Customer Storytelling at the Heart of Business Success

We create personas to build upon that platform by bringing individuals within a current or potential audience to life.

Experience Planning Group. Boxes and Arrows (2005). Articles>User Centered Design>Case Studies

Customized Book-Based Electronic Collections: Case Study and Exploration of Issues  

Collections of technical documentation vary in their delivery media, file format, user interface and degree of integration of the component documents or information. This paper looks at definitions and attributes of collections before reviewing the development of book- based, customized CD collections in a company operating in a fast-changing industry. Issues arising from this case study are explored and findings are used to identify a broad categorization of collections and build a starting point check list for collection design. Major issues in collection building are summarized.

Symonds, Yosef. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Documentation>Online>Case Studies

De–Unifying a Digital Library  

The University of Tasmania decided to explore using a unified digital library for all its research output: journal articles, conference papers, higher degree theses, and other types. This decision is in advance of the state of the Australian national indexing systems. The digital library also uses OAI–PMH protocols for harvesting, which one of the national repositories does not as yet. The paper describes the context, reasons for the University’s decision, consequences and outcomes, and the development of software to talk to the Australian Digital Theses Program.

Sale, Arthur. First Monday (2005). Articles>Information Design>Case Studies

Designing Educational Booklets for the Web

We discuss here the results of usability tests on two booklets which were transferred from print to the Web. The booklets provide the public with basic information on various cancers, cancer treatment, and other cancer-related topics. The booklets were written by the National Cancer Institute's Office of Education and Special Initiatives (NCI OESI).

Usability.gov. Articles>Web Design>Usability>Case Studies

Developing a Content-Management Strategy: Implications in a Multi-Language Environment  

Why we went to a single-source CMS and how we went about it.

Douma, Barbara. ComTech Services (2001). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Case Studies

Developing Documentation for ISO 9000 Certification: Case Studies from the United States and Europe  

This panel discussion clarifies the implications of ISO 9000 certification for writers and editors and presents European and U.S. approaches to developing documentation for certification.

Carom, Barbara L., Mary Louise O'Connell and Wesley Chase. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>Case Studies>ISO 9000

Developing Internal Procedures Online: The HowWe Manuals Project at Suncorp  

The process of implementing on-line documentation for the first time is always a daunting task, particularly if the target company has had little exposure to PC based systems. This is the challenge we faced at SUNCORP. Many people doubted the value of having reference material on-line (particularly those in the IT areas). Just as many doubted whether it was possible to do at all. Throughout the project we came across many obstacles, some man made, others system made; however the end result shows our resolve and determination has paid off for the staff of SUNCORP.

Bell, Dean and Helen Smith. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Business Communication>Policies and Procedures>Case Studies

Digital Language and Literacy: An Online Course Design Learning Community  

This paper overviews a discipline-specific educational technology assistance program titled Digital Language and Literacy, which links technologically literate graduate students in English with faculty developing online courses for the first time. Such models not only help with online course design but also help to establish technological and pedagogical learning communities among current and future faculty.

Blair, Kristine L. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Education>Online>Case Studies

Directives Do Right: Writing for the "Mounties"  

Coates's job as a senior writer and editor for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is full of variety and challenges.

Coates, Melanie. Intercom (2006). Careers>Business Communication>Case Studies

The DuPont Experience: Strategic Planning for Information Design and Development Organizations  

This is a reprint of an article first published in Technical Communication. It explains the strategic planning experience of the Information Design and Development organization in DuPont's External Affairs division. The author describes why they undertook a strategic planning initiative, the process used, the logistics involved in preparing for and carrying out the process, and the results of their work. Their experience can be applied by technical communication work groups seeking to define and communicate their mission and value proposition within their organization. Original publication: Breuninger, Charles L. 1997. “The DuPont Experience: Strategic Planning for Information Design and Development Organizations.” Technical communication 44:394–400.

Breuninger, Charles L. ComTech Services (1997). Articles>Knowledge Management>Organizations>Case Studies

Edelman's Perfect (Blog) Storm

In early March, The New York Times ran a story with the headline "Wal-Mart enlists bloggers in PR campaign." While the story itself is of interest as an example of how some PR agencies increasingly see blogs as legitimate communication channels, it is of greater interest to look at what the Edelman PR agency did in this specific case acting on behalf of their client—what went right and, more important, what didn't.

Hobson, Neville. Communication World Bulletin (2006). Articles>Business Communication>Blogging>Case Studies

Editing a Malcolm Baldridge Application - A Novice Baldridge Editor Speaks  

This paper discusses how the audiences and the experience of the application writers affect the editing time for a Malcolm Baldrige application. The mystery for this novice Baldrige editor -- Why did IBM want one full time editor for seven months to edit 75 pages? What was the catch? Was this job a boondoggle? As it turned out, the criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige application are rigorous and examiners forbid exceptions. The criteria led to a challenging editing job when combined with the diverse background of the audience and the practice of using subject matter experts as writers rather than people who are trained as writers.

Ryan, Suzanne V. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Editing>Case Studies

EPSScentral: Case Studies

Articles about the benefits and lessons learned in designing and developing software and web sites.

