Yeats, Dave http://tc.eserver.org/authors/Yeats,_Dave A bibliography of works by Yeats, Dave 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 Yeats, Dave http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Yeats,_Dave The Role for Technical Communicators in Open-Source Software Development http://tc.eserver.org/31085.html http://tc.eserver.org/31085.html Although it claims to adhere to user-centered design principles of participatory design and democratized technology, open-source software often fails to effectively address the usability needs of typical software users. In many cases, it embodies a system-centered design approach facilitated by the efforts of developer-users. In addition to the existing participation in open-source projects in the classroom, technical communicators should actively critique open-source software and promote user-centered design principles in open-source software projects. Ten Problems With Single Sourcing http://tc.eserver.org/29895.html http://tc.eserver.org/29895.html Though there have been numerous conference papers, articles, and books devoted to the topic of single sourcing, there have been fewer works about potential problems that should be identified before adopting a single-source documentation strategy. This study looks at ten specific problems (including issues of training, productivity, and morale) that can arise during the implementation of a mature single-sourcing model of documentation management. This list of problems, while not comprehensive, does provide some points of reference and a framework within which technical communicators can consider the implications of adopting a single-sourcing documentation model. Program Models for Supporting Faculty and Student Research http://tc.eserver.org/26525.html http://tc.eserver.org/26525.html Presentations about how to facilitate student and faculty research in higher education academic programs. Role of the Highlights Video in Usability Testing: Rhetorical and Generic Expectations http://tc.eserver.org/25746.html http://tc.eserver.org/25746.html Despite the proliferation of books and articles dealing with usability testing as a sub-field of technical communication, there remains one artifact that is underdefined: the usability highlights video. Several sources suggest that usability testers should deliver a video to their clients, but there is no common description of the contents of this video or the rhetorical purpose it fulfills. In this article, we examine the use of the highlights video as described in the literature, but we go further to discover some ways practicing usability professionals understand the role of the highlights video. Through the use of generic conventions, rhetorical theory, and industrial practices, we attempt to draw conclusions that point to some common uses of the highlights video that can instruct both teachers in the usability classroom and practicing usability experts as they create videos for client projects. Technical Communication http://tc.eserver.org/23683.html http://tc.eserver.org/23683.html This course assists students in developing the writing ability required by their future professions. All assignments are writing-intensive. Audience Analysis and Information Design: Creating a Needs Assessment Documentation Strategy http://tc.eserver.org/23611.html http://tc.eserver.org/23611.html A user needs assessment developed from extensive audience analysis can be used to develop a documentation strategy that effectively meets user needs. This paper provides an overview of the steps required to identify and analyze the various audiences critical to enterprise software documentation and create a needsassessment- based strategy.