http://tc.eserver.org/authors/Streight,_Steven A bibliography of works by Streight, Steven in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Streight,_Steven http://tc.eserver.org/29180.html http://tc.eserver.org/29180.html A rationale for joining as many social networking sites as possible, if you are a marketing professional. http://tc.eserver.org/25387.html http://tc.eserver.org/25387.html A new buzzword you should know about is 'blog' or 'web log', meaning web log, digital journal, or online diary. Blogs are the Next Big Thing to hit the Internet, after conventional Web Sites. http://tc.eserver.org/25323.html http://tc.eserver.org/25323.html Bloggers who recklessly gush all types of personal details in their blogs may regret it. Stalkers, child predators, identity theft criminals, fanatics, and others are seeking photos and names of children, home addresses, home phone numbers, etc. Learn about the Dark Side of blogging and be smart. http://tc.eserver.org/25245.html http://tc.eserver.org/25245.html Behind the scenes, in the limelight, ahead of the curve...'blogphets' have plenty to say to us mere mortals on what makes a blog 'tick.' http://tc.eserver.org/25094.html http://tc.eserver.org/25094.html Here are some deep questions about blogs that seem to be overlooked. For example, can you post too frequently? What is coming next in popularity, wikis or glogs? Why do many business people express no interest in blogging? Can you answer any of these 16 probing questions about blogs and blogging? http://tc.eserver.org/25080.html http://tc.eserver.org/25080.html A high fidelity home page is one that simply and clearly communicates an accurate, complete, and favorable impression of your organization and its products. An effective home page will also display your intimate understanding of, and desire to fully accommodate, the actual needs and interests of users. http://tc.eserver.org/25064.html http://tc.eserver.org/25064.html Web site content must be recrudescent, repositorial, refluent, and rectilinear. What? Here's an innovative treatment of the essential attributes of online text. Find out why great web site content generally has these 14 characteristics that start with a "R". http://tc.eserver.org/25056.html http://tc.eserver.org/25056.html Blogs are about to give way to a new development. Wikis are web sites within which any user can quickly and easily edit much of the content, without HTML. This idea regarding user-generated online content goes beyond the comment posting of a standard blog. Blikis are blogs that have wiki support, so that users can edit the comments posted. http://tc.eserver.org/25050.html http://tc.eserver.org/25050.html "Communication" vs. "Interaction"? Find out why unrestrained, random communication on the web is not good in and of itself, and why relevant, practical information and functionalities for task completion are much more vital. Learn why "communicating for the sheer joy of communicating" is a waste of time and web space. http://tc.eserver.org/25043.html http://tc.eserver.org/25043.html Find out how various popular keywords rank against their opposites (life vs. death, heaven vs. hell, Jesus vs. Beatles, everything vs. nothing, etc.) in this report on a unique One Hour Google Search Experiment. But what does it all mean? Draw your own conclusions. Fun and enlightening. http://tc.eserver.org/25031.html http://tc.eserver.org/25031.html Here's how to apply simple deconstruction techniques to popular phrases to transform them into viable marketing slogans or headlines for ads. A fun, easy exercise in creativity, with several examples. http://tc.eserver.org/25030.html http://tc.eserver.org/25030.html CEO Blogs should be vastly superior to any other run of the mill blogs on the web. But in many cases, they're worse. Discover 10 common errors made by CEO bloggers and how to correct them. Plus, a link to a wiki-compiled list of current CEO blogs. http://tc.eserver.org/24865.html http://tc.eserver.org/24865.html Never assume that describing something in basic, simple, fundamental terms will annoy your audience. Dumbing down is a form of distortion and possibly deception. Simplifying and clarifying are forms of altruistic communication. Find out more about the differences between "dumbing down" and simplifying and clarifying...and how to decide how simple an explanation should be. http://tc.eserver.org/24844.html http://tc.eserver.org/24844.html Find out how the blogosphere is portrayed as stupid, how automatic reloading of web pages annoys users, how it's very difficult or impossible to scroll text entry boxes, why search engines need filters, why usability is not "dead" for web design, why delete