At the Heart of Information Ecologies: Invisibility and Technical Communication    

The ecological metaphor for technological systems provides a useful supplement to others dealing with the question of human control over technologies. However, it fails to develop adequately its own reliance on communication as the means whereby human values may be embedded in technologies, or to recognize the role of professional communicators in that process.

Ranney, Frances J. Journal of Computer Documentation (2000). Articles>Information Design>TC

Confessions of a Gardener: A Review of Information Ecologies    

This review of Information Ecologies places the text in the mediating tradition that seeks a middle ground between rigid technological determinism and indifferent value neutrality. The biological metaphors for situated technology use make interesting reading,but the stories may not be compelling evidence that users really can shape technological change from the local level.

Hart-Davidson, William. Journal of Computer Documentation (2000). Articles>Information Design>TC

Defining a TC Body of Knowledge  

The Body of Knowledge effort is currently being led by a team of experienced industry and academic STC members. This spring, you will be invited to look at the initial outline of a hierarchy of domains, skills, and knowledge levels. This BoK is yours to develop; the start-up team is simply trying to put together a straw site to start the collaborative effort.

Hart, Hillary. STC Consulting SIG (2008). Articles>TC>Information Design

Finding the Schema That Works  

Schema theory says that humans acquire information by building and holding models of that information in their minds. To facilitate learning of new information, writers essentially define a schema for their audience and present new information within that schema. But how do they know that a given schema will work? Drawing on examples from the computer software field, this workshop shows that developing a schema to effectively deliver knowledge to an audience requires looking beyond the apparent organization of ideas.

Fothergill-Brown, Ann. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Information Design

Information as Commodity: The State of Technical Communication in the New Millenium  

With the information revolution, technical communicators need to problematize the definition of information, re-evaluate our role in the information food chain as both information producers and consumers, and re-examine how and why we produce information.

Chu, Steve W. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>TC>Information Design

Information Design and Becoming a Business Partner  

The information age provides great opportunity--and threat--to technical communicators. By understanding more about the general domain--specifically the relationship between communication and information design--we have the opportunity to become valued business partners to our employers and clients.

Knemeyer, Dirk. STC Proceedings (2004). Careers>Information Design>TC

Information on the Assembly Line: A Review of Information Design As It Relates to Technical Communication

As we begin the twenty-first century, the assembly line model is once again being put into practice in the global industry. This time, however, the materials that companies are working with are more intangible; information and development processes are now being analyzed and broken down to their most basic components, as companies try to streamline production processes and reuse content as much as they can.

Nichols, Jason. University of Central Florida (2002). Books>Information Design>TC

Models, Processes, and Techniques of Information Design

Although graphic design and document design are important aspects of it, information design has a much broader focus than just the appearance of information. Its ultimate focus is on the effectiveness of that information.

Carliner, Saul. Saul Carliner Studio. Design>Information Design>TC

Open Access Digital Repositories: An Indian Scenario  

Open access digital repositories give barrier-free access to literature for study and research to users worldwide. They solve the pricing and permission crises for scholarly materials. This paper deals with open access digital repositories in India. The results of the study reveal that the repositories contain both published and unpublished documents, like seminar proceedings, conference papers, theses, dissertations, research reports, books, and so on. The results also point out that open access digital repositories in India are mostly subject specific and commonly use open source information repository software like DSpace, Greenstone Digital Library Software, and GNU EPrints. It is observed that generally the open access digital repositories use OAI-PMH (protocol for metadata harvesting), so that they can be accessed using search tools such as Web search engines, whereas a few don't use it but provide direct access to their documents through their websites.

Ahmed, Fayaz and Rafiq Rather. International Journal for Technical Communication (2007). Articles>TC>Information Design>International

Participatory Team Process in Information Design  

Information Design often focuses on product over process and ignores the valuable role that technical communicators can play in facilitating a true team design activity. In this paper, authors argue for a definition of information design that focuses on process and offer a proven methodology called Participatory Team Process in recognition of its roots in Participatory Design. Authors discuss tenets of methodology; spell out the technical communicator’s role as facilitator, information manager, writer, and editor; and offer three examples of products created with the process: a computer interface, safety rule book, and curriculum guide.

Racine, Sam J., Carol S. Hoeniges and Christina R. Schulz. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Information Design>TC>Participatory Design

Standardizing Information for Your Users  

If the modular approach to developing documentation is poorly coordinated, it can be a waste of time and resources. In this paper, learn how a team of technical writers overcame the problem to develop and standardize their documentation.

Gokhale, Sunil and Louis Jude Selvadoray. STC Proceedings. Presentations>TC>Information Design

Tietopalveluseura ry Samfundet för Informationtjänst i Finland

Tietopalveluseura on tietopalvelualan aatteellinen yhdistys, joka toimii alan ammattilaisten kohtaamispaikkana.

Tietopalveluseura. (Finnish) Organizations>TC>Information Design

Tips and Tricks of Information Management  

Technical communication, when it comes down to basics, is getting the right information across to the right audience, with results. But how do you wade through all that ocean of information? How do you sort them, separate them, store, and retrieve them at your fingertips? In this presentation you will learn tools such as L files and Mailword, and share other tips and tricks of managing information in an open discussion with other participants.

Dijamco, Renato A. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>TC>Information Design

Useful Differences in Information Design Between Technical Communication and the Arts  

Technical communicators may optimize their instructional material for delivery through media rather than face-toface, for users’ understanding of conceptual material over their taking action, and for adequate performance after a minimal period of learning. The arts approach instruction quite differently and technical communicators may gain a more comprehensive view of their own work by looking at arts instruction. This article compares technical communication and arts approaches based on interviews with 35 professionals.

Krull, Robert. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Information Design>TC

XML Basics for Technical Communicators  

What is XML? Cross-platform, software and hardware independent tool for storing information. A subset of SGML. Its goal is to enable generic SGML to be served and processed on the Web in a way that is now possible with HTML. XML has been designed for ease of implementation and for interoperability with both SGML and HTML.

Pujar, Amit. STC India (2003). Presentations>Information Design>TC>XML

STC Body of Knowledge Site Map (draft)

A draft site map to attempt to represent the field(s) of technical communication within a hierarchical tree diagram.

STC (2008). Articles>TC>Information Design>Body of Knowledge

Interview with the Creator of the EServer TC Library

Tom Johnson has an interview the site's creator, Geoff Sauer, who explains some of the details behind the site. I found the discussion of their taxonomy particularly interesting, as it's a problem I've struggled with in my own site.

Soltsys, Keith. Core Dump (2008). Articles>TC>Information Design>Databases

infotexture

infotexture is the blog of an independent consultancy based in Potsdam, Germany with over 10 years of experience in technical documentation for information technology and telecommunications products.

infotexture. Resources>TC>Information Design>Blogs

Sheep, Chaos, and User Experience

The people who own the creation, collection, and distribution of content may not be the same people in the very near future. I also believe technical communication is part of information architecture and user experience design. While the technical communication community, specifically many STC members, also work in usability or information design, the culture of the user has changed faster than the culture within the tech comm community.

Anderson, M.K. MK Anderson (2009). Articles>TC>Information Design>User Experience

Technical Communication Trends and Ideas

Technical Communication continues to change as we find new ways to meet the needs of our audiences. I have attended several conferences recently and discussed several of the latest trends with other technical communicators. This article provides a quick list of several of these trends and ideas.

Mueller, Paul. Answers for All (2009). Articles>TC>Content Management>Information Design