Information Mapping

Information Mapping is a proprietary method for the analysis, organisation, and presentation of information. It is based on the needs of the users and their purpose in using the documentation. Information Mapping has three parts: analysis, organisation, presentation.

Unwalla, Mike. TechScribe (2007). Articles>Documentation>Information Design>Standards

The Changing Face of Technical Publications: Aberdeen Group's Topic-Based Authoring and Customization Strategy Guide

Often conflicting pressures to produce communications that better fit customer demands as well as stay within tightening constraints on budgets and schedules are leading many technical communications organizations to a topic-based approach to authoring. In fact, 58% of participants in Aberdeen Group's October 2008 DITA and the Technical Communicator’s Transformation study report that they currently follow author content in a topic-based manner, with a vast majority of those remaining planning to implement one in the future. A topic-based approach promotes greater content reuse and is seeing a considerable impact on the authoring efficiency of technical communications projects today. The benefits of topic-based authoring can be compelling, with findings from the The Technical Communicator’s Transformation study indicating that when pursued the right way, topic-based authoring can have a broad range of benefits, enabling an organization to meet authoring and localization cost targets as well as documentation quality expectations, among others. However, as the adoption of this approach spreads, the advantages seen by today's leading organizations will flatten out. This Sector Insight provides a guide for current adoption of topic-based authoring and those still considering it; outlining the changes that are expected to take place in as topic-based authoring goes mainstream.

Jackson, Chad and David Houlihan. Aberdeen Group (2008). Resources>Documentation>Information Design>Technical Writing

Wurman’s LATCH Model of Information Organization For Technical Documentation

Technical writing has its mechanical aspects that need to be mastered. A good technical writer must know how to use English effectively as well as various software products to produce acceptable technical documents. But I wish technical writing were all about that. The hardest part comes before one even sits down in front of a computer to type the first word. The hardest part in documenting anything is organizing the information in a way that makes sense from the user’s point of view. Otherwise a technical document suddenly looks irrelevant.

Akinci, Ugur. Technical Communication Center (2009). Articles>Information Design>Documentation>Technical Writing

What Technical Communicators Can Learn from Comics    

Citing the rise of graphic novels, comics, and in particular, Google’s new web browser Chrome, which has a comic-book-style manual, Opsteegh argues that technical communicators can learn a thing or two about conveying information from graphic novelists.

Opsteegh, Michael. Intercom (2009). Articles>Information Design>Technical Writing>Documentation

Modular Docs Part 1: Why You Want Modular, Topic-Oriented Documentation

When documents are built from components, and the components can have contextual variations, it becomes possible to construct built-to-order documents "on the fly", in response to user demands, rather than having to pre-create static versions of all possible variations. Once such a system is in place, it becomes possible for users to further customize the results by modifying the list of selected topics, rearranging their order, or even by adding new topics.

Armstrong, Eric. Sun Microsystems (2008). Articles>Documentation>Information Design

Creating Topics: Where do you Draw the Line?

It's hard to look at a page of text and try to decide where to divide things to create individual topics. That "bottom up" approach is kind of pointless, in fact. There are better ways.

Armstrong, Eric. Sun Microsystems (2008). Articles>Documentation>Information Design>Technical Writing

Starting Points with Quick Reference Guides: Gathering Before Designing

Dan Roam explains that drawing pictures can help you solve problems. He says the first rule is to “collect everything possible up front.” After collecting all your information, you then “lay it all out where you can look at it.” By laying out all the information, you can grasp the whole of it, make connections between various parts, see the important sections, and recognize patterns.

Johnson, Tom H. I'd Rather Be Writing (2009). Articles>Documentation>Information Design>Planning

Structured Authoring and DITA

What does structured authoring mean to you? Structured authoring is a publishing workflow that lets you define and enforce consistent organization of information in documents, whether printed or online. What it means to me: defining a goal and assembling architected topics to help the reader achieve that goal.

Vazquez, Julio J. SDI Global Solutions (2009). Presentations>Documentation>Information Design>DITA

What Information Developers Can Learn from Software Developers 

The shift in information development from a narrative to a modular writing style reflects the established shift towards modularization of source code. What can information developers learn from software developers? What are the challenges and benefits of the modular approach?

Higgins, Paul. TC World (2009). Articles>Information Design>Content Management>Documentation