When ROI Isn't Enough: Making Persuasive Cases for User-Centered Design

Making the case for user-centered design (UCD) is a topic of recurring discussion for UX professionals. Much of the discussion has centered on strictly objective approaches such as cost-benefit or return-on-investment (ROI) analysis. However, recent commentary suggests proving ROI is not always enough.

Jones, Colleen. UXmatters (2007). Articles>User Centered Design>Project Management>Workplace

Whose Team? Managing and Participating in Non-Traditional Work Teams  

The non-traditional team environment is an evolution in our way of doing things. Virtual, blended, and multi-located team structures provide solutions to a myriad of complications that arise from traditional teaming—such as economic feasibility and skill-set cause and demand. It allows clients access to talent and skills they would not otherwise have, and enables specialists greater flexibility and availability. Professionalism and integrity are key in the non-traditional environment. Team members must be able to work isolated and/or with individuals who represent other companies. Managers must be equitable and be able to maintain strong lines of communication.

D'Larenti, Chantal, Connie Davis, Alan Cross, Everett Puckett. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Project Management>Collaboration

Why Content Management Projects Fail: Interview with Rahel Bailie

Many content management projects fail because organizations are either too focused on tools before properly researching their needs and processes, or because they underestimate the difficulty of migrating and restructuring their content to fit the new content management system. In this podcast, Rahel Bailie explains these pitfalls and what companies can do to avoid them, as well as how companies can climb out of problems they’re currently in. Rahel also talks about how technical communicators can influence business executives and other key stakeholders to make better decisions about content management.

Bailie, Rahel Anne. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>Interviews>Content Management>Project Management

Why Writing Deadlines May Be (Almost) As Good As Money

As much as we all like and/or need money, getting paid may not be enough to keep a writer motivated. Deadlines often are just as important. Although some of us fear — or even hate — them, the truth is that without them many of us simply wouldn’t write anything. And you can count me among those many.

Hewitt, John. Writer's Resource Center (2008). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Project Management

Writers in the Classroom

What does it take to get a newsletter out each month? Well, I spend about 16-20 hours a month on the newsletter at home, which doesn't include copying.

Boykin, Terri. Carolina Communique (2003). Articles>Writing>Project Management

Review: Herding Chickens: Innovative Techniques for Project Management

Herding Chickens: Innovative Techniques for Project Management is a different take on managing people and projects. Although the authors do pay homage to The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), published by the Project Management Institute, you will not in any way confuse their ideas and tips with the approach you find in the PMBOK.

Lockwood, Deb. STC Phoenix (2006). Articles>Reviews>Project Management

Why Technical Publishing Shouldn't Be Art

The work may start with the author, but to get it from the author to the end reader means it also has to go through an editor, copy editor, book designer, typesetter, printer, sales and marketing team, distributor, book buyer, and, eventually, a retail store.

Porter, Alan J. TechCom Manager (2008). Articles>TC>Publishing>Project Management

Topic-Based Writing to the Rescue: Project Considerations for Managers

The purpose of this case study is neither to simply rehash the project nor to provide a pressure-cooker story that others can use as a comparative benchmark. This article looks at the decision points within the project and provides an analysis from a real-life, practical approach that other technical communication managers can use when called upon to engage in a rescue project of their own.

Bailie, Rahel Anne. TechCom Manager (2008). Articles>Documentation>Project Management>Case Studies

Managing the Change Most Forget

Unless your organization is large enough to support dedicated organizational development and/or performance specialists, you will need to bring in a consultant to help you manage the real change. The change most people forget about, until it’s too late.

Hamer, Emma C. TechCom Manager (2006). Articles>Management>Project Management

Look at it Another Way

Seeing the same thing from different perspectives is much praised but little practiced. We don’t often realize what we can gain by seeing another scene in the picture.

Young, Indi. List Apart, A (2008). Articles>Project Management>Collaboration>Information Design

The Business Analyst in Model-Driven Architecture

From a software development viewpoint, model-driven architecture (MDA) encourages efficient use of system models. It also encourages reusing best practices as families of systems are produced. One of the main aims of MDA is to separate design from architecture, which places the business analyst in a unique and potentially powerful position within the organization. Learn how you as a business analyst can take an active role in this type of architecture.

Slack, S.E. IBM (2008). Articles>Information Design>Programming>Project Management

Requirements Planning: Overlooked and Undervalued

This article takes a high-level look at project requirements and the requirements cycle to help you understand the role of the business analyst in requirements planning.

Slack, S.E. IBM (2008). Articles>Project Management>Planning

When Good Projects Go Bad    

Learn how to recognize and address problems in a project before it is too late.

Natchez, Meryl. Intercom (2008). Articles>Management>Project Management

If You Want Something Done, Ask a Busy Person    

Effective use of personal time management skills and techniques can ensure a successful balance between work and personal life. This article suggests ways of analysing how time is spent, and offers advice on making plans for the future in a business and personal environment.

Byrne, Una. Business Information Review (2008). Articles>Project Management>Workflow

The Myth of Multitasking

Today, our collective will to pay attention seems fairly weak. We require advice books to teach us how to avoid distraction. In the not-too-distant future we may even employ new devices to help us overcome the unintended attention deficits created by today’s gadgets.

Rosen, Christine. New Atlantis, The (2008). Articles>Project Management>Professionalism

Ten Ways to Save Money When Publishing a Manual

Several hints on how to produce professional documentation less expensively.

Rosenberg, Nad. TechWRITE (2005). Articles>Documentation>Financial>Project Management

Feature Presentation

A spiral of complexity, often called “feature creep,” costs consumers time, but it also costs businesses money. Product returns in the U.S. cost a hundred billion dollars a year, and a recent study by Elke den Ouden, of Philips Electronics, found that at least half of returned products have nothing wrong with them. Consumers just couldn’t figure out how to use them. Companies now know a great deal about problems of usability and consumer behavior, so why is it that feature creep proves unstoppable?

Surowiecki, James. New Yorker, The (2007). Articles>Project Management>Technology>Collaboration

An Eight-Step Implementation Model

The inaccessibility of web content can have a significant impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities. Many people without disabilities are ignorant of the importance of the issue to those who are directly affected. They are also often ignorant of the tremendous benefit that accessible web content can be. Accessible web sites offer independence to individuals with disabilities that would otherwise not have it.

WebAIM (2006). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility>Project Management

The KJ-Technique: A Group Process for Establishing Priorities

In design, our resources are limited. Priorities become a necessity. We need to ensure we are working on the most important parts of the problem. How do we assess what is most important?

Spool, Jared M. User Interface Engineering (2004). Articles>Information Design>Project Management>Charts and Graphs

Adopting User-Centered Design Within An Agile Process: A Conversation  

eXtreme Programming and other agile processes provide a middle ground between chaos and over-elaborate processes sometimes referred to as 'death by documentation'. A particular attrtactive aspect of the agile approach for many teams is its willingness to accomodate change no matter how advanced development might be. However, this very flexibility can cause user interface design issues and ensuing usability problems. Adopting a user-centered approach to user interface design can address these issues, as the following simulated conversation between a user-centered design consultant and an XP team leader will explain.

Hudson, William. UIaccess (2002). Articles>User Centered Design>Agile>Project Management

How to Scope an Intranet Release

When developing intranet releases, intranet teams often find themselves very constrained by both time and resources. The challenge then becomes delivering sufficient content and capabilities to meet business and user expectations, within the project constraints. This briefing introduces a simple approach to scoping a release that takes all of these factors into account.

Robertson, James. Step Two (2004). Articles>Web Design>Intranets>Project Management

Your Website is for Your Most Important Customers

Well-managed websites tend to be those that are narrow in their focus. They do a few things really well rather than attempt to do lots and lots of things.

McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2006). Articles>Web Design>Project Management>E Commerce

You Need a Five-Year Plan for Your Website

Websites change the way an organization communicates with its staff, customers, investors and general public. A change in communication is a major shift for the organization. To effectively implement such a change will take time. You need a five-year plan for your website.

McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2003). Articles>Web Design>Planning>Project Management

Web Content Management a Process, Not a Project

When something is new, we need to approach it in an exploratory manner. We need to experiment and try things out. And so it has been with the Web. That period is now over. We need to move from seeing our websites as a series of projects, to managing them as a well-planned process.

McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2004). Articles>Content Management>Project Management

My Tip for Productivity: Tear Up the To-Do List

We all lead extremely busy lives. We have goals, commitments, and an almost endless amount of tasks to complete. Are there any productivity tips that work for you?

Johnson, Tom H. I'd Rather Be Writing (2008). Articles>Project Management>Workflow