EPSScentral. Resources>Directories>Case Studies>EPSS

Essential Use Cases for Multiplatform Service Design  

This paper addresses the problem of designing service interaction for multiplatform operations and is based on a qualitative study of the services offered by a large retail Portuguese bank in four channels: bank branches, telephone, ATM, and Internet. The functionality of bank services across such channels was captured with essential use cases, which are technology free. When customers are free to decide in which channel they are going to get the service they need, customer experience (non-functional) requirements becoming ever more important. Essential use cases were extended to take account of such customer experience requirements. This additional information in essential use cases is very helpful, as it provides concrete and objective guidelines regarding the most suitable channel for implementing and offering each particular service. Doing essential use case modeling for multiplatform service interaction helps service providers allocate resources to the most likely channels that customers will use. It also allows them to identify areas of interaction experience that need to be improved if services offered are likely to be effectively used in the platform.

Patrício, Lia, J. Falcão e Cunha, Raymond P. Fisk and Nuno J. Nunes. Constantine and Lockwood (2003). Articles>Human Computer Interaction>Usability>Case Studies

Evolution of a Disclaimer  

What if a disclaimer seems to be more than just a disclaimer? Readers are invited to consider the fictitious case presented and to share their thoughts for publication in an upcoming issue of Intercom.

Bryan, John G. Intercom (2006). Articles>TC>Ethics>Case Studies

An Example of Substantive Editing

Some years ago I edited a quarterly magazine for the users of a large Australian computing network. This example (from 1985) is fairly typical of the technical articles I received from department managers. I include here the unedited text and my revised version.

Hollis Weber, Jean. Technical Editors Eyrie (2001). Articles>Editing>Case Studies

Finding Your Way: John Deveney, ABC, Discusses His Views on Consulting

Natasha Spring talks with John Deveney about the success of his consulting firm, client relationships, technology, and the challenges he has faced.

Spring, Natasha and John Deveney. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Careers>Consulting>Business Communication>Case Studies

Four Countries, Four Futures: Tom Klinkowstein's Horizon Projects Workshops

For the past year and half, Tom Klinkowstein has conducted workshops, called Horizon Projects, with design students in four countries using a methodology adapted from John Anderson, a NASA scientist. The workshops lasted from 1/2 a day in New York, to two days in Istanbul, Turkey, three days In Shanghai, China and five days in Mumbai, India.

Klinkowstein, Tom. uiGarden (2005). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Case Studies

From Vista to Zune: Why Microsoft Can’t Sell to Consumers

Microsoft’s marketing of Windows Vista and the Zune have failed in large part due to the fact that Microsoft has not learned how to effectively sell consumer products. Consumers buy Windows and Office, but that’s because they have no choice, not because of the company’s marketing savvy. Microsoft only effectively markets its products to businesses, which represents a very different type of sales relationship.

RoughlyDrafted (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Marketing>Case Studies

General Burnside and His Orders For The Battle Of Fredericksburg: Lessons in How Not To Communicate    

Communicating plans to subordinates is not an easy task. It requires that the writer be adept in accurately using the language of his/her discipline and takes care in considering the unique characteristics of the document's audience and how they are likely to interpret the message. When writers fail in these areas, the consequences can be very serious as demonstrated by General Ambrose Burnside's orders for the Battle of Fredericksburg during the Civil War.

Loges, Max L. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2002). Articles>Management>History>Case Studies

Guerilla WriteFare™: Nice Work If You Can Get it -- Here's How

My experience in the corporate environment has been that larger companies don't go out of their way to hire home-based freelancers. That's not to say that they never do -- it simply hasn't been my experience with them. I run into this problem all the time. Finding off-site work is a challenge. I scour the top 20 or so job search engines and other places for work and, while there really are quite a few contract positions out there, nearly all of them require on-site work. That's the bad news. Here's the good news: I have figured this thing out, believe it or not. In fact, I'm working on a book and a seminar about it. To locate good work that allows you to work out of the home office, you must know three things: How to look. Where to look. Hw to build trusting relationships with your customers.

Knowles, Michael. AIPMM (2003). Careers>Freelance>TC>Case Studies

How We Developed an Intranet: Using the Web to Inform Employees, Manage Projects, and Save Money  

Data General’s R&D organization had developed disparate web sites. It was hard to find relevant information and difficult to know what others were doing. We volunteered to create a unified web presence to solve these problems. Taking initiative while building consensus, we crafted a highly used and highly useful intranet. This paper describes how we did it. Our success allowed us to broaden our department’s scope and change its name from “Documentation” to “Documentation and Web Services.” Our experience shows that documentation departments are well suited to create and maintain intranets, and that documentation professionals have the skills to become content developers or information architects.

Harvey, Michael. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Web Design>Intranets>Case Studies

If You Build It…: A Social Services Agency Website Gets A Facelift

A case study of the 2002 redesign of the website for Catholic Community Services in Newark.

Crovetto, Christina. MetroVoice (2003). Design>Web Design>Redesign>Case Studies

Implementing New Desktop Publishing Tools  

When faced with having to respond to increased demands for online documentation using outdated tools, the technical writing staff of Hughes Network Systems (HNS) realized the need for a whole suite of state-of-the art tools and techniques. The challenge lay in convincing management to spend the time and money to acquire them. By coupling an understanding of their own needs as well as those of their customers with an appreciation for the HNS corporate culture, the writers were able to effect a strategy that guaranteed success.

Lipkin, Regina M. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Document Design>Software>Case Studies