Accommodating Active Learners in Software Documentation Decisions  

Recent research focusing on a minimalist approach to computer software documentation has explored ways to design computer software tutorials and workbooks for users with an active learning style. The principles of minimalism and active learning styles, however, are less frequently applied to traditional reference manuals. This paper reviews several elements of minimalism and suggests ways to apply strategies for active learners to traditional reference manuals.

Smart, Karl L. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>Instructional Design>Software

All About Madcap Flare

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

Applying Computer Analysis and Design Techniques to Document Component-Based Software  

Facing the challenges involved in developing documentation for component-based software (for example, object-oriented technology, intelligent agents, and distributed computing) requires a documentation strategy based on the same processes and methodologies used by such technologies. These strategies need to be adapted to meet documentation, rather than coding needs. Developing this strategy now, as component-based technology is still maturing, will help technical communicators keep pace.

Bachmann, Karen L. and Ginger Doherty. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Documentation>Software

Audacity Tutorial: How to Record and Edit Audio with Audacity

Audacity is a free cross platform multi track audio editing program from Sourceforge.net. It will let you record, edit, and mix an unlimited number of tracks. Audacity runs on Windows (98 through XP), Mac OS X, and Linux.

Guides and Tutorials (2006). Articles>Documentation>Software>Audio

Automating Production with WebWorks AutoMap

WebWorks AutoMap is an extremely useful tool for performing unattended documentation builds. Out of the box, AutoMap can generate reasonable documents. By adding the power of scripting, the results can be amazing.

Bate, Simon. Carolina Communique (2006). Articles>Documentation>Software>Word Processing

Best Practice Flare: High Definition PDF

Having introduced the concept of high definition PDF's output straight from Flare's source files with minimal post-production, we can now start to dig into the technologies that are used to produce it.

Tech Write Tips (2006). Articles>Documentation>Software>Madcap Flare

Creating Multimedia Hardware Procedures with ShowMe How  

Learning the correct steps to install or remove a computer component, such as a memory module, can involve, at best, hands-on instruction or, at worst, only written instructions. To increase the likelihood that customers and service personnel will be able to perform correctly the hardware service procedure for each fieldreplaceable component, Sun MicrosystemsTM now ships high-quality multimedia of removal and replacement procedures, called ShowMeTM How, on CD with each UltraTM Workstation and Enterprise Workgroup Server.

Barron, Rick, Steve Hix, Paul Lorence and Jenny R. Redfern. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Documentation>Software

Cross-Referencing Step Numbers in Word

If you are like most technical writers, your procedures have automatically numbered steps (whether in tables or text), Microsoft Word provides two relatively simple ways for you to cross-reference a step number.

McConnell, Gloria. Usability Interface (2004). Articles>Documentation>Software>Microsoft Word

Der Weg zum absoluten PDF-Standard in der Technischen Dokumentation

Kein Wunder müssen Technischen Redakteure die ganze Zeit Druckdaten aufbereiten, wenn jede Druckerei ein anderes Datenformat verlangt. Eine Lösung musste her. Ein Standard. Und so ist auch PDF/X-3 ein Thema in der Technischen Dokumentation.

TECOM (2003). (German) Articles>Documentation>Software>Adobe Acrobat

A Document Management Case Study: QLD Dept of Housing  

How a new spin on document management software helped revolutionise customer service at the Queensland Department of Housing.

Hambly, Natalie. Cherryleaf (2003). Articles>Documentation>Software>Government

Documenting Entertainment Software: The Mixed Challenge of Simplicity and Sophistication  

The challenges of documenting entertainment software are in many ways the challenges of all technical communicators. We strive to make the interface intuitive and the documentation interesting and easy-to-read. Although the nature of the world of entertainment may suggest that our task is simple, the breadth of our audience and the depth of our goals makes it more sophisticated than it looks. We must be as imaginative as our users, recognize the emerging dimensions of multimedia, and create with the constraints of low retail costs, small teams, and fast-paced deadlines.

Guthrie, Lynn Frances. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Software

Does a Good User Interface Obviate the Need for Documentation?

This question was raised on a programmer's group recently and I was intrigued. The programmer's point was that with many web applications these days there is no print documentation distributed to end users, and even if it existed, many users won't read it although this makes me wonder who's buying all those how-to books I see in the bookstore. The programmer suggested that applications should be designed without documentation and wondered about the impact that would have on design.

Sprezzatura Systems (2002). Articles>Documentation>User Interface>Software

Editing Guidelines for Software Documentation

Software documentation can be difficult to review, so it helps to have some editing guidelines to keep you focused. Let's face it; software documentation isn't exactly exciting reading material. But you should be able to complete the job in a productive manner if you keep your coffee cup full and follow the editing guidelines below.

HelpScribe (2008). Articles>Documentation>Editing>Software

Evaluating the Effect of Iconic Linkage on the Usability of Software User Guides    

This study investigates whether Iconic Linkage--the use of the identical wording to present the same information recurring in a text--can improve the usability of user guides. Iconic Linkage is a writing strategy that potentially allows users to work more quickly and effectively and which promotes better retention of information. The usefulness of Iconic Linkage was tested in a laboratory-based usability study that combined: 1) objective task-based evaluation; and 2) users' subjective evaluations of a software program used in recording parliamentary debates. A post-test survey designed to test subjects' retention of information contained in the user guides was also administered. The study shows that Iconic Linkage significantly improved usability of the user guide: in all tasks, subjects worked more effectively and made fewer mistakes; while in the three timed tasks, subjects completed the tasks much more quickly. Subjects also gave higher ratings for the software and their retention of information was noticeably improved.

