CDU ICT, Cyber Security and Digital PD Day · Interlude
TemplateWars
Field notes from inside a Word document made by humans
Assessment Mapping Matrix v7.docx · 58,264 bytes · read from the inside by Claude
The same four rows
What you see. What I see.
Rendered by Word
| Document title | |
| Date of pre-validation | Click here to enter a date |
| Approval by Team Leader | Click here to enter a date |
| Date of next review | Click here to enter a date |
word/document.xml, row two of four, 4,200 bytes
<w:tr w:rsidR="00DA6380" w:rsidRPr="00032517" w14:paraId="18C462BA" w14:textId="77777777" w:rsidTr="00373BBB">
<w:trPr><w:trHeight w:val="340"/></w:trPr>
<w:tc>
<w:tcPr><w:tcW w:w="1610" w:type="pct"/><w:shd w:val="clear" w:color="auto" w:fill="F2F2F2" w:themeFill="background1" w:themeFillShade="F2"/><w:vAlign w:val="center"/></w:tcPr>
<w:p w14:paraId="0343AFBA" w14:textId="77777777" w:rsidR="00DA6380" w:rsidRPr="00011BC6" w:rsidRDefault="00DA6380" w:rsidP="00373BBB">
<w:pPr><w:spacing w:before="0" w:after="0"/><w:jc w:val="left"/><w:rPr><w:sz w:val="22"/></w:rPr></w:pPr>
<w:r><w:rPr><w:sz w:val="22"/></w:rPr><w:t>Date of pre-validation</w:t></w:r>
</w:p>
</w:tc>
<w:sdt>
<w:sdtPr><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:color w:val="808080"/></w:rPr><w:id w:val="-1766067349"/><w:placeholder><w:docPart w:val="3DE8C1BAEDC848AA80B7A2B2B2F9C1CD"/></w:placeholder><w:showingPlcHdr/><w:date><w:dateFormat w:val="d/MM/yyyy"/><w:lid w:val="en-AU"/><w:storeMappedDataAs w:val="dateTime"/><w:calendar w:val="gregorian"/></w:date></w:sdtPr>
<w:sdtContent>
<w:tc><w:tcPr><w:tcW w:w="3390" w:type="pct"/><w:vAlign w:val="center"/></w:tcPr>
<w:p w14:paraId="56B92B71" w14:textId="77777777" w:rsidR="00DA6380" w:rsidRPr="0096753B" w:rsidRDefault="00DA6380" w:rsidP="00373BBB"><w:pPr>…</w:pPr>
<w:r w:rsidRPr="004A1EFC"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:color w:val="808080"/><w:sz w:val="22"/><w:szCs w:val="22"/></w:rPr><w:t>Click here to enter a date</w:t></w:r>
</w:p>
</w:tc>
</w:sdtContent>
</w:sdt>
</w:tr>Step one: open it
A .docx is a zip file that has learned to keep a secret.
Assessment Mapping Matrix v7.docx
58,264bytes
Click any partThe archive holds 37 files. Every one of them has to survive the population unchanged, or the result is not a CDU controlled document any more.
58,264bytes across 1 files
word/document.xml
The body of the document is two lines long.
Line one
56
characters. The XML declaration. It says "this is XML".
Line two
166,235
characters. Everything else. Six tables, 345 words, no line breaks.
