Disaster recovery - Integrating Related Recovery Plans

Managing Related and Unrelated Titles Understanding the Core Problem When a title or phrase refers to multiple different topics, we face an ambiguity problem. For example, the word "crane" could refer to a bird, a construction machine, or a person's surname. In structured knowledge systems like encyclopedias or documentation sites, this ambiguity creates confusion: readers searching for "crane" won't know which article to access first, and links pointing to "crane" become unclear. This guide covers how to identify when you have this problem and how to organize your content to solve it. Identifying Related Titles Related titles are topics that naturally fit within the scope of a broad-concept article. They're part of the same conceptual family, even if they're technically different subjects. What makes a title related? A related title shares significant conceptual overlap with your main article's subject. For instance, if you're writing about "plant biology," related titles might include "photosynthesis," "cell structure in plants," or "plant reproduction." These are all sub-topics that fall logically under the umbrella of plant biology. Why does this matter? When titles are related, they often belong together in a single comprehensive article rather than being separated. You might organize them as sections within your main article, or link to them as complementary topics. The key is that readers looking for your main article will naturally benefit from having these related topics nearby. Example: An article on "Sports" would have related titles like "Football," "Basketball," and "Tennis." These are all types of sports, so they fit within the sports concept's scope. Handling Unrelated Titles Unrelated titles are topics that share the same name but refer to entirely distinct subjects—they exist outside your article's scope. This is the true ambiguity problem. What makes a title unrelated? Unrelated titles have no meaningful conceptual connection other than sharing a name. Think about "bank"—it could refer to a financial institution, the side of a river, or the act of tilting in a vehicle. These are completely different things with different meanings, purposes, and contexts. Why this is a problem: When you search for "bank" online or in a knowledge system, the system doesn't know which meaning you want. Without clarification, users may land on the wrong article entirely. Additionally, if you create a link to "bank," it's ambiguous which topic you're actually linking to. Example: The term "Mercury" has at least three major meanings: Mercury (the planet) Mercury (the chemical element) Mercury (the Roman god) These are completely unrelated and need separate articles. Creating a Disambiguation Page A disambiguation page is a special page that lists all the different meanings of an ambiguous term. Instead of forcing readers to guess which topic they want, a disambiguation page acts as a helpful gateway that lists all possibilities. What goes on a disambiguation page? Each entry includes: The specific title of the article A brief description (usually one sentence) explaining what that article covers A direct link to that article How to structure it: Start with a brief explanation that the term is ambiguous, then list each meaning with its description and link. Example of a disambiguation page for "Crown": > Crown may refer to: > - Crown (headwear) — a decorative ornament worn on the head by monarchs > - Crown (dentistry) — a prosthetic device used to restore damaged teeth > - Crown (botany) — the upper branches and foliage of a tree > - Crown (anatomy) — the visible portion of a tooth Notice how each entry is brief but clear enough for readers to identify which meaning they need. Why create one? A disambiguation page respects the reader's intelligence. Instead of guessing, readers can immediately see all options and click the one they want. This improves user experience and reduces frustration. Updating Links After Disambiguation Once you've created a disambiguation page, any existing internal links that pointed to the ambiguous title need to be checked and corrected. This is critical for maintaining clarity throughout your entire knowledge system. What needs to be done? For each link pointing to the ambiguous title, you must: Identify the context — understand what topic the link was actually supposed to reference Redirect correctly — change the link to point to the specific article rather than the disambiguation page Verify the fix — make sure the corrected link makes sense in context Why this matters: If you don't update these links, readers will keep landing on the disambiguation page when they click links that should take them directly to a specific article. This creates unnecessary extra steps and poor user experience. Example: Suppose you previously had an article about construction that linked to "crane" (meaning the machine). Once you create a disambiguation page for "crane," you need to update that link to point specifically to "Crane (construction equipment)" rather than leaving it pointing to the disambiguation page. Best practice: Many systems automatically redirect ambiguous titles to their disambiguation pages, but you should manually update important internal links to point directly to the intended specific articles. This bypasses the disambiguation page for readers who don't need it, improving navigation efficiency.