must not automatically open the next email message, why "view profile" must not be omitted, and why all user actions need prominent "action succeeded" messages and "view action results" page links. http://tc.eserver.org/24769.html http://tc.eserver.org/24769.html Hiding a commercial ad in editorial text is the latest form of internet garbage. Content Hypertext Spam refers to a link within an article that users assume will lead to relevant content, further information on the topic. Wrong. It deceptively leads to an irrelevant site that tries to sell something. Discover the 14 reasons why this new gimmick is damaging to users and webmasters alike. http://tc.eserver.org/24669.html http://tc.eserver.org/24669.html Comment spam is irrelevant, unethical, or unwanted commercial-oriented message propagation on comment posting pages of blogs and web sites. Comment spam is invading every interactive and community building aspect of the internet and web. What you need to do to protect yourself and to stop this attack by "internet pigs." http://tc.eserver.org/24593.html http://tc.eserver.org/24593.html Buzzwords obscure, confuse, or evade. Benefits sell products and ideas. If you use too many buzzwords too often, most educated audiences will conclude you lack the ability to be clear, truthful, or direct. Never assume everyone understands your esoteric language. If you don't know what you're doing, stop doing it. If you do know, state it clearly and simply. http://tc.eserver.org/24590.html http://tc.eserver.org/24590.html NOT for the timid--here are proven, guaranteed, simple ways to create writing that is off-the-wall original. Why be mediocre? Now you can quickly and easily become innovative, bizarre, and distinctive. The "born writer" theorists and "author-worshipers", the non-deconstructionists, will HATE this article. http://tc.eserver.org/24589.html http://tc.eserver.org/24589.html Freedom of expression is not ruling the blogosphere, because insecure bloggers will block your attempt to post comments, or even read their blog, should they decide you are "too controversial" or "too different from me". Opinionated blogs are the worst culprits of cowardly post blocking. http://tc.eserver.org/24592.html http://tc.eserver.org/24592.html Web sites are full of print media text. Shame on them. Users are in a hurry. They hate dense blocks of lengthy blabbering. They ignore most text on their hunt for Relevant Content. Find out how to convert Print Read text into easily consumed information for the web. http://tc.eserver.org/24591.html http://tc.eserver.org/24591.html "It made me laugh, I love it," is not what you want to hear about an expensive TV commercial. Did it leave you with a powerful desire to obtain the benefit the product offers, so that you plan on purchasing it? Find out why silly TV commercials, that fail to communicate why the product is superior, are doomed to drain budgets and let the competition gain ground. http://tc.eserver.org/24588.html http://tc.eserver.org/24588.html "Not your father's Dairy Queen" is touted as a marketing advance, when it's simply Panic Marketing. Find out why DQ should stick with its traditional benefit, desserts, and use that leverage to lift up its other food items. A classic Mentally Correct Marketing study highlighting how strategy must be developed. http://tc.eserver.org/24579.html http://tc.eserver.org/24579.html With over 4 million distinct blog voices in the blogosphere, how can you differentiate yourself? By being an interesting voice. Interesting voices are made, not born, and now you can learn some ways to become more interesting and influential in blogdom. CAUTION: not for boring blah blah blah bloggers who are smug and self-satisfied. http://tc.eserver.org/24578.html http://tc.eserver.org/24578.html Here they come. Nightmare web sites that, from a usability perspective, are horrid monsters. When you're tired and in a hurry, you want a web site to quickly and easily provide relevant content to you, so you can solve a problem or perform some task. Discover common hideous impediments to web usability. WARNING: Not for the faint hearted! http://tc.eserver.org/24577.html http://tc.eserver.org/24577.html Even public relations web sites must be user-centered in design and content. Narcissistic, arrogant PR sites are counter-productive in the digital age of transparency, fault-admission, and altruism via shared information. Find out why Martha Talks is a web site failure from a usability and ethics point of view. http://tc.eserver.org/24553.html http://tc.eserver.org/24553.html Blogs (web logs, online journals) are nearly mandatory now. From presidential candidates and CEOs to avid hobbyists and local