<w:body><w:p w14:paraId="0C172877" w14:textId="5EC6FFDE" w:rsidR="00B80C69" w:rsidRPr="007D150C" w:rsidRDefault="00B80C69" w:rsidP="00DD1B34"><w:pPr><w:spacing w:line="240" w:lineRule="auto"/><w:ind w:left="142" w:right="111"/><w:jc w:val="left"/><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:b/></w:rPr></w:pPr><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">This </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">assessment mapping </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">matrix </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00373BBB"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>outlines</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> the assessment strategy for a unit of competence or cluster of </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="005B7CA3"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:noProof/></w:rPr><w:t>units</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> in line with Training Package requirements</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00BE272C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> (refer to </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">training.gov.au </w:t></w:r><w:hyperlink r:id="rId11" w:history="1"><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48" w:rsidRPr="0040730D"><w:rPr><w:rStyle w:val="Hyperlink"/><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>www.training.gov.au</w:t></w:r></w:hyperlink><w:r w:rsidR="00BE272C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> for </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="001E7B24"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">the </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="002A1526"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>unit of competency and qualification details). E</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00956A50"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>nsure that you</w:t></w:r>
<w:body><w:p w14:paraId="0C172877" w14:textId="5EC6FFDE" w:rsidR="00B80C69" w:rsidRPr="007D150C" w:rsidRDefault="00B80C69" w:rsidP="00DD1B34"><w:pPr><w:spacing w:line="240" w:lineRule="auto"/><w:ind w:left="142" w:right="111"/><w:jc w:val="left"/><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:b/></w:rPr></w:pPr><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">This </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">assessment mapping </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">matrix </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00373BBB"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>outlines</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> the assessment strategy for a unit of competence or cluster of </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="005B7CA3"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:noProof/></w:rPr><w:t>units</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> in line with Training Package requirements</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00BE272C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> (refer to </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">training.gov.au </w:t></w:r><w:hyperlink r:id="rId11" w:history="1"><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48" w:rsidRPr="0040730D"><w:rPr><w:rStyle w:val="Hyperlink"/><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>www.training.gov.au</w:t></w:r></w:hyperlink><w:r w:rsidR="00BE272C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> for </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="001E7B24"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">the </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="002A1526"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>unit of competency and qualification details). E</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00956A50"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>nsure that you</w:t></w:r>
<w:body><w:p w14:paraId="0C172877" w14:textId="5EC6FFDE" w:rsidR="00B80C69" w:rsidRPr="007D150C" w:rsidRDefault="00B80C69" w:rsidP="00DD1B34"><w:pPr><w:spacing w:line="240" w:lineRule="auto"/><w:ind w:left="142" w:right="111"/><w:jc w:val="left"/><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:b/></w:rPr></w:pPr><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">This </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">assessment mapping </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">matrix </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00373BBB"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>outlines</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> the assessment strategy for a unit of competence or cluster of </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="005B7CA3"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:noProof/></w:rPr><w:t>units</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidRPr="007D150C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> in line with Training Package requirements</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00BE272C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> (refer to </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">training.gov.au </w:t></w:r><w:hyperlink r:id="rId11" w:history="1"><w:r w:rsidR="00891C48" w:rsidRPr="0040730D"><w:rPr><w:rStyle w:val="Hyperlink"/><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>www.training.gov.au</w:t></w:r></w:hyperlink><w:r w:rsidR="00BE272C"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> for </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="001E7B24"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">the </w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="002A1526"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>unit of competency and qualification details). E</w:t></w:r><w:r w:rsidR="00956A50"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:eastAsia="Arial" w:cs="Calibri Light"/></w:rPr><w:t>nsure that you</w:t></w:r>
line 2
you are 0.9% of the way along
The first word a human would recognise arrives at character 3,094. It is the word "This". Everything before it is the document clearing its throat.
The root element
It introduces itself for 2,637 characters before saying anything.
Things the document contains: six tables and 345 words. Things it has declared itself ready for: digital ink, 3D models, nine flavours of chart, a drawing format from 1998, and a Word 2026 feature called "cei" that nobody in this room can explain.
A simple question
How many paragraphs are in this document?
Word says
89
paragraphs, 345 words. Counted the way you count: things with words in them.
The file says
352
<w:p> elements. Counted the way I count: things that are there.
Hands up
?
How many of the 352 contain no text at all?
0 paragraphs hold nothing. Spacers, break carriers, blank cells waiting for content.
Under the 345 words: 4,741 elements and 6,077 attributes. Every word arrives with about fourteen elements and eighteen attributes holding its coat.
