In 2007 Wendell Piez and I wrote a conference paper on this topic.
"Separating Mapping from Coding in Transformation Tasks".

The slides are available at:
http://www.mulberrytech.com/papers/MappingTransformations/index.html
and there is a sample mapping specification at:
http://www.mulberrytech.com/papers/MappingTransformations/dhqmap.html

 We at Mulberry still use this method. We find that, in general,
using this method, the mapping takes about twice as long as the
coding.

Which raises the issue, if a non XSLT programmer is specifying,
how might he/she do it, without those XSLT skills?

"skipped" (because the mapping is never skipped, if the programmer
starts writing code immediately the mapping is hidden, but must still
be done).

--
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk