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Typography is the study and process of typefaces; how to select, size, arrange, and use them in general. Traditionally, typography was the use of metal types with raised letterforms that were inked and then pressed onto paper. In modern terms, typography today also includes computer display and output.
176. #20179 Jakob Nielsen has published 200 Alertbox columns on the Web since 1995; in addition to promoting usability, the column's readership statistics validate the practice of archiving content. Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2003). Articles>Usability>Web Design 177. #21183 178. #29136 Aligning Theme and Information Structure To Improve The Readability Of Technical Writing The readability of technical writing, and technical manuals in particular, especially for second language readers, can be noticeably improved by pairing Theme with Given and Rheme with New. This allows for faster processing of text and easier access to the "method of development" of the text. Typical Theme-Rheme patterns are described, and the notion of the "point of a text" is introduced. These concepts are applied to technical writing and the reader is then invited to evaluate the improvements in readability in a small sample of texts. Moore, N.A.J. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2006). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Rhetoric 179. #30772 Madcap Flare is one of the most powerful online help authoring tools on the market today. In this podcast, Paul Pehrson, MVP in the Madcap Software forums, talks about Madcap Flare in depth. Pehrson, Paul and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>Documentation>Software>Madcap Flare 180. #24518 This article challenges the conventional approach to cross-cultural communication teaching that instructs students to adapt their communication styles to different cultures by providing them with details about the particular practices of these cultures. It argues for an approach that focuses on common principles of effective communication by pointing out some limitations of the current culture-specific approach and presenting a pilot study that indicates the commonality of communication needs. It suggests some ways to find a different approach for studying international communication and shows that some current research is, in fact, moving in that direction. Goby, Valerie Priscilla. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (1999). Articles>Business Communication>International 181. #26885 All Hail Shale: Shale Isn't Struts What Shale isn't is a shrink-wrapped, well-documented, well-tested product complete with an automated installer and a polished management interface. Now find out what it is, as Brett McLaughlin unveils this mighty -- and rightful-- heir to the legacy of Struts. In this first of a five-part series, Brett explains what Shale is, how it's different from the Struts framework, and how to install and set it up in your development environment. McLaughlin, Brett D. IBM (2006). Articles>Web Design>Programming 182. #24590 All the Secrets to Generating Creativity in Literature 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. Streight, Steven. Blogger.com (2004). Articles>Writing 183. #25609 Essay on the threat and promise of ubicomp: It should be clear that ubicomp represents a substantial raising of stakes; that its field of operation is by definition total; and that its potential for harm is such that the user experience is too important to leave to chance. Greenfield, Adam. Boxes and Arrows (2005). Articles>Technology 184. #21061 Allowing for Personal Choice -- HTML or Text E-Mail When you ask readers whether they want your e-mail newsletter in HTML or text e-mail, be sure to honor their preference. Allen, Cliff. Allen.com (2001). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email 185. #27601 Why do we bother with models or documentation? They don't execute, and our customers pay us for working code, not pretty pictures. We bother with models to communicate. The idea is that a graphical object model can show how objects fit together more clearly than looking at the source, an interaction diagram can show a collaboration better than figuring out the call path from several class definitions. But so often the design documentation fails in this, and leaves me puzzled on my sofa. Fowler, Martin. MartinFowler.com (1997). Articles>Documentation>Agile>Extreme Documentation 186. #29795 An Almost Final Farewell to Desktop Word Processing The era of desktop publishing is over, and I must bid Microsoft Word and several other desktop applications good-bye. In case you think I'm singling out Microsoft, it's not just MS Word, but also OpenOffice, GoogleOffice, or any application that makes what we used to call 'documents'. Nowadays, I'm simply using a wiki for collaborative information sharing and a blog for online reporting. Albing, Bill. Carolina Communique (2007). Articles>Word Processing>Online>Wikis 187. #18554 It is important to alphabetize your index in a consistent manner. Otherwise, your readers may become confused or miss an important entry. There are two basic ways to alphabetize, or sort, an index: word by word; letter by letter. Brown, Fred. Allegro Time! (2001). Articles>Indexing>Editing 188. #21816 An Alternative to a Master's Program