http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Workflow A listing of the most recently indexed works about Workflow in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Workflow http://tc.eserver.org/35824.html http://tc.eserver.org/35824.html Time management is one of the most important skills a freelance worker can learn. With a good time management system you can easily find the time to do the things that are important to you, whether in your professional or personal life. Successful time management can be challenging, especially to those who are new to freelancing or being self-employed. http://tc.eserver.org/35786.html http://tc.eserver.org/35786.html Writing quickly is a skill that you should definitely cultivate. This blog post looks at four techniques that you can use when you need to write quickly. http://tc.eserver.org/35745.html http://tc.eserver.org/35745.html What is flow? It’s kind of like a river of writing, it’s an uninterrupted stream of consciousness directly from the source of your creativity through your brain, into your nervous system, out your hands, into your computer. I like to think of it as zen writing meditation. There is some important prep work that needs to be done before you’re ready for some serious writing flow time. http://tc.eserver.org/35746.html http://tc.eserver.org/35746.html Are you prone to digital fiddling? I am. In fact, I’ve increased my skills of digital fiddling so much that I hardly notice that I’m putting off writing. There are three actions you need to take. http://tc.eserver.org/35643.html http://tc.eserver.org/35643.html In my column, On Good Behavior, I’ll explore the essentials of good interaction design. This first column provides a brief introduction to interaction design—defining the scope this column will cover—then explores some key design principles. What is interaction design? http://tc.eserver.org/35645.html http://tc.eserver.org/35645.html Many of us are more comfortable communicating in words than in pictures. For example, user assistance writers are by nature and training writers, so they understand words and are adept at using word processing and publishing tools. Writers use lexicentric tools not only for creating and delivering content, but also as cognitive tools—that is, tools that help them think more clearly and efficiently. Thus, a user assistance writer might create a user-task matrix or take advantage of a word processor’s outline view when creating or evaluating a document’s structure. http://tc.eserver.org/35491.html http://tc.eserver.org/35491.html Documentation is important, from the end users to the developers, if you want your project to self sustain, if you want to ease the life of other people, and if you want your project to live a long and prosperous life. People were not in your head (and are not in your head) when you wrote that strange thing. 1-2 years from now you could be working for another company, what would be of other people who are trying to understand what you wrote? How would people easily understand how things work in a complex environment? http://tc.eserver.org/35465.html http://tc.eserver.org/35465.html Every now and then an app gets an update that really impacts your daily routine, and I’m happy to say that InDesign CS4 has some new-and-improved features that will do just that. InDesign is a page layout app, so anything that helps that process is a welcome addition, so let’s take a look at how CS4 will speed up your day-to-day work. http://tc.eserver.org/35302.html http://tc.eserver.org/35302.html If you’re working in a long or large document, Word’s background pagination can become a productivity killer. While it’s occurring, you can’t work as fast as usual, and sometimes, you can’t work at all until the paginating stops. You can turn off this background pagination, but only in certain view modes in Word. http://tc.eserver.org/35111.html http://tc.eserver.org/35111.html The way to be a jack-of-all-trades is to have the right tools in place so you can spend more time on the things you're good at. Here are five simple switches that allow you to shake your fusty old habits and start using the right tools. http://tc.eserver.org/35097.html http://tc.eserver.org/35097.html In this column, which is the second of two parts, we’ll continue discussing how companies can ensure the effectiveness of User Experience within their organizations and current product development processes. http://tc.eserver.org/35100.html http://tc.eserver.org/35100.html To foster discussion about the issues companies face in trying to effectively integrate user experience into their current organizations and processes, we surveyed our panel of Ask UXmatters experts, asking them to give us their thoughts on these important issues. http://tc.eserver.org/35023.html http://tc.eserver.org/35023.html Putting Pedersen’s advice to practice, step one is to make a place for everything in our lives. Figure out where it belongs. Just as you can’t organize a house if you have no where to put things, you can’t organize your life if you have no way space for the activities. If something doesn’t fit, it’s time for a trip to the figurative Salvation Army (we call them Deseret Industries here). In other words, simplify. http://tc.eserver.org/35011.html http://tc.eserver.org/35011.html Freelance designers, as well as those who work for small design studios, often