Future
Topics:
- DITA evolution and relevance
- CCMS realities
- AI in structured authoring — hype vs reality
- Author experience vs architectural purity
Remote participants join live and participate in facilitated breakout discussions.
In-Person Only
3:00 – 4:20 PM
Nature & Nervous System Reset
- Meditative walk, forest bathing, chi kung, or optional massage
Remote participants receive a guided desk-based reset audio (optional).
All Participants (Live + Q&A)
4:30–5:45 PM
Session 2: Modern DITA Workflows — What Actually Brings Peace of Mind
- Real implementation stories
- Automation that helps (and hurts)
- Patterns that reduce friction
In-Person Only
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Dinner at ELC → Drive to Lake Geneva
In-Person Only
8:00–9:00 PM
Evening: Silent Creativity Hour
In-Person Only
8:00–8:30 AM
Morning Meditation & Breathwork
In-Person Only
8:30–9:00 AM
Healthy Breakfast
All Participants (Live + Breakouts)
9:00–10:30 AM
Session 3: Deep Peer Exchange — DITA Roundtables
Topics include:
- Reuse anxiety and map complexity
- Change management
- AI readiness
- Governance vs usability
- Burnout prevention
Insights from both in-person and remote groups are captured and synthesized.
All Participants (Live + Q&A)
10:30–12:00 PM
Session 4: The Future of Intelligent Structured Content
- Expert talk
- Open Q&A
In-Person Only
12:00–1:00 PM
Lunch — Food for Clarity
In-Person Only
1:00–2:30 PM
Choice-Based Breakouts
- Tech Lab | Wellness | Creative Track
In-Person Only
2:30–3:00 PM
Closing Circle
In-Person Only
3:00–5:00 PM
Return shuttle to Chicago O’Hare
WHAT ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE
- Pre-retreat questionnaire (goals & challenges)
- Access to all applicable live sessions
PRICING
In-Person Participation (All-Inclusive)
$1,008 per person
Includes transportation, lodging, meals, facilitation, and all sessions.
Remote Participation
$300 per person
Includes:- Live access to 4 core sessions
Sponsor / Partner Option
$5,000
- 2 in-person seats
- 5 remote passes
Exclusive Team Retreat (Hybrid)
One organization (up to 12 participants, in-person + remote).
Cost: $10,008
If you are interested in bringing your team or a custom option, please use the Sign Up form to
