Designing Embedded Help to Encourage Inadvertent Learning    

What do we do when a legacy help system has trained the users not to use it? How do we design a solution that not only lures users back to the user assistance, but also encourages users to learn more about the product? This article follows the decision-making process of a design team that had to solve these problems. Additionally, the design team had to craft solutions for an application that imposed extreme limitations on those solutions, both in help system implementation and information design.

Mobley, Karen L., Clinton Knight and Timothy Meserth. Technical Communication Online (2003). Design>Documentation>Help

Gathering Input for the Best Possible Prototype  

Prototyping has long been a part of the sofiware development process, but is still an underutilized aspect of documentation design, particularly for online design. Developing a detailed approach to prototyping lets writers design and confirm document usability early in the development cycle. Implementing detailed prototyping in an iterative design cycle ultimately leads to the best possible document for the audience.

Mobley, Karen L. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>User Centered Design>Usability

Prototyping Your Process, Team and Tools Improving the Usability of Work  

This paper explores prototyping the process, team, and tools comprising the work environment within which technical communicators operate when creating documentation. If you create a prototype of your documentation through a prototype of your work environment, you can uncover numerous flaws in your process, team, and tools. Iterative prototyping encourages adjusting the work environment to meet constantly changing requirements. If we consider how programmatic much of our work has become, especially with online help systems or the World Wide Web, prototyping our process, team, and tools can be invaluable toward improving the usability of our working lifestyle.

Mobley, Karen L. and Judith R. Fisher. STC Proceedings (1999). Design>Usability>Methods

The Role of Double Agents in Writing Projects  

Double agents on writing teams provide benefits to both product developers and technical writers with their unique skills and perspectives. You'll be more likely to get the information you need when you need it because your double agent has already set the stage for success. Learn the benefits of having a double agent working with technical writers as a part of the product development team. Discover valuable secrets never before divulged to the public that you can use to work with your product developers. Take out your magnifying glass and look for the clues.

Mobley, Karen L., Kathryn L. Turk and Judith R. Fisher. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Writing>Collaboration>SMEs

Using the World Wide Web in Your Company’s Own Little World  

When a company uses the World Wide Web for internal communication, the web is called an intranetwork, or intranet. Companies are turning to this solution because of a number of advantages. However, as with any change that involves technology and corporate culture, the advantages of an intranet come with several challenges including introducing the intranet successfully, managing it without chaos, getting the employees to use it and use it properly, as well as maintaining the web of corporate information accurately.

Mobley, Karen L. and Julia C. Stovall. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Web Design>Intranets