Globalizing Garmin: Finding the Way and Other Points

Stay flexible. Maintain vendor relationships. Avoid proprietary lock-ins. Maintain ratio of writers/engineers. Stay focused on deliverables. Shift job descriptions and work responsibilities.

Arnold, Larry W. STC Proceedings (2008). Presentations>Language>Localization>Case Studies

Building Usable Websites, Part 3

Website and software application usability is a classic intangible, hard to measure and even harder to sell to clients or management. Ironic, as I think it safe to say that at this stage in the game there are few sites that would not benefit from a usability survey and a bit of tweaking. Nevertheless, some companies have taken the cue and great usability case studies are beginning to emerge.

Shreves, Ric. Water and Stone (2008). Articles>Usability>Web Design>Case Studies

Ten Accessibility Blunders of the Big Players

More and more countries have passed laws stating that Websites must be accessible to blind and disabled people. With this kind of legal pressure, and the many benefits of accessibility, the big players on the Web must surely have accessible Websites, right?

Moss, Trenton. Sitepoint (2004). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility>Case Studies

Seven Accessibility Mistakes (Part 1)

There are several reasons inaccessible Web products get published. One we discussed in my last article is that some clients just don’t care about accessibility. Their reasons make a lot of sense if you put yourself in their shoes. Another reason is developer mistakes. Making mistakes is natural, and suffering the consequences and learning from them is what makes us better developers and better people.

Heilmann, Christian. Digital Web Magazine (2006). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility>Case Studies

Revisiting Toys’R’Us

How could an $11,000,000,000 company fail so miserably in its e-commerce efforts that it had to turn its storefront over to a relative newcomer? And what is the Big Lesson we can learn from Toys'R'Us' difficulties?

Rosenfeld, Louis. CIO Magazine (2000). Articles>Web Design>E Commerce>Case Studies

Everybody Hates the Cable Guy

It's all too common for IT players to emphasize the technology and ignore the information that the technology exists to convey. Take my friendly local cable provider, MediaOne.

Rosenfeld, Louis. CIO Magazine (2000). Articles>Web Design>User Centered Design>Case Studies

The Taxman Cometh but Merril Lynch Isn't Ready

With April 15th approaching, Lou needed some basic tax information, but Merrill Lynch's labeling system made the easiest answers tough to find.

Rosenfeld, Louis. CIO Magazine (2000). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Case Studies

Five Intranet Reviews, Five Different Results

This case study presents the findings from five different intranet reviews, with the aim of exposing some of the issues being confronted across different organisations. These reviews also show that even within seemingly-similar organisations, the intranet issues can be quite different. This highlights that there is no 'one size fits all' intranet solution, and emphasises the value of conducting meaningful 'needs analysis' activities, such as those outlined in this article.

Robertson, James. Step Two (2005). Articles>Web Design>Intranets>Case Studies

Intranet Return on Investment Case Studies

An intranet can deliver return on investment (ROI) by either reducing the cost, or expanding the ability, to communicate. By shifting manual processes to the intranet, the cost of accessing and processing information is reduced. The intranet speedily delivers information to large numbers of people. This gives the organization a greater capacity to change.

McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2002). Articles>Web Design>Intranets>Case Studies

Redesign of the Monash University Web Site: A Case Study in User-Centred Design Methods

This paper presents a case study in user-centred design as applied to the redesign of the Monash University web site. It begins with an overview of user-centred design which is then contrasted with traditional development processes. The case study provides some background information about the project and the choice of methodology, an outline of the user-centred design methods used, and the nature of the multi-disciplinary team responsible for the project.

Alexander, Dey. AusWeb (2003). Articles>Web Design>User Centered Design>Case Studies

Building Ease of Use Into the IBM User Experience  

This paper provides an overview of the process and organizational transformation that IBM has gone through in improving the user experience with our offerings.

Vredenburg, K. IBM (2003). Articles>Web Design>User Experience>Case Studies

A New Recipe for VirtualGourmet.com

Two Web design experts suggest a more "scrumptious" feel and better search capabilities to strengthen the food site.

Hamilton , Joan O. BusinessWeek (1999). Articles>Web Design>Case Studies

Making Web Space for Young Adults: Issues and Process a Case Study of the Internet Public Library Teen Division

This paper will discuss the issues associated with the creation of useful, appropriate, and entertaining Web space for teenagers, in the context of the formation of the Internet Public Library (IPL) Teen Division during the fall and winter of 1995.

Bailey, Samantha and Sara Ryan. Internet Society (1996). Articles>Web Design>Audience Analysis>Case Studies

The (Mostly) True Story of Helvetica and the New York City Subway

There is a commonly held belief that Helvetica is the signage typeface of the New York City subway system, a belief reinforced by Helvetica, Gary Hustwit’s popular 2007 documentary about the typeface. But it is not true—or rather, it is only somewhat true. Helvetica is the official typeface of the MTA today, but it was not the typeface specified by Unimark International when it created a new signage system at the end of the 1960s. Why was Helvetica not chosen originally? What was chosen in its place? Why is Helvetica used now, and when did the changeover occur?

Shaw, Paul. AIGA (2008). Design>Typography>Technical Illustration>Case Studies

Writing Technology Case Studies

One area in which a good, knowlegeable, and flexible technical writer can really make a difference is writing case studies. This blog post looks at what a case study is, and the elements that make up a good case study.

DMN Communications (2008). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Case Studies

Going from Word to Wiki

One writer's experiences and thoughts about moving content from Microsoft Word to a wiki.

DMN Communications (2008). Articles>Documentation>Wikis>Case Studies

Magazine Content Management System Revolution: From Turnkey to Open Source, Publishers Taking a Fresh Look at CMS

Choosing the right CMS is about making the technology support a company's business needs and not vice-versa. "The software or solution doesn't set your business rules," says Eric Shanfelt, president and founder of Colorado-based eMedia Strategist Inc. "You should know what it is you want it to do first and then find the right solutions that will get the job done." Here's a look at how three very different publishers are tackling their CMS needs.

Ambroz, Jill. Folio (2007). Articles>Content Management>Publishing>Case Studies

Acclaimed Science Magazine "Discovers" Plone

DISCOVER Magazine, the magazine of science, technology and the future, recently launched a newly designed website on the open source Plone content management system (CMS).

Plone.org (2007). Articles>Content Management>Case Studies>Plone

Fifteen Companies That Really Get Corporate Blogging

Below is a list of 15 companies that really get corporate blogging and produce blogs that are informative, fascinating, and a joy to read even for people who aren’t die-hard fans of the company.

Catone, Josh. SitePoint (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Blogging>Case Studies

Aspects of Design Quality

Usability scores for 51 websites show some correlation between navigation, content, and feature quality, but no connections to other usability areas.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2008). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Case Studies

Leah Talks With Audrey Chen About Bringing IA to Comedy Central

Leah Buley recently sat down to talk with Audrey Chen, the Senior Information Architect at Comedy Central. Audrey has led the IA for sites such as TheDailyShow.com and ComedyCentral.com.

Buley, Leah. Adaptive Path (2008). Articles>Interviews>Information Design>Case Studies

Staging a Team Performance    

Drawing on insights from Goffman's dramaturgical approach to interaction, this article demonstrates how meetings are team performances routinely concerned with sustaining or challenging interpretations of power relations. The data for this article were collected at a British embassy, relying on participant observation, audio recordings of weekly gatherings of Heads of Section, and interviews with the people that attended the meeting. The analysis focuses on the double role behavior of the Ambassador as the director and central player of a team performance and the conflicting ideologies these shifting roles entail.

Van Praet, Ellen. JBC (2009). Articles>Business Communication>Collaboration>Case Studies

HelpScribe: Great Examples of Technical Writing

Not all manuals are created equal. Some are infused with the character and skill of their creator, and rise above the mere paperweights that line the shelves of used bookstores of small-town USA. Some examples of technical writing are so effective, even enjoyable, that they earn a place in the memory of readers. Here are a few technical writing examples that have earned my admiration.

HelpScribe (2008). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Case Studies

When Work Is Home: Agency, Structure, and Contradictions     

The authors describe the work experiences of in-home day care providers, particularly their relationships with the parents of the children for whom they care throughout the day. The authors identify two unintended consequences of the providers' organizing structures and policies: feelings of stress and underappreciation in potential interactions. Ironically, the providers also instituted these same structures and policies to stay home with their own children and meet their own financial needs. This double bind of agency and constraint produced stress, which in turn compromised their interactions with their family and friends. Findings highlight the difficulties involved in managing work and family from a home-based business and draw particular attention to the relational challenges faced by the providers.

Butler, Jennifer A. and Daniel P. Modaff. Management Communication Quarterly (2008). Articles>Communication>Case Studies

How Tellabs Uses XML

In the evolving and demanding world of telecommunications, Tellabs supports telecom service providers with the design, development, and deployment of wireline, wireless , and cable solutions worldwide. But with each unique solution deployment requires knowledge transfer from engineers to field service staff to ensure a smooth system upgrade. Learn how Tellabs' New Product Introduction group used DITA to transition to customer-centric writing. *What are the key things the organization as a whole should keep in mind regarding processes?"

Insight24 (2008). Presentations>Information Design>Case Studies>XML