Discussions concerning the structure of technical communication programs raise a multitude of questions: how do we include both theory and practice? How much theory is appropriate for a program in an applied area? What do our students need and want? How can we meet our students’ needs and ourown academic goals? These questions can become even more intense when they relate to master’s degree programs and the demanding students they attract. We are faced with decisions about what thenature of a master’s program in technical communication should be. Allen, Nancy J. CPTSC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Education>Graduate 189. #22128 'It's all in the manual.' How many times have you heard that - or said it in frustration? After all, when you are the person who wrote the manual, you know that all the answers are there. But time and again readers can't find what they need to know, or don't understand the material. Before you blame the reader, look again at how you've presented the material. Hollis Weber, Jean. Technical Editors Eyrie (1989). Articles>Editing>Technical Writing 190. #19283 Alternatives To User Requirement Gathering Of all the disciplines that go together to create a 'usability strategy', user requirement gathering is undoubtedly the most frequently misunderstood. Many product managers or webmasters will believe that they already know their users, perhaps because they have conducted some form of market research, or have a formal complaints and customer feedback programme in place. However, these techniques, discussed below, although similar in aspiration, should not be relied upon as a replacement for a full user-requirement gathering programme. That isn't to say that they do not have their uses of course, but rather that in terms of assisting in application or site design they can be unhelpful or even misleading. Farrell, Tom. Frontend Infocentre (2001). Articles>Usability>User Centered Design 191. #24524 Altruistic vs. Narcissistic Web Sites 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. Streight, Steven. Blogger.com (2004). Articles>Web Design>User Centered Design>Usability 192. #26953 I will examine this unfortunate side effect, Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), of the Digital Age in this essay. It has probably affected someone you know. I hope this information will cause you to pause, look at your computer setup and initiate changes that make your computing safer and more comfortable. And if you've already experienced some of RSI's disabling and career-threatening effects, I hope that this article eases some of your anxieties by describing methods, approaches and treatments that have helped others. Amara.com. Articles>Human Computer Interaction>Ergonomics>RSI 193. #23041 For an information architect with library roots, what's next is obvious: ambient findability. I want to be able to find anything, anywhere, anytime. Morville, Peter. Semantic Studios (2002). Articles>Information Design>Search 194. #26561 Ambient Findability: Talking with Peter Morville Can we reasonably judge authority? How can we make good decisions in the information age? How do we know enough to ask the right questions? Peter Morville takes a moment to talk with us about these and other potential answers, his most recent book, the death of data, and our fascination with the future. Danzico, Liz. Boxes and Arrows (2005). Articles>Interviews>Information Design 195. #29273 Writers of English have choices. Most every word we commit to paper (or its electronic equivalent) has a synonym Wenger, Andrea. Carolina Communique (2007). Articles>Writing>Grammar>Tropes 196. #20515 The AMWA Journal is the official publication of the American Medical Writers Association. Delivered quarterly to AMWA members and Journal subscribers, the AMWA Journal aims to be an authoritative, comprehensive source of information about the knowledge, skills, and opportunities in the field of biomedical communication worldwide. 197. #25773 AMWA Position Statement on the Contributions of Medical Writers to Scientific Publications AMWA formed a new task force in 2001 to develop a statement regarding AMWA’s position on the contributions of biomedical communicators to scientific publications. Hamilton, C.W. and M.G. Royer. Hamilton House (2003). Articles>Scientific Communication>Biomedical 198. #25942 An Agreement With a Web Designer: What Should it Look Like? Whether you're spending a few hundred dollars, or thousands of dollars, on your website, you should have a written agreement with your web designer. Here's what to include. Bennaco (2004). Articles>Web Design>Contracts 199. #25378 An Overview of Single Sourcing with an XML Content Management System Creating an XML-based Content Management System to single-source technical publications is as simple as 1 - 2 - 3. OK, maybe it isn't quite that easy, but this article discusses how it can be done. Sapir, Rick. KeyContent.org (2004). Articles>Content Management>Documentation>XML 200. #29358 Analysing Everyday Interaction Inspired by Don Norman's classic book, 'The Design of Everyday Things', I started to collect my own examples of bad designs to analyse according to interaction design principles. Here are just a few. Poole, Alex. Alex Poole (2004). Articles>Usability>Interaction Design>User Experience
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