face the challenge of getting the most productivity out of their time and achieving maximum efficiency. While this can be a struggle for anyone in a more “typical” job, freelancers have added distractions, unique challenges, and no one to hold them accountable. To be a successful freelancer you’ll have to place a priority on productivity and find ways that work for you. http://tc.eserver.org/34759.html http://tc.eserver.org/34759.html Four major components are covered in this checklist: accessibility, identity, navigation and content. The list is a printable PDF and contains a rating system and space for comments. http://tc.eserver.org/34135.html http://tc.eserver.org/34135.html O’Keefe gives detailed information on two technology standards that may be used in multilingual workflows: XSL and XLIFF. http://tc.eserver.org/34013.html http://tc.eserver.org/34013.html Talks about the importance of usability for internal business systems, specifically around staff productivity and process efficiency. The presentation touches on common barriers to staff productivity, some of the main reasons for these barriers, plus a short video of a manufacturing company who are embracing user-centered design as a way of combating the traditional software development issues on a companies productivity. The presentation also asks business owners a few key questions, such as do you listen to your staff, do you staff waste valuable company time doing repetitive tasks, and do you know what is the on-going cost to your business if you use un-usable software systems. http://tc.eserver.org/33987.html http://tc.eserver.org/33987.html Pipeline processing is a powerful programming technique that can lead to programs that are easier to maintain and enhance and monolithic imperative programs. Developers familiar with the power of pipeline operations central to the UNIX operating system know how simple, modular tools can be chained together to accomplish a wide variety of complex tasks. XSLT pipelines offer the same advantage for XML transformation. Where UNIX pipelines are based around standard input and output of lines of text, XSLT pipelines rely on the structure of well-formed XML between stages. The panel members will demonstrate the value of a pipeline processing approach and discuss implementation specifics. http://tc.eserver.org/33906.html http://tc.eserver.org/33906.html Serving XML is a markup language for expressing XML pipelines, and an extendible Java framework for defining the elements of the language. It provides a markup language for expressing flat-XML, XML-flat, flat-flat, and XML-XML transformations in pipelines. This article provides a brief introduction to the vocabulary of this language, and some examples of its flat-XML capabilities. http://tc.eserver.org/33907.html http://tc.eserver.org/33907.html This presentation explores how recent advances in user interfaces have blurred the once clear distinction between structured and unstructured data. It examines how these tools can be used to empower a new class of user to participate in an XML workflow and a managed content environment. http://tc.eserver.org/33804.html http://tc.eserver.org/33804.html Discusses the strategic importance of XML, illustrating it with an application they built to address the growing needs of the DaimlerChrysler MOPAR division. Mr. Haslam will share with you the challenges they faced and how they were solved as well as provide the metrics being used to validate the project's success. http://tc.eserver.org/33758.html http://tc.eserver.org/33758.html Learn how to visually design and implement process definitions using BPSS V2 including the use of context mechanisms and workflows, signals and joins. A selection of sample industry and government applications will be provided from automotive, financial, homeland security and healthcare applications. http://tc.eserver.org/33740.html http://tc.eserver.org/33740.html The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) is an XML-based, end-to-end architecture for authoring, producing, and delivering technical information. This paper describes how DITA-based documentation was implemented at CEDROM-SNi, one of Canada's leading on-line news content aggregators. The project delivers documentation as diverse as user training materials and Web Services reference guides targeted to programmers. We focus on the benefits, how tos, and lessons learned. Technical documentation has its own unique challenges. Its deliverables range from simple reference guides and educational material to complex, multilingual procedure manuals. Critical success factors of a documentation project are numerous and diverse – usability, deadlines, cost, language, delivery media (paper, online) – all of which have their own purpose and challenges. This paper discusses these issues and provides a framework for future DITA projects. http://tc.eserver.org/33602.html http://tc.eserver.org/33602.html With the move to XML, DITA, and other new standards, the entry cost for new tools is lower relative to established tools like Word and FrameMaker, since all tools need to invest to implement these new standards. New workflows are emerging in some cases, such as topic-based authoring and shared content, which give new tools a distinct advantage. The new tools can start with the new paradigm, rather than trying to migrate existing content and provide “backward” compatibility. http://tc.eserver.org/33552.html http://tc.eserver.org/33552.html To help alleviate issues of free-riding and conflicts in team projects, this study proposes the systematic incorporation of project management methods to introduce a process-oriented approach to and a critical praxis in team projects. We examined how the systematic use of project management methods influenced students' performance in team projects. The findings demonstrate that such an approach enables the documentation and evaluation of and reflection on both individual and team work. Our findings indicate that project management tools enhance team member accountability and help reduce free-riding. http://tc.eserver.org/33398.html http://tc.eserver.org/33398.html The authors of this article use their own experience in implementing a content reuse strategy to assist the reader in effectively making the changes necessary while minimizing the effect on the departments or the company as a whole. http://tc.eserver.org/33287.html http://tc.eserver.org/33287.html We all lead extremely busy lives. We have goals, commitments, and an almost endless amount of tasks to complete. Are there any productivity tips that work for you? http://tc.eserver.org/33089.html http://tc.eserver.org/33089.html Yes, it is possible for white-collar workers to work smarter and become more productive. While intranet usability provides substantial initial gains, workflow usability can go much further and will save millions of jobs. http://tc.eserver.org/32724.html http://tc.eserver.org/32724.html As a designer, do you know where your work really fits in the process of design? If Web design is your business, then you must make certain you are in the right mindset and you use the right process when it comes to your work. You don't want your designs to fail, but, unfortunately, there is a strong chance that they will do exactly that. Lets take a step back for a minute and define what a failing design is, and why it fails. http://tc.eserver.org/32670.html http://tc.eserver.org/32670.html Ten bits of advice about how to save time in the workplace, using software-as-a-service websites. http://tc.eserver.org/32545.html http://tc.eserver.org/32545.html Four technological or organizational barriers interfere with change, each leading to an implementation step. To overcome resistance to change, harness the energy of existing processes rather than trying to fight them. http://tc.eserver.org/32312.html http://tc.eserver.org/32312.html Narrative enquiry: A way to get organizations (and the people in them) talking and acting differently: An account of methods of intervention to enquire into conditions surrounding records management and filing to catalyze change http://tc.eserver.org/32313.html http://tc.eserver.org/32313.html Effective use of personal time management skills and techniques can ensure a successful balance between work and personal life. This article suggests ways of analysing how time is spent, and offers advice on making plans for the future in a business and personal environment. http://tc.eserver.org/32317.html http://tc.eserver.org/32317.html Knowledge management (KM) is now widely recognized to be important to the success or failure of business management. Seeking to better understand the determinants of the evolution of KM, this study focuses on two main problems: (1) whether firms change their KM processes over time to improve KM effectiveness as well as develop their KM practices, and (2) whether socio-technical support results in more mature KM practices. This study draws on the previous literature to identify key dimensions of KM process (knowledge acquisition, knowledge conversion, knowledge application and knowledge protection), KM effectiveness (individual-level and organizational-level KM effectiveness) and socio-technical support (organizational support and information technology diffusion). The evolution of these dimensions is studied in the form of a stage model of KM that includes initiation, development, and mature stages. Data gathered from 141 senior executives in large Taiwanese organizations were employed to test the propositions. The results show that different stages of KM evolution can be distinguished across dimensions of KM process, KM effectiveness, and socio-technical support. Implications for organizations are also discussed. http://tc.eserver.org/32280.html http://tc.eserver.org/32280.html This paper describes the initial results of a qualitative field study of the work required to review and approve the content on government agency web sites. The study analyzes content management work in terms of Strauss’s conceptualization of articulation. The analysis describes examples of high and low level articulation in content review and approval including using paper, personal contact, and surveillance. Study results suggest that the articulation work present in non-software based review and approval processes helps to balance conflicting agency goals of publishing content and achieving absolute oversight over published content. It also suggests that software based content management systems may prove helpful for the management of some types of content in some situations, but it hypothesizes that actors will choose paper and face to face communication mechanisms to review and approve large amounts of new content and sensitive