Byrne, Jody. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2005). Articles>Documentation>Software>Usability

The First Line of Support

Customer support costs account for as much as 60 percent of a high-tech company’s total costs. Documentation is the first line of support for most customers, and customers usually use documentation to find the answer to a problem they’re having. The inevitable result of poor or nonexistent documentation is that more people try calling the customer support lines for help.

Butow, Eric. Software Development Times (2006). Articles>Documentation>Software>Technical Writing

Flare 5: Adding Advanced HTMLHelp Features

Flare current provides the majority of HTMLHelp settings, and does this in a much more flexible way that HTMLHelp workshop does. Particularly useful are the WYSIWYG help window size and potitioning. However, there are some advanced HTMLHelp settings (such as advanced help, or remembering the users last help settings) that are not currently available.

Tech Write Tips (2006). Articles>Documentation>Software>Madcap Flare

From Good to Great—: The Finer Points of Writing User Documentation  

A few years ago, the NeXT user publications group was handed a charter to create casual books with personality. We were also told to condense the user documentation for an entire operating system and several bundled applications into 300 pages. And of course we had the top priority of creating accurate, complete, and easy-to-use documentation. To our delight, these goals ended up being mutually compatible. The keys? Task orientation, flat hierarchy, carefully crafted page design, illustration, and a casual, intelligent tone. We also broke some 'rules'! (Caution: Some of the following material may seem radical to seasoned traditionalists.)

Casabona, Helen. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Software>Usability

The Future of RoboHelp?

The RoboHelp help authoring tool is now entering its thirteenth year of existence. That's a remarkably long existence for any software title. In that time period, we have seen an amazing expansion of the software industry throughout the 1990s and an equally amazing retraction due to the bursting of the Internet bubble. Making its start in the tiny offices of Blue Sky Software in LaJolla, California, RoboHelp grew into an extremely profitable product. It is also a market leader—having capturing some two-thirds of all Help authoring tool sales. During the Internet bubble years the company changed its name to eHelp, but RoboHelp continued to be its flagship profit center. In 2003, eHelp (and RoboHelp) were acquired by one of the leading providers of web tools—Macromedia. Now it appears that the end may be approaching for RoboHelp.

Welinske, Joe. WritersUA (2005). Articles>Documentation>Software>Adobe RoboHelp

Going Online: Selecting the Right Tool  

There are numerous tools that you can use to create online documentation. However, each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, and each is more appropriate for some types of information than others. This workshop explores many issues of online documentation tools: Why go beyond Windows Help? Which is better: HTML or Adobe Acrobat? What tools support cross-platform presentation? When should you use Workgroup tools such as Lotus Notes or Folio? When does SGML make sense? How to utilize a!ocument databases? When to use Management tools? Real examples developed using these tools will be given throughout the session. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the pros and cons of each.

Rockley, Ann. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Documentation>Software>Help

How to Choose a Good Instructional Book about OpenOffice.org

If the success of an open source project can be measured by the number of third-party books about it, then OpenOffice.org is thriving. Not only is OpenOffice.org represented by a dozen books and pieces of training material on Amazon.com, but interest in OpenOffice.org is widespread enough that each of the books is geared to a slightly different audience. This article gives an overview of four of the current OpenOffice.org books, ending with a suggestion of which to buy for your own needs.

Byfield, Bruce. IT Manager's Journal (2004). Articles>Documentation>Software>OpenOffice

Implications for Writers Documenting Object-Oriented Projects  

Object-oriented (OO) projects bring with them new technology and new processes. While programmers focus on the OO methodologies governing design and implementation of program code, writers must struggle to adapt to a very different kind of development cycle. To avoid chaos, development teams must explicitly define their processes from the start.

Berry, Robert R., Karen L. Mobley and Kathryn L. Turk. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Documentation>Software

The Importance of Software Documentation Standards

The look and feel of a help system can differ greatly from one product to the next, as can the writing. So how can the technical writing community emphasize the importance of software documentation standards and create a more unified help experience that users can adapt to?

Helpscribe (2008). Articles>Documentation>Standards>Software

John Daigle on RoboHelp 7

Daigle, an Adobe community expert for RoboHelp, shares his reaction to the RoboHelp 7 sneak peak, and also explains the main features RoboHelp 7 will have: drag-and-drop functionality across the topics, double-byte language support for translation, the ability to have multiple topics open at the same time, snippets with graphics, removal of kadov tags, automatic breadcrumbs, and tighter integration with other Adobe products. Daigle speculates on reasons for Adobe's lack of transparency, and comments on the globalization of Adobe's development for RoboHelp.

Daigle, John and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Documentation>Software>Adobe RoboHelp

Language Quality-Assurance Software    

Explores the benefits of using Language QA Software to optimize documentation for organizations and companies.

Kohl, John R. Intercom (2008). Articles>Documentation>Software>Language