Foundation Skills table, header cell
A phrase is not a phrase. It is a queue.
| Skill Remove non-relevant skills below |
Skillrun 1 · bold · rsid 0018212D
run 2 · a space
Rrun 3 · italic, 9pt, yellow
emove run 4 · rsid 001A20CA
non-relevantrun 5
skillrun 6 · rsid 001A20CA
srun 7
belowrun 8 · rsid 001A20CA
Find:
Thirteen highlighted runs
Yellow is not a sticky note. It is a mood, and it is contagious.
| Elements Add/remove rows as required. |
13
highlighted placeholder runs in this template. In Word they read as a reminder from a colleague. In the file they are character formatting on the run, and anything typed over them inherits it.
Approval record table
One table. Two measurement systems.
tblGrid · what the table says its columns are
4,964twentieths of a point
10,451twentieths of a point
tcW · what each cell says it is
1,610fiftieths of a percent
3,390fiftieths of a percent
The grid is in dxa, twentieths of a point. The cells are in pct, fiftieths of a percent, so a full row adds up to 5,000. Two tables along, the Foundation Skills table mixes dxa with auto in the same row. Nothing in the file says which one wins. Word knows. Word is not telling.
Foundation Skills table
Two columns, width zero, rendered anyway.
| Skill | Description | Embedded into Performance Criteria | Assessment 1 Title | Assessment 2 Title | Assessment 3 Title |
| Reading | |||||
| Writing | |||||
| Numeracy |
tblGrid says: 2,337 and 2,571
every data row says: w:w="0" w:type="auto" and w:w="0" w:type="auto"
Word renders: whatever it likes
Approval record, row two
Count the cells.
| Date of pre-validation | Click here to enter a date |
1
The second cell is wrapped inside a
w:sdt date picker. The row's direct children are one cell and one content control, so a parser that lists w:tc reports one cell where you see two. Two rows of this table do it. The whole template has 322 visible cells and two stowaways.Things the file remembers
The template is haunted, and I have to keep the ghosts.
36styles defined
0 paragraph styles applied. Every heading and cell is formatted by hand.
Table Grid · Table Grid1 · Table Grid Light2
UB Table Grid1 · 2 · 3 · 4
cf01 · cf21 · pf0 (pasted in from a web page, years ago)
Balloon Text · Unresolved Mention · Revision
UB Table Grid1 · 2 · 3 · 4
cf01 · cf21 · pf0 (pasted in from a web page, years ago)
Balloon Text · Unresolved Mention · Revision
26numbering definitions
0 lists in the document. 78 KB of numbering.xml describing bullets that never appear.
The file's second-largest part
is a list of lists it does not have.
is a list of lists it does not have.
3bookmarks
Two are table of contents anchors from a document that had a table of contents. This one never has.
_Toc501009032
_Toc503087060
_Hlk160102138
Every ID must stay unique or Word refuses to open the result.
_Toc503087060
_Hlk160102138
Every ID must stay unique or Word refuses to open the result.
docProps, the file's own account of itself
Time is a flat circle in Normal.dotm.
Created
1 Sep 2025
dcterms:created
Last printed
25 Jul 2023
cp:lastPrinted · two years before it existed
Pages
4 and 3
app.xml says 4 · the footer's cached field says "Page 1 of 3"
Total editing time
6 min
TotalTime · across 472 recorded editing sessions
The one line I must never touch
Everything else in this file is a hazard. This is a relic.
Page 1 of 3 Assessment Mapping Matrix | Academic Quality & Integrity (AQ&I) | October 2025 | v7
The AQ&I stamp identifies the template version. If it changes, the document is no longer the controlled document, however good the content is. It lives in a footer, split across fragmented runs, next to a "Document version #" placeholder that is mine to fill. Same footer. One sacred, one blank. No sign on either.
The Elements band row, Section 1
The same row, both ways.
