Rapid, Low-Fidelity Prototyping  

In this paper we discuss our experiences using low-fidelity prototyping as a design tool. We describe three efforts that made use of rapid, low-fidelity prototyping and share some of the lessons we learned in doing so. All three of the efforts involve the design of real software products though the prototyping involved different aspects of the software (brand new GUI or new function added to an existing GUI) or the online help information supporting the software.

Jorgensen, Linda B. and Peter D. Pagerey. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Software>Methods

Rating Electronic Mail Clients: Convenience or Security?  

Archee assesses the security of several e-mail clients.

Archee, Raymond K. Intercom (2002). Articles>Technology>Software>Email

Read and Write DocBook XML Using OpenOffice.org

The project goal is to explore the possibility of using OpenOffice.org as a WYSIWYG editor of XML content. The principle is to edit structured documents using styles. These styles are then transformed to XML tags on export.

OpenOffice.org (2005). Articles>Documentation>Software>OpenOffice

Record Better Narration

Though most presentations are delivered live, sometimes you need a prerecorded segment to use as narration for a video or a PowerPoint slideshow. If sound quality is your primary concern, it's best to use a professional sound studio. But if time and budget concerns are also part of the equation, it's possible to create high-quality narration yourself by adding some inexpensive recording equipment and software to your computer and following some basic recording guidelines. Assuming you already have a computer with a sound card (which acts as a digital recorder), what other gear do you need?

Fisher, Jeffrey P. Presentations (2003). Articles>Presentations>Software>Microsoft PowerPoint

Reducing PDF File Size

Distributing documents as Adobe PDF files can reduce the problems that may occur when you exchange large presentation or page-layout files. In many cases, you can make your Adobe PDF file even more compact without compromising the document's integrity. The PDF Optimizer in Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Professional gives you easy access to several options that can help you reduce the file's size, including compression options that are comparable to the ones available when you create an original Adobe PDF file using Adobe Acrobat Distiller.

PlanetPDF (2004). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat

Reducing Screen Clutter in Acrobat

Are you looking to remove all distractions to read your PDF content? Perhaps you just want to remove all distractions so that you can skim through your PDF document before signing off on it and sending it off? This tip explains how to reduce on-screen clutter in Acrobat to allow you to focus your attention completely on the content.

Shea, Dan. PlanetPDF (2007). Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat

Reflections in Water

Here's one way to create reflections in water. (The basic steps can be adapted to work with any image.)

Duggan, Sean. Mac Design Magazine (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop

Reinventing Quark: Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

When creative professionals think of Quark, they tend to think only of QuarkXPress - or perhaps a negative technical-support experience. But Quark is more than a one-product company, one that has been trying to change for the better. Craig Cline provides an inside peek at Quark's new attitude.

Cline, Craig. Creative Pro (2004). Design>Document Design>Software>QuarkXPress

Remote Usability Testing Tools

Participants ask questions live (via a phone connection, audio via Internet, or typed chat session). There are some usability testing products (such as ErgoLight) that enable you to test remotely when you cannot make an online connection, but they are not covered in this survey. These products are classified as Remote Control, Support Desk/Customer Service, Telecommuting, System Administration, and Video Chat tools. Many of the products have a Recorder and/or Playback facility, which is probably a natural extension of remote viewing.

Preston, Alice. Usability Interface (1999). Articles>Usability>Methods>Software

Removing Things in Perspective

Before Photoshop CS2's introduction of the Vanishing Point filter, cloning away things in perspective was one of the hardest removal tasks of all. Luckily, this incredibly cool filter not only simplifies removing things in perspective, it actually makes it fun. In fact, this is one of those filters that's so amazing, you can wind up spending hours cloning away things that have no business being cloned away.

Kelby, Scott. Layers Magazine (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop

Repent from Flash Sins

If I see another goofy Flash interface I am going to scream. Please do not take my prior statement as rejection of everything Flash. I love Flash. I think Macromedia Flash is a wonderful tool with wonderful potential. But along the way, we have a lot of learning to do.