clubs, blogs are being used to share ideas and opinions. As the next new communications/community building/marketing tool beyond conventional web sites, blogs offer a more dynamic, timely, and personal interactive experience. Join over 4 million other bloggers by following these easy steps to Power Blogging. http://tc.eserver.org/24576.html http://tc.eserver.org/24576.html A recent Earthlink TV commercial demonstrates how a company can use humor, sci fi, innovation, and benefit oriented brand marketing to please and inform customers. Plus, a great web site and high quality ethical core beliefs and values. Very user-centered. http://tc.eserver.org/24524.html http://tc.eserver.org/24524.html Users are repulsed by web sites that are narcissistic, egotistic, corporate-speak, hard to understand, and difficult to use. Users are attracted to and enjoy web sites that are altruistic, user-prioritized, user-focused, easy to understand, easy to use, and full of fresh, relevant content. http://tc.eserver.org/24520.html http://tc.eserver.org/24520.html If you provide after the sale customer service reluctantly, or delegate it to outsourced, but cheaper, providers, you're making a huge mistake. Customer service generates revenue via word of mouth, cross-sell and up-sell opportunities, and repeat purchases by satisfied customers. http://tc.eserver.org/24552.html http://tc.eserver.org/24552.html Prevent major user annoyance by checking all your web forms: feedback, comment posting, product orders, newsletter sign-up, newsletter opt-in, unsubscribe option, site registration, etc. When a form won't submit, or otherwise fails, after user inputs lots of data, it causes extreme ill will toward your web site, and may be legal violation (UCE laws). http://tc.eserver.org/24551.html http://tc.eserver.org/24551.html Internet discussion forums contain topic titles that are vague, silly, amateur, too long, or too emotional. How to write clear, relevant, succinct topic titles that command attention and attract replies that can provide the answer you seek. http://tc.eserver.org/24514.html http://tc.eserver.org/24514.html Use reponsivity to command or coax customers into acting on your offer. http://tc.eserver.org/24523.html http://tc.eserver.org/24523.html Most emails have lousy subject lines, are too wordy, and probably are deleted unread, read but not responded to, or filtered out as spam. Learn how to avoid these fates by composing Power Emails that are legal, ethical, and effective. http://tc.eserver.org/24526.html http://tc.eserver.org/24526.html How to write effective technical documentation. http://tc.eserver.org/24521.html http://tc.eserver.org/24521.html Without user observation testing, the usability of your web site is virtually unknown. Surveys are worth little, since those surveyed tend to tell you what they think you want to hear. Staff opinions are nice, but biased and they are not typical users. Heuristic (general guidelines-based) evaluation is helpful, but remains theoretical until tested on actual, representative users as they attempt to find information or perform tasks at your site. http://tc.eserver.org/24519.html http://tc.eserver.org/24519.html Detailed explanation of how to conduct a web usability user observation test. Simple, step-by-step instructions for professional administration of testing program. How to select and supervise test subjects. How to design test task assignments. Suggested forms to use: test subject selection computer skills level telesurvey, link strategy survey, system usability scale questionnaire, site satisfaction survey. http://tc.eserver.org/24512.html http://tc.eserver.org/24512.html Secrets of web usability and web credibility enhancement. Web content writing. Blogs as marketing tools. Using internet forums as virtual advisory staff. Professional email composition. http://tc.eserver.org/24549.html http://tc.eserver.org/24549.html When users visit your web site, their immediate impression of its credibility is based on appearance, colors, text fonts. Then, as they explore your site, other factors contribute to its credibility impact. Lose users here, and they probably will never return. http://tc.eserver.org/24522.html http://tc.eserver.org/24522.html The vast majority of web sites commit usability and design violations that make it hard for users to find relevant content and functions. These problems are not difficult to diagnose or remedy. How many of these "user crimes" is your web site guilty of committing? http://tc.eserver.org/23236.html http://tc.eserver.org/23236.html Many web sites considered robust and healthy by their owners may be suffering from one of these eight life-threatening diseases.