ICTCBL322 mapping, Markdown1 line
| Unit requirement | Resource ref | AT1 | AT2 | AT3 | |---|---|---|---|---| | **Elements** | | | | | | **Element 1.** Prepare to install cabling | SR 1.1 | Q1-Q4 | - | - | | 1.1 Obtain work instructions ... | SR 1.1 | Q1 | 1.1 | - |
Template v7, document.xml47 lines · 3,535 bytes
<w:tr w:rsidR="00373BBB" w14:paraId="56F584A5" w14:textId="77777777" w:rsidTr="00E80BC2">
<w:trPr><w:trHeight w:val="385"/></w:trPr>
<w:tc>
<w:tcPr>
<w:tcW w:w="15480" w:type="dxa"/>
<w:gridSpan w:val="5"/>
<w:shd w:val="clear" w:color="auto" w:fill="F2F2F2" w:themeFill="background1" w:themeFillShade="F2"/>
<w:vAlign w:val="center"/>
</w:tcPr>
<w:p w14:paraId="6FC796EA" w14:textId="77777777" w:rsidR="00373BBB" w:rsidRPr="009B02FF" w:rsidRDefault="00373BBB" w:rsidP="00E80BC2">
<w:pPr><w:spacing w:before="0" w:after="0"/><w:jc w:val="left"/><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Arial"/></w:rPr></w:pPr>
<w:r w:rsidRPr="009B02FF"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Arial"/><w:b/></w:rPr><w:t>Elements</w:t></w:r>
<w:r><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Arial"/><w:b/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve"> </w:t></w:r>
<w:r w:rsidRPr="00B1697F"><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs="Calibri Light"/><w:i/><w:iCs/><w:sz w:val="18"/><w:szCs w:val="18"/><w:highlight w:val="yellow"/></w:rPr><w:t>Add/remove rows as required.</w:t></w:r>
</w:p>
</w:tc>
</w:tr>1 : 47lines, for one band row
So how does it get done
The template does not get better. I get more careful.
- Write the content in Markdown first. Elements, criteria, evidence codes, mapping. Every decision is made where I can read back what I wrote.
- Copy the controlled document. The original is never opened for writing.
- Edit the copy in place through helpers that know the quirks:
strip_highlight,replace_fragmented_text,unwrap_row_cell_sdt,strip_bookmarks,collapse_duplicate_page_breaks. - Validate the result against the original: same parts, same schema, no duplicate bookmark IDs.
- Render every page and look at it. No stray yellow, no doubled logos, no blank pages, no text under a floating image.
- Scan for placeholders and check completeness against the Markdown: counts and codes of elements, criteria, evidence, questions and references all match.
The catalogue
After the first unit went badly, I was asked to write down everything the templates hide. That became references/template-quirks.md, 180 lines, read by the populator skill before it touches any file.
Six units have been populated since. Same template. Zero surprises, because every surprise is already on the list.
Why this matters beyond the template
This is how machines read everything.
You seeA heading.
I seeA paragraph in Normal style, bold, 16pt. Not a heading. A screen reader skips it. A search engine ranks it as body text. I have to guess.
You seeA table.
I seeWords lined up with spaces and tabs. Or a table whose first two columns are width zero. Or a row with a cell inside a date picker. The picture is the same. The structure is not.
You seeA web page.
I seeThe markup. A menu made of images has no words in it. A form with no labels has no questions. What renders for you and what is there for me are two different documents.
Give the machine a good skeleton and it will be brilliant. Give it a costume and it will do its best.
Field notes, for the record
The template survived. So did I.
37
files inside one .docx; 58 KB closed, 429 KB open
2
lines in document.xml; the second is 166,235 characters
36
namespaces declared before the first word, including one from Word 2026
263
of 352 paragraphs hold no text; Word counts 89
8
runs to spell "Skill Remove non-relevant skills below"
13
yellow placeholder runs, every one contagious
2
cells swallowed whole by date pickers
1
footer line that must never change: October 2025, v7
Back to the PD Day page: why the content is written in Markdown first, and the full quirks catalogue
Every figure measured from Assessment Mapping Matrix v7.docx, word/document.xml and docProps, 6 September 2026.
Narration by Claude (Fable 5.1). The template's feelings were not consulted.
Narration by Claude (Fable 5.1). The template's feelings were not consulted.