Kennedy, Tim. Streaming Media World (2000). Design>Web Design>Software>Flash

Results From a Survey of Web Prototyping Tools Usage

In June 2002 GUUUI conducted a survey on web prototyping tools usage. The purpose of the survey was to find out what tools are used for prototyping, what requirements interaction designers have for their tools, and how happy they are with the tools they are using. This article presents the results of this survey.

Olsen, Henrik. GUUUI (2002). Design>Web Design>Software

Review: Review of Cladonia Exchanger XML Editor

This article is a review of the Exchanger XML Editor version 3.2 from the Cladonia company. Being such a broad field, the XML Editor category is necessarily far-reaching, and can cover both database management systems and authoring tools. For this reason, this review narrows the scope by looking at the suitability of Exchanger for use by technical communicators and Help authors to create and edit manuals, user guides and Help systems. Much of the focus of this article is therefore on the software's suitability for DocBook or DITA authoring, and its appropriateness for users without coding skills.

Self, Tony. WritersUA (2006). Articles>Reviews>Software>XML

Review: A Review of Free, Online Accessibility Tools

This article reviews eight, free, online web accessibility tools and examines the general characteristics of accessibility tools. The review provides a comparison between tools, and offers suggestions as to which tool would be appropriate for each of the following audiences: web designers, web developers and web evaluators.

Blair, Peter. WebAIM (2004). Articles>Reviews>Accessibility>Software

A Review of Morae for Usability Testing

TechSmith's Morae is a powerful tool that is useful for any usability study. Its simplicity, efficiency, cost effectiveness and portability has redefined the data collection process and allows researchers to focus on the user experience rather than the data collection tools. This article discusses some of the features of this tool and proposes some enhancements to make it even more powerful to usability practitioners.

Shrestha, Sav. Usability News (2007). Articles>Usability>Testing>Software

Review: A Review of RoboHelp Office 2002

This is the first in a series of articles that builds into a personal review of RoboHelp Office 2002. This first article introduces the new release and discusses Topic Templates, Headers and Footers, and the new MS Word Import capability.

Ellison, Matthew. WritersUA (2002). Articles>Reviews>Software>Adobe RoboHelp

Review: Review of Screen Capture Tools

Describes the important attributes of a capture tool and examines and compares the features of five popular products.

Ellison, Matthew. WritersUA (2005). Articles>Reviews>Software>Screen Captures

Review of Word 2007, Tool vs. Industry Experience, the Slow Movement, E-mail Tips, and More

In this week's Tech Writer Voices podcast, Heidi and I talk about some innovative research from Microsoft, Word 2007, convincing upper management you're not a cost, focusing on information users actually want, tool versus industry experience, the curse of knowledge, the slow movement, and a tip for handling your e-mail inbox.

Hansen, Heidi and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Word Processing>Software>Podcasts

Rick Henkel - FrameMaker

This page is dedicated to the Adobe FrameMaker software. It includes many suggestions for customizing FrameMaker as well as a guide that my department used for converting thousands of pages from Word to FrameMaker.

Henkel, Rick. Docspages (2000). Resources>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

The Right and Wrong of Quark and Adobe Strategies

What distinguishes the underlying strategies of Adobe InDesign from QuarkXPress is the absence or presence of a content management system (CMS). And each company asserts that it’s following the less-traveled road. The problem is they’re both taking roads most traveled because of their respective stances towards integrated content management systems, and I’ll show you how after looking at their respective strategies.

Kuhnen, Eric. Content Wrangler, The (2008). Articles>Document Design>Software>Content Management

The Road to Mac Office 2008

This report goes to great lengths to explore the origins, history, and maturity of software-based office suites and Microsoft Office for the Mac.

McLean, Prince. AppleInsider (2007). Articles>Software>History

Robo-Forum

Die Inanspruchnahme der Foren und das Einstellen von Beiträgen ist ohne Registrierung möglich.

Robo-Forum. (German) Resources>Documentation>Software>RoboHelp