content. http://tc.eserver.org/32189.html http://tc.eserver.org/32189.html Once you start looking at your publishing process separately from your content and style considerations, you will have identified how your “End Game” impacts your production process. Then, you can take the necessary steps to eliminate it. http://tc.eserver.org/31338.html http://tc.eserver.org/31338.html To the uninitiated, a newsroom on deadline may seem more like a scene of chaos than a smoothly functioning team. Having spent the early part of my career in newsrooms and the rest in corporate settings, I can say that the closest I have ever come to the high-performing teams executives struggle to create has been in the world of daily news. http://tc.eserver.org/31163.html http://tc.eserver.org/31163.html Documentation teams need a fast and effective review process to move forward on their projects and deliver quality, timely content. Reviewers, may they be SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) or key organization authorities, are usually extremely busy and have limited time (or interest) to review documentation. Interesting dilemma, no? http://tc.eserver.org/31141.html http://tc.eserver.org/31141.html In all companies, the requirements of an editorial system are worked out individually from the analysis of existing functioning and the definition of editorial and publication processes required in the future. The first important criteria for analysis are change frequencies and degree of reuse of the published information. The description of the information types as well as translation sequences constitute another starting point for the definition of a modular work process (single-source principle) and publication options (cross-media publishing). http://tc.eserver.org/31118.html http://tc.eserver.org/31118.html A flexible workplace is characterized by the capability of individuals to manage not only their work, time or resources, but also the possibility to influence and operate in an active way inside the community (from team to organizational level) and for these reasons to be part of the operational process. http://tc.eserver.org/31110.html http://tc.eserver.org/31110.html Thoughts on how a contract technical communicator can become part of a development team, and set the tone for the writers who follow. http://tc.eserver.org/30781.html http://tc.eserver.org/30781.html While the jobs of Mary Clouse and the rest of the Security and Documentation Unit of the New York State Senate Technology Services department aren't as glamorous as those of the senators themselves, they ensure that the Senate can use its automated systems to conduct its daily business smoothly, efficiently, and securely. http://tc.eserver.org/29816.html http://tc.eserver.org/29816.html The designers of Netflix.com have a smashing success on their hands, but we didn't find them resting on their laurels. They want to get even better, and for them that means iterate, iterate, iterate. Netflix isn't the only company using a fast iterative design approach. Google has also gained attention for their unorthodox design methods, with many people complaining that they have a huge stable of products, but only a few they've designed well. http://tc.eserver.org/29806.html http://tc.eserver.org/29806.html A number of studies have found that writers produce text in bursts of language. That is, when creating a text, writers produce a few words, pause, produce a few more words, pause, and so on. Chenoweth and Hayes (2003) hypothesized that language bursts occur when writers translate ideas in to new language. This study tested this hypothesis against the following two alternative hypotheses: (a) Language bursts are caused by proposing new ideas rather than by translating ideas in to written language and (b) language bursts depend on the form of the input to the writing process rather than on the translation process. The study employed an editing task in which participants were required to translate a written language input. The alternative hypotheses led to contradictory predictions about writers' performance in this task. The study also explored the impact of working memory restrictions on task performance. http://tc.eserver.org/29798.html http://tc.eserver.org/29798.html Part of professional development involves recognizing your strengths and learning how to express it to others. It is a helpful exercise to develop a tagline for yourself, in the same way that professionals in a previous generation were encouraged to develop a mission statement. With shortening attention spans, today's professional needs only a few-word tagline to fit in the sound bite of management's smaller time slots. Beyond what Chris Benz would call shameless self-promotion, having a personal tagline keeps your career development focused and on track. http://tc.eserver.org/29780.html http://tc.eserver.org/29780.html Panelists from LSI Logic Storage Systems review their company's approach to enhancing process quality by using design documents as process enforcement and project-planning tools for planning the development of information products (IP). Hear how effective planning solves problems that occur during the IP development process and how capturing the planning elements in design documents helps solve role-based problems for developers, editors, and managers. Discuss the many problems design documents help project teams solve: they help developers solidify the IP development task sequence, they help editors define the rhetorical context, and they help managers reduce the cost of rework. http://tc.eserver.org/29784.html http://tc.eserver.org/29784.html The most critical and time-consuming aspect of your decision to adopt information architecture as a backbone of your information development process might not be the adoption of new guidelines or tools, but moving the mindset and culture of the organization so that it can operate effectively in the new paradigm. Using examples from real experiences, the authors of this paper describe the organizational 'culture shock' that can occur when a team or organization moves to an information-architected model for content delivery--the likely pitfalls and some ways to overcome them. http://tc.eserver.org/28707.html http://tc.eserver.org/28707.html Regardless of whether we find validation impractical or imperative, the infighting in the standards community is the biggest obstacle to real progress. Instead of trying to understand what factors make both sides agitated, we've vilified the people on the other side of the argument. We need to identify what's making 100% validation so expensive and difficult, and work on removing those factors. http://tc.eserver.org/28672.html http://tc.eserver.org/28672.html While the sheen has already begun to wear off the buzzword Ajax a bit among Web application designers, RIAs are bigger than ever with our clients and their customers. http://tc.eserver.org/28372.html http://tc.eserver.org/28372.html Informing an organization's employees about key messages is essential to creating and maintaining an efficient and effective work force. To help your employees stay informed, consider broadcasting your organization’s news on plasma screens that are accessible to all employees. http://tc.eserver.org/28300.html http://tc.eserver.org/28300.html Paresh Naik explains how the Technical Writers and Publication Managers can leverage the six sigma tools and techniques for improving the quality of information products and processes. http://tc.eserver.org/28085.html http://tc.eserver.org/28085.html Modular writing involves writing, labeling, storing, and assembling content modules. Read about how to design and plan a modular writing project and how this writing system affects traditional roles and responsibilities within a publications team. http://tc.eserver.org/27997.html http://tc.eserver.org/27997.html Much effort is focused, on the selection and subsequent implementation of a content management system (CMS). While it is obviously vital to ensure that the initial implementation project is successful, this is only the beginning of an ongoing commitment to growing and enhancing the use of content management throughout the organisation. http://tc.eserver.org/27985.html http://tc.eserver.org/27985.html Review processes can easily become frustrating and complicated. Hart shows how to create and revive a review process that can be tailored to the needs of your situation. http://tc.eserver.org/27610.html http://tc.eserver.org/27610.html Understanding the thirteen diagrams of UML 2.x is an important part of understanding OO development. Although there is far more to modeling than just the UML the reality is the UML defines the standard modeling artifacts when it comes to object technology. http://tc.eserver.org/27576.html http://tc.eserver.org/27576.html Handheld devices and small appliances pose a unique challenge to the interface designer. The blur between user interface and functionality (interface vs. interaction) is even more pronounced in these environments. The interface of any small device is extremely important; yet, more than ever, the necessity to build in exactly (and only) what is required by the user is extremely important! http://tc.eserver.org/27324.html http://tc.eserver.org/27324.html All companies have business processes that can be improved. Most companies can benefit from automation or further automation of solutions. http://tc.eserver.org/26820.html http://tc.eserver.org/26820.html Die meisten TD-Verantwortlichen besitzen einen technischen Hintergrund. Daher verwundert es nicht, dass sie Lösungen für Kostenprobleme ebenfalls in der Technik suchen: Datenbanken, Content Management oder Translation Memory. Doch die Investitionskosten sind hoch. Und oft dauert es Jahre, bis sich entsprechende Systeme amortisieren – wenn überhaupt. Ein Betriebswirtschaftler würde das Problem anders lösen: ohne Technik und ohne Investition, durch gezieltes Setzen von Prioritäten und mit optimierten Prozessen. Bewährte Ansätze aus der Betriebswirtschaft gibt es viele, denn andere Unternehmensbereiche leiden unter genau denselben Kostenproblemen. Dieser Beitrag zeigt die wichtigsten Methoden und gibt Beispiele für deren Anwendung in der Technischen Dokumentation. http://tc.eserver.org/26816.html http://tc.eserver.org/26816.html Most people who are in charge of technical documentation have a technical background. No wonder that they look to technology for solving their cost problems: databases, content management or translation memory. But the investment costs are high, of course. And it often takes years for such systems to amortise, if at all they do. A business manager would adopt a different approach to solving the problem: without technology and without investments, by