alsooutline

alsooutline is a concept used in writing and information design to embed or reference alternate outline structures alongside a primary outline. It enables authors and editors to explore multiple organizational paths within a single document.

In practice, an alsooutline may be implemented as a secondary outline attached to document sections, or as a markup extension that tags nodes with parallel structures. This allows readers or editors to switch between outlines to compare flow, emphasis, or information hierarchy.

Applications include creative writing to compare plot arcs; academic writing to rearrange sections; content strategy for website navigation; and software documentation to illustrate alternative feature groupings.

Structure and implementation typically involve a primary outline in which each node can include an alsoOutline field containing a list of alternative child nodes. Tools or editors may render a toggle or side panel to view or collapse the alternate outlines.

Examples include a novel where the primary outline follows the protagonist’s journey while an alsoOutline presents a thematically organized arc; or a report where one outline groups findings by method and another by topic.

Origin and usage are informal; the term appears in discussions and some tooling documentation but there is no universal standard. Variants exist in mind-mapping software and outline plugins, reflecting a broader interest in flexible content organization.

See also: Outline, Mind map, Outline processor.