One Source, Five Deliverables: A Case Study of Return on Investment  

A case study of the implementation of a single-sourse content management system.

Martin, Ben. ComTech Services (2002). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Case Studies

Online Help Across the Great Platform Divide: A Case Study  

The requirements of your online help task narrows and focuses your choice of authoring and compiling tools. The first and most important step is to clearly define your task. What exactly do you need to create and from what? In National Instruments’ case, we had to maintain our competitive advantage by adding Windows help to our bestselling application software package. Secondarily, we wanted to port that help to versions for the Macintosh and several UNIX platforms. Due to time and personnel restraints, we used the material prepared for the hard copy documentation to create the WinHelp.

Chamberlain, Thomas R. and Debby Gumto. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Case Studies

Paper Technical Communicators as Facilitators of Negotiation in Controversial Technology Transfer Cases    

When Monsanto attempted to release transgenic wheat in the upper Midwest of the US, localization efforts to accommodate stakeholders were unsuccessful. This paper explores this case briefly and suggests a new role for technical communicators as negotiators of technology.

Sullivan, Dale L. IEEE PCS (2005). Articles>Intellectual Property>Collaboration>Case Studies

A Passion for Excellence: Building a Consultancy Into a PR Empire

Molly Matthews started a consulting business in her basement 18 years ago after losing her job in a corporate restructuring at Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. Like many women, she looked up and saw a glass ceiling and figured she could certainly do as well on her own. In fact, she did a whole lot better.

Steigman, Daria. Communication World Bulletin (2006). Careers>Consulting>Public Relations>Case Studies

Perceived Information Architecture: User Feedback

The purpose of this article is to explain how the Perceived Information Architecture test was used by BBC New Media. The testing procedure is outlined, along with a list of pros and cons of the method. Several actual user diagrams are provided.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2002). Design>Information Design>Case Studies

Predictive Metrics: How Long Will It Take?  

Presents a case study in which the authors develop methodology for calculating how long it will take a team of writers to produce a documentation set. The methodology takes into account different types of documentation and documentation quality, and accounts for variations in writer productivity.

Pope, Mike and Sharon A. Meramore. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Documentation>Case Studies

Professional Editing Strategies Used by Six Editors    

Identifying the approach used by those revision experts par excellence--that is, professional editors--should enable researchers to better grasp the revision process. To further explore this hypothesis, the author conducted research among professional editors, six of whom she filmed as they engaged in their practice. An analysis of their work approach strategies showed their detection strategies to consist in anticipating errors and in comparing the author's text with the editor's knowledge, which appears in a range of states: certitude, uncertainty, and ignorance. Furthermore, the participating editors used problem-solving strategies to automatically solve more than half of the problems encountered in the text. Otherwise, they used immediate or postponed strategies. This description of professional editors in action opens a number of avenues for the further research and development of in-class instruction of self-revision and professional editing.

Bisaillon, Jocelyne. Written Communication (2007). Articles>Editing>Methods>Case Studies

Promoting Usability at Lucent Technologies

We sponsored an award to raise awareness of the importance of usability. Instead of focusing on what projects had done wrong with regard to usability, we decided to reward a project for doing things right!

Coyle, Cheryl L. and Karen L. Ziech. Usability Interface (2006). Articles>Usability>Case Studies

Re-architecting PeopleSoft.com from the Bottom Up

When PeopleSoft decided to unify its websites, the information architects involved used bottom-up techniques to make sense of the enormous number of different pieces of content.

Fox, Chiara. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Design>Web Design>Case Studies

Re-Architecting PeopleSoft.com from the Bottom-Up

When PeopleSoft decided to unify its websites, the information architects involved used bottom-up techniques to make sense of the enormous number of different pieces of content.

Fox, Chiara. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Design>Web Design>Case Studies

Remix as "Fair Use": Grateful Dead Posters' Re-Publication Held to Be a Transformative, Fair Use

On May 9, 2006, in Bill Graham Archives v. Dorling Kindersley, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the lower court, finding the use of several Grateful Dead Poster images appearing in a band biography was a 'fair use' under section 107 of the US copyright statute. In the case, the publisher Dorling Kindersley used without permission seven images of Grateful Dead concert posters or tickets in the book Grateful Dead: The Illustrated Trip (2003). Prior to the book's publication, the publisher had unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate permissions with the copyright holder, Bill Graham Archives. Due to what the publisher perceived as an unreasonable licensing fee, permission agreements were never reached. Nonetheless, the publisher used the seven images in the book, incorporating them into remixed compositions, consisting of collages mixed with graphic art and textual explanations and commentary. Over 2000 images were used in the book. After the book's publication, Bill Graham Archives brought suit for copyright infringement, and requested an injunction blocking further publication.

Rife, Martine Courant. NCTE (2007). Articles>Intellectual Property>Copyright>Case Studies

Rosenfeld Media: UX Publishing Startup: An Interview with Lou Rosenfeld and Liz Danzico

After working on five books as an editor or co-author, Lou Rosenfeld became disenchanted with the traditional book publishing model. So, in late 2005, he founded Rosenfeld Media, a new publishing house that develops short, practical, useful books on user experience design. Rosenfeld Media published their first book, Mental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior, in early 2008. I recently had the opportunity to interview Lou—along with Liz Danzico, Senior Development Editor at Rosenfeld Media—about starting a new publishing house and “eating their own dog food.”

Kaufman, Joshua, Louis Rosenfeld and Liz Danzico. UXmatters (2008). Articles>Interviews>User Experience>Case Studies

SchwabLearning.org: A Case Study

A case study of the website for Schwab Learning, a service of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, is dedicated to helping kids with learning differences be successful in learning and life.

Landers Steinberg, Jeanene. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Design>Web Design>Case Studies

Secil Watson Tells Jesse James Garrett About Experience Design at Wells Fargo

When I joined the company, they were making the transition from being an online servicing group, where people could access their accounts and check their balances, to one where they could start a relationship with their customers, through selling anything from checking accounts to brokerage accounts to services on those accounts.

Watson, Secil and Jesse James Garrett. Adaptive Path (2008). Articles>Interviewing>User Experience>Case Studies

Six Rules for Transforming Your Brand: The Carter Holt Harvey Experience

Australasia's leading forest product company, Carter Holt Harvey (CHH), transformed itself in under three years from slumbering giant into a high-performing, innovative business leader based on values of performance, leadership and innovation - and won an IABC Gold Quill award in the process. Here's CHH's story in brief and rules learned along the way.

Stuart, Dellwyn. Communication World Bulletin (2003). Articles>Business Communication>Marketing>Case Studies

So-Net Journal

So-Net are part of the Southbourne Internet group who provide online new media services. The So-Net Journal was created to highlight case studies of its clients, work and technical writings on the subject of the Internet.

Marcello, Vincent. Southbourne Internet Ltd. (2005). Journals>Web Design>Case Studies

Staying Competitive Through Continuous Improvement: The Business Information Service at ABN AMRO    

Case study describing the realignment of the Business Information Service (BIS) in ABN AMRO. Explains the reasons for change and the plans to incorporate the concept of continuous improvement, helping to ensure the service constantly evolves to meet demands of the organization. Includes a description of the bank and its operations and explains the role of the BIS within it. Explains how the service will be realigned to embrace the principles of continuous improvement, covering changes in both the Research and Support Services sections, and outlines how these changes will be achieved. Concludes that to make a difference, such change must be a constant.

Beattie, Jacqueline. Business Information Review (2007). Articles>Knowledge Management>Databases>Case Studies

Stories that Sell: Writing Case History Articles  

Grab readers. Make them want to read about your product. No, not by writing sparkling prose in a brochure or flier, but by showing your product or service solving a problem -- as told by a real user. A unique blend of journalism and promotion, "case history" articles offer benefits for everyone. The user gets to look like an important expert. Your company or client gets its product or service shown in a good light. And the publication where the case history is published gets an article that will appeal to its readers.

Bronakowski, Cathryn, Peter Dossing, Barbara Spaeth and Sam Sutherland. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Business Communication>Marketing>Case Studies

Style Guide Revision: Message and Medium - A Case Study  

Creating and revising a corporate style guide is a matter of convincing, as well as showing the users, that publishing documents in a consistent manner is cost-effective. The second edition of the Style Guide for the Savannah River Site reflects the many changes that occurred in the world and at this government site in the last six years. Because documents are processed by individuals using desktop publishing products, this style guide edition was created with input from and for the individual user Topics covered the same ground as the previous edition (i.e., procedures, papers, reports, manuals, correspondence), but one major change was placing the style guide on the site intranet to reduce paper distribution and providing information on electronic publishing.

Phillips, Amy G. and Cathie Witker. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Editing>Style Guides>Case Studies

Sun Glossary: A Multilingual, Web-Based Solution  

As technical communicators attempt to keep up with a burgeoning product set, the need grows for a glossary that can explain 'terms not in the common vocabulary' to a worldwide audience. Sun Microsystems, Inc., faces a challenge every time it introduces a product, such as the Java™ programming language, that has a unique terminology. To meet these challenges, a project team determined to provide efficient reuse of terminology in target languages.

Schemenaur, P.J. and Stephanie Brucker. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Web Design>Glossary>Case Studies

Surviving the Project from Hell  

What was supposed to be a six-week out-of-town technical writing assignment became nine months of torture. Mired in poor planning, wasteful spending, unbearable working conditions and internal politics, the project resulted in bankruptcy for one company and unused user documentation for another. I survived the project by seeking ways to keep up my personal morale. This included regular exercise, organizing special dinners with co-workers and involvement in local activities.

Utz, Dana. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>Consulting>Case Studies

Teaming In A Publications Group   

The technical publications group of The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory was restructured to eliminate the traditional hierarchical organization in favor of multiple concurrent work teams. Every job is assigned to a work team, and people usually are on several teams at once, as leaders of some teams and members of others. We present two case studies describing teams that operated very differently. The teaming system allows us to tailor the approach to the needs of different clients.

Morris, Margaret K., Patrice H. Zurvalec and Murrie W. Burgan. STC Proceedings (1999). Careers>TC>Collaboration>Case Studies

Technical Communication and the Role of the Public Intellectual: A Community HIV-Prevention Case Study    

This article argues that technical communicators are uniquely poised to function as public intellectuals. To demonstrate this point, the author offers the example of her work on a major AIDS prevention program report. Situating this work within the history of technical communication, the current discussion of rhetorics of risk, and the writing classroom, the author argues that technical writers don't have simply the opportunity to engage in textual activism; in many cases they have no alternative.

Bowdon, Melody. Technical Communication Quarterly (2004). Articles>Scientific Communication>Biomedical>Case Studies

Technical Writing at SolidWorks Corporation Is a Collaborative Effort

Collaboration is a key element of the documentation process at SolidWorks Corporation, and it contributes significantly to the high quality of the technical documents. 'We couldn't produce the volume of documents that we do in the time that we have without working closely together,' says Georgia, manager of the Technical Publications department. Five technical writers and eight translators collaborate with each other, with developers and testers, with a translation house, and with a print house. Together they produce a user's guide, a tutorial, multiple online help systems, and numerous smaller documents with each release of the software. Releases occur about twice a year. Because each release includes major new functionality, the documentation schedule is very tight. 'Taking into account that we have to wait for the engineers to complete their changes, and that we have to freeze the English version in time for the translators to translate before the release,' says Georgia, 'the schedule is even tighter than it appears at first.' Some of the techniques that make this situation workable are an integrated hardware and software system, careful distribution of responsibilities, explicit procedures and style guides, and file maintenance.

Kloss, Marilyn B. Boston Broadside (2001). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>Case Studies