setting priorities and by using optimized processes. There are several tried and tested approaches from the domain of business management that have been succesfully used in other departments to deal with very similar problems. This article explains the most important of these methods and gives examples of how they can be applied to technical documentation. http://tc.eserver.org/26619.html http://tc.eserver.org/26619.html The notion of 'good practice' was one of the most controversial we encountered in our attempts to create a set of helpful guidelines for the making and sharing of new media tools by and for artists. http://tc.eserver.org/26447.html http://tc.eserver.org/26447.html When forms give users the option to continue in two or more alternative directions, such as registering as a new customer or signing in as a returning one, unfortunate users will take the wrong turn if it isn't unmistakably obvious which way they should go. In this article, we'll take a look at a few intersection flows that have caused users problems. http://tc.eserver.org/24612.html http://tc.eserver.org/24612.html This panel presents the software documentation processes at 3 companies. At Datastream, a software development company with approximately 200 employees, we, the technical writers, have integrated ourselves into all stages of the software development process. Additionally, we have incorporated the tenets of document cycling into our documentation process. In this paper and in our presentation, we outline our documentation process. We do not prescribe our approach but instead hope that it sparks a dialog among software documentation writers in similar companies so that we may learn from each other. http://tc.eserver.org/24423.html http://tc.eserver.org/24423.html Document inspections formalize the document review process and encourage the full participation of technical developers in the documentation development process. A document inspection consists of three parts: a briefing meeting, a desk review, and a recording meeting. At the briefing meeting, you state your requirements for the inspection process. During the desk review, the technical developers review your document. At the recording meeting, you review the comments made by the technical developers, and as a group decide on appropriate resolutions. http://tc.eserver.org/24329.html http://tc.eserver.org/24329.html Have you ever been involved in a project that was a disaster from beginning to end? What went wrong? What did you learn from those problems? How did you either salvage the project or decide that it couldn’t be saved? These projects are horrible experiences at the time, but they offer many valuable lessons that can help each of us better manage our information development projects in the future. http://tc.eserver.org/24291.html http://tc.eserver.org/24291.html Today's organizations must consider the effect that new tools and technologies are having on work flow. Web technology has raised the importance of information. This change in the customer/supplier market is allowing the company with the best information to have an edge. It is our responsibility as communicators to find better, faster, and cheaper ways to distribute information. An effective work flow can accomplish this. In the most common work-flow scenarios, Web technology is placed on the back end of the production schedule. All of these scenarios are flawed in different ways. Solving Web work-flow problems requires a paradigm shift. http://tc.eserver.org/23864.html http://tc.eserver.org/23864.html If you want to learn about paper prototyping from a renowned practitioner then I highly recommend Paper Prototyping by Carolyn Snyder. Snyder advocates paper prototyping because it’s easy to design (requires minimal drawing skills), cheap to create (needs only paper and markers), and offers and opportunity for developers and users to evaluate design concepts. If you wonder where the beginning of the design process starts, it begins when great minds meet and brainstorm ideas, and drawing is a natural approach to illustrate them. http://tc.eserver.org/23843.html http://tc.eserver.org/23843.html In a high-tech field like web design, we might expect to find computer-savvy practitioners accomplishing all their work with the click of the mouse and a stroke of the keyboard. However, in our studies of the early stages of web design, we found that good ol’ pens, paper, walls, and tables were the primary creative tools. http://tc.eserver.org/23798.html http://tc.eserver.org/23798.html Managing multiple deliverables with a small staff is a discipline unto itself, different from those departments where each writer has specific responsibilities. In this environment, each member is required to have multiple skills and the flexibility to jump from one project to the next quickly. Because of the demands, heavy training costs are often incurred, and the involvement of other departments is mandatory, all of which makes management support essential. It is an exhilarating, often exhausting environment, but the rewards are multiple skills, a wide variety of assignments, and the satisfaction of being part of a tightly-knit, highly-productive team. http://tc.eserver.org/23788.html http://tc.eserver.org/23788.html Document review is an important tool for knowledge management and socialization. However, because the relationship between texts and work is changing with advances in information technology, we must reconsider the necessity and practice of document review. We need to examine what reviewers are currently doing to see how those practices match with or can be complemented by the classroom based review practices that are commonly used. This paper sketches out a new model of review (mediated practice) that combines the strength of workplace and classroom based models of review. http://tc.eserver.org/23651.html http://tc.eserver.org/23651.html Internal communication activities frequently have a lower priority over external communication efforts because they do not directly support current and future customers. Many organizations do not realize that internal communication activities can be just as critical to delivering their products and services. The Research and Development Division at SAS has taken a unique approach to facilitating internal knowledge transfer by dedicating a department to this effort. We’ve found that we must frequently evaluate the needs of our internal audiences, and that we can successfully employ technologies and deliverables often used for external communication to support our user's needs. http://tc.eserver.org/22801.html http://tc.eserver.org/22801.html Without a problem, there is no project. Where there is a problem, however, there is a stakeholder who is desperate for a solution and who has a delivery deadline — which is normally sometime yesterday. Find out how a good process can tame even the most unruly project. http://tc.eserver.org/22748.html http://tc.eserver.org/22748.html Needing to cope with its enormous needs for document and data exchange, the United States is looking more and more to XML. Paul Ford explains what happens when Washington meets markup. http://tc.eserver.org/22623.html http://tc.eserver.org/22623.html Life sciences have been called the least automated industry in the world, but some pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare-related organizations are working to dispel that image by implementing targeted content management solutions aimed at shortening the amount of time it takes to get new products to market. http://tc.eserver.org/22594.html http://tc.eserver.org/22594.html If your response to the question 'How do you use Acrobat comments?' is a mumbled 'No comment,' then listen up. Comments and annotations are some of the most powerful ways in which Acrobat can streamline your creative workflow. Here are some tips. http://tc.eserver.org/22593.html http://tc.eserver.org/22593.html Acrobat's annotation tools are valuable for marking-up and commenting on design layouts and digital comps no matter where your client is located. Acrobat 6.0 goes a step further by integrating e-mail comment tracking for more efficient review cycles. Learn how to tap into these powerful features. http://tc.eserver.org/22543.html http://tc.eserver.org/22543.html Adobe's release of Creative Suite last fall introduced Version Cue, a tool designed to help individuals and small creative teams keep track of the latest versions of their graphics and page layouts. The Seybold Reports took it for a test drive to assess its performance. http://tc.eserver.org/22308.html http://tc.eserver.org/22308.html Yes, it is possible for white-collar workers to work smarter and become more productive. While intranet usability provides substantial initial gains, workflow usability can go much further and will save millions of jobs. http://tc.eserver.org/22149.html http://tc.eserver.org/22149.html Discusses the creation of managed and sustainable workflow. http://tc.eserver.org/22114.html http://tc.eserver.org/22114.html Style sheets supplement the style manual (if there is one). You might also use one to summarise vital information for your own reference or to give to an editor. Record on a style sheet any decisions made for a particular product or publication. http://tc.eserver.org/22096.html http://tc.eserver.org/22096.html The front-line environment must be understood when implementing knowledge management initiatives. http://tc.eserver.org/22052.html http://tc.eserver.org/22052.html The whole idea of “brainstorming” is to get ideas on paper. No particular order or structure, just get them ideas down. All you need is a quiet room, a clock, and pencil and paper. The procedure is simple: think about the subject and write down every idea that pops into your head within a set time. http://tc.eserver.org/22055.html http://tc.eserver.org/22055.html If you’ve done any writing at all, you’ve experienced the dilemma of selecting the right “level” for the project. In academic and technical writing there tends to be less concern about this, though there should be. In my opinion, given two cents, the more natural my writing seems, meaning more as it would be spoken, the more comfortable it will be to the reader. It’s unclear to me whether it takes more time and effort to write at this level, but it serves readers well and that’s the key. Edit and revision is the key to excellence. http://tc.eserver.org/22059.html http://tc.eserver.org/22059.html In part one of this article the discussion was one of views, forms, and the manner in which they could be combined into a task structure known as a hub. This installment expands on those themes by exploring two other types of task structures commonly employed in web applications--wizards and guides. http://tc.eserver.org/21910.html http://tc.eserver.org/21910.html Information design, according to practitioners like the Berlin-, London-, and San Francisco-based firm MetaDesign, is about more than just conveying complex information clearly. To work well, it has to be a process in which designers and clients act as partners. http://tc.eserver.org/21772.html http://tc.eserver.org/21772.html A template to provide a brief description of the project. It should outline the objectives, audience, and assumptions for the project and details the creative concept the team intends to use moving forward. This document should accompany the materials for the Conceptual Design Review. Information should be filled in to give an overview to project reviewers who may not be intimately involved in the project. Differs from project overview in that this is specific background information related to design constraints, concerns and other information directly relating to the solution presented for review. The Creative Brief can also be used to inform outside firms about a project when brought in for consulting. http://tc.eserver.org/21776.html http://tc.eserver.org/21776.html Useful checksheets with questions for consideration by the design team and reviewers when reviewing work at different stages of the process. There is a checksheet for Concept review, UI/interaction design review and Visual design review. Has space indicated for approvals and signature sign off by selected approvers. These sheets are great for tracking the progress and making sure key people approve and sign off on each step. http://tc.eserver.org/21775.html http://tc.eserver.org/21775.html A template to capture the dates in the Design Review Process and key milestones and stakeholders. http://tc.eserver.org/21774.html http://tc.eserver.org/21774.html The Design Scope template should outline the general aims and goals of the project design and lists the major deliverables and milestones. To be completed by the experience design team lead. http://tc.eserver.org/21769.html http://tc.eserver.org/21769.html A poster-sized map showing the steps and deliverables through the UI/IA/UX project lifecycle. Maps various activities and deliverables against project roles and indicates major milestones. Excellent resource for educating clients (internal and external) about 'the process' and what to expect at each phase of the cycle. Two different 'takes' on the process are available for downloading. http://tc.eserver.org/21770.html http://tc.eserver.org/21770.html A template for providing historical information, available industry research, initial scope, a rough schedule, and implementation plans for the proposed project. It should outline business objectives of the project. It is to be completed by the project requestor – usually a business stakeholder. http://tc.eserver.org/21773.html http://tc.eserver.org/21773.html A template to be completed by the experience design team lead in preparation of or as an attached document to Product Requirements documents. Information should be filled in to give an overview to project team who may be new to the project. http://tc.eserver.org/21700.html http://tc.eserver.org/21700.html Covers the stages in the information design process of: discovery, analysis, prototyping and review. http://tc.eserver.org/21557.html http://tc.eserver.org/21557.html Managing a Web site project typically does not follow any clearly defined methods or standards of practice. Although there is a lot of 'how to build a site' information out there, very little on how to manage a Web project actually exists. But a project site could be just the answer you are looking for. http://tc.eserver.org/21504.html http://tc.eserver.org/21504.html With the spread of new technology, technical communicators face interesting new challenges for solving documentation problems. One area of software development that technical communicators are increasingly becoming involved in is that of rule-based expert systems. Because of their complexity, both the systems and their documentation can be difficult to maintain. Technical communicators can solve some of these maintenance problems by flow-charting only the chaining structure of the rule-base design. http://tc.eserver.org/21518.html http://tc.eserver.org/21518.html Information process reengineering means making fundamental changes to how you create, maintain, deliver, and distribute information so that you meet business objectives. It is not simply incorporating new tools or technologies into a current information development and distribution environment. The changes made as a result of reengineering are much broader and more significant; they are revolutionary. The phases you move through as you reengineer are not revolutionary. In fact, to many the phases are quite familiar: design, pilot, refine, roll out. It’s not how you approach reengineering but rather what you end up with when you’re done that revolutionizes your business. http://tc.eserver.org/21442.html http://tc.eserver.org/21442.html Many computer users ignore the risk of data loss - until it is th late: Imporant Data have vanished. Who then desperately seeks advice in any of my mailing lists might get my try answer: "Simply restore from your last backup." OK, I do confess: This might contribute to a nervous break down. So better be prepared! http://tc.eserver.org/21