FrameMaker and Interleaf did this pretty well. And SGML-based tools, and TeX/LaTeX, of course.
The Microsoft Word way has always seemed to support styles more like they were grafted on as an afterthought, without wanting to disturb the least-knowledgeable users, to the point that knowledgeable users have to tiptoe around all the UI that breaks styles.
Framemaker was great, was the tool used by most US military contractors in 90s. Many well known aircraft were designed using this document tool. I still try to configure MS Word to work like it.
Exactly. Interleaf was structured-oriented like that, only a bit moreso. (I designed "styles" heavily in all 3 tools, plus some others.)
Regarding mil/aero, I heard (possibly incorrect) that Boeing did some documentation in Interleaf, and part of routine preservation of those engineering artifacts was to archive... an entire Apollo Domain workstation network. Even though later/other versions of Interleaf were available on later platforms. I guess they weren't going to take any chances.
The Microsoft Word way has always seemed to support styles more like they were grafted on as an afterthought, without wanting to disturb the least-knowledgeable users, to the point that knowledgeable users have to tiptoe around all the UI that breaks styles.