#28397
Attention mapping is a tool to help you start to plan a visual layout around realistic communication between user and site. It can also be a helpful analysis tool, helping you work out what's wrong about a layout.
Hunt, Ben. Web Design From Scratch (2006). Design>Web Design>Document Design>Usability
#24962
A form is usable when it builds an effective communication bridge between your clients and your data entry staff. A usable form is readable, concise, and contains appropriate pictures and graphic elements. The steps in creating a usable form are the following: (1) Create a prototype. (2) Examine the extremes. (3) Produce the forms. (4) Fine tune the forms.
Archer, Susan. STC Proceedings (1994). Design>Document Design>Usability>Forms
#19919
While there are many instruments that measure the capacity for establishing peer-level communication skills, few exist that evaluate the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in the writer-reader relationship. The Learning Style Inventory (LSI), the User Empowerment Inventory (UEI), and thinkaloud protocols help assess how people acquire new knowledge and process information. The results of such measurements/ observations help determine user requirements. This paper presents a case history of how the LSI, the UEI, and think-aloud protocols helped improve both user and training documentation to a technology-averse audience in a reactive project environment.
LeVie, Donald S., Jr. STC Proceedings (1996). Design>Documentation>Methods>Usability
#27463
Designing Information-Gathering Forms 
Poorly designed information-gathering forms drive up operating costs. Good design depends on a careful analysis of two users: Form-Fillers and Form Readers. Both types ofform user benefit if the form designer follows four principles of overall design. Guidelines for answer sections and user testing can also help designers produce more effective forms. Evaluation of existing forms can lead to successful revision so that costly mistakes can be avoided.
MacNealy, Mary Sue. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Document Design>Forms>Usability
#28594
The Fourteen Biggest E-Book Design Mistakes
Roger C. Parker returns with this tutorial to help make your electronic publications attention-getting, attractive, and easy to read... all part of his recent book Design to Sell.
Parker, Roger C. Design, Typography and Graphics (2006). Design>Document Design>eBooks>Usability
#19125
A Good Installation Guide Increases User Satisfaction and Reduces Support Costs 
In its first endeavor, the new Customer Documentation Group at SABRE Travel Information Network has shown that it adds value.
Blackwell, C. Al. Technical Communication Online (1995). Design>Documentation>Usability
#19124
A Good User's Guide Means Fewer Support Calls and Lower Support Costs
Good user documentation means fewer client support calls and lower support costs at GE Information Services in Rockville, Maryland.
Spencer, Cathy J. and Diana Kilbourn Yates. Technical Communication Online (1995). Design>Documentation>Usability
#29651
Heading Frequency and Comprehension: Studies of Print Versus Online Media
This paper describes a study that examined the effect of heading frequency on comprehension and perceptions of information presented in print versus online text. Results indicated that heading frequency did not differentially affect the comprehension of readers of print text while it did differentially affect the comprehension of readers of online texts who had considerably lower comprehension scores with text that had high frequency versus medium frequency headings.
Spyridakis, Jan H., Laura D. Schultz and Alexandra L. Bartell. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Document Design>Writing>Usability
#19126
How the Process and Organization Can Help or Hinder Adding Value
Do better information products result when technical communicators are well integrated into product development teams?
Pieratti, Denise D. Technical Communication Online (1995). Design>Documentation>Information Design>Usability
#24167
The Importance of Document Design
One definition of communication is 'the transfer of information from one location to another so that meaning is understood.' In other words, communication is what happens when one person connects to another to share information.
Quesenbery, Whitney. Intercom (2004). Articles>Document Design>Usability
#31738
The Kind of Documentation Users Really Want
Have you ever asked your users what kind of training materials they want, or how they prefer to learn software? This kind of information is critical to figuring out what help deliverables to produce. But really when it comes down to it, there are only so many options — printed manuals, short guides, interactive flash guides, videos, online help, live training, reference cards, context-sensitive help, workbooks and exercises, or, usually the favorite, someone to stand by their computer and answer questions whenever they need help.
Johnson, Tom H. I'd Rather Be Writing (2008). Articles>Documentation>Usability>User Centered Design
#20364
Little Machines: Understanding Users Understanding Interfaces
This paper questions the ubiquitous practice of supplying minimalist information to users, of making that information functional only, of assuming that the Shannon-Weaver communication model should govern online systems, and of ignoring the social implications of such a stance. Help systems that provide fast, temporary solutions without providing any background information lead to the danger of users completing tasks that they do not understand at all. (Word will help us write a legal pleading, even if we have no idea what one is.) As a result, we have help systems that attempt to be invisible and to provide tool instruction but not conceptual instruction. Such a system presents itself as a neutral tool, but it is actually an incomplete environment, denying both the complexity and alternative (and possibly improved) modes of thinking about the subject at hand.
Johnson-Eilola, Johndan. Journal of Computer Documentation (2001). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design>Usability
#30551
Merging Usability Practices with Document Design and Development
Examines the phases of document development and describes how to incorporate them with usability techniques to ensure that your information products remain continually useful and valuable.
Filippo, Elizabeth G. Intercom (2007). Articles>Document Design>Usability
#29592
One Hundred and One Spots, or How Do Users Read Menus?
Proceedings of a paper about how readers interact with designed documents.
Aaltonen, Antti, Aulikki Hyrskykari and Kari-Jouko Raeihae. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (1998). Articles>Document Design>Interaction Design>Usability
#30541
Practice Human Factors for Document Design
Writers of performance- and response-oriented documents, such as instructions, procedures, proposals, and grant applications, need to consider the interaction of human factors with conventional document design factors such as accessibility, readability, legibility, consistency, style, language, and suitability to audience. This session explores that relationship, based upon a summation and synthesis of previous Annual Conference presentations as modulated by this presenter's extensive technical communication experience. It will be of particular interest to newcomers to the profession who seek to broaden their grasp of its intricacies.
Peterson, Dart G., Jr. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Document Design>Usability
#21023
Rethinking User-Centered Information Development
Often in the computer industry there is a tendency to provide information about the features of a system. However, customers usually purchase the system based on knowledge of its features, when they receive the product they need information on how to accomplish tasks. Developing task-oriented information requires a shift in perspective from what the computer technology can do, to what your customers want to do with the technology. The resulting information must be usercentered rather than feature-driven. These types of customer requirements demand afresh development approach.
Stertzbach, Lori A. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design>Usability
#20727
User-Driven Documentation: From Usability Testing to User Guide
Rockwell Software is a $90-million company specializing in plant automation software. Offices in West Allis, Wisconsin, and Mayfield Village, Ohio allow technical communicators to work closely with development teams to design, test, and release usable, consistent software and information products. While Rockwell Software’s information development process is a multi-faceted endeavor, this paper focuses on the following three steps we implement to create our information products: interviewing customers to establish information guidelines, conducting usability tests, and writing Getting Results guides.
Butler, Scott A., Jennifer L. Giordano and Myron M. Shawala III. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design>Usability
#30315
When Products Become Easy to Use, What's Next for Writers?
People who follow the right trends will someday lead them. Such an opportunity now lies in the hands of technical writers, as the computer field moves toward standardized, graphical, easy-to-use interfaces.
Oram, Andrew. Boston Broadside (1991). Articles>Usability>User Centered Design>Documentation
#11801
Why Technical Communicators and Usability?
Why technical communicators and usability? Both writers and software development managers have asked me that question. In both cases, it springs from a narrow view of communicators as 'just writers.' It is a point of view that fails to see the many activities, from learning the subject matter to organizing the information or creating good document design, that are hidden behind that final task of writing the words.
Quesenbery, Whitney. STC Usability SIG (2000). Articles>TC>Document Design>Usability
#24897
Your Document Covers the Facts, But Does It Keep ’Em Coming Back?
Much technical documentation merely describes the features or appearance of a product or service, leaving readers uninspired and disinterested. In fact, much of what we write probably never gets read. A combined audience, task, and benefits analysis can help us communicate why a user should do a task—not just how to do it.
Fritz, Anne, Jason R. Huntington, Bruce Knorr, and Judith Leetham. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Document Design>Usability
#32144
In my work with Bumblebee I use an approach I call 'User-Guide-Driven Development,' or UGDD for short. The mechanics of UGDD is similar to that of Test-Driven Development (TDD), but before I write the test for a feature, I write a snippet of the user guide describing the feature I am about to implement.
Brolund, Daniel. Thoughts of a Goldfish (2008). Articles>Documentation>Usability>User Centered Design
#32568
Breaking up isn’t hard to do – just do it right so you don’t lose face. Learn why making the right line breaks in display type is essential for good looks and good sense.
Strizver, Ilene. Upper and lowercase Magazine (2008). Articles>Document Design>Typography>Usability
#32787
Think Graphic Design Doesn't Matter?
The goal of a graphic designer — in almost every case — is to make things clear and eliminate as much ambiguity as possible. Clarity and ease of use should be the mantra.
Reynolds, Garr. Presentation Zen (2008). Design>Document Design>Usability
#33421
If It’s Not Easy to Use, It’s Not Used
Debates about Microsoft Word vs. Adobe Framemaker appear with regular frequency on the tech-writing mailing lists I am subscribed to. Everyone agrees Frame is an awesome publishing tool. Yet, everyone keeps cribbing about it. So, why does a bright bunch of people who are masters at figuring out stuff, otherwise known as tech-writers, only hesitatingly agree Frame is “kind of great”? I think it’s mostly because Frame is so difficult to use.
Info Developer (2008). Articles>Document Design>Software>Usability
#34294
Writing for Kindle is like writing for print, the Web, and mobile devices combined; optimal usability means optimizing content for each platform's special characteristics.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2009). Articles>Document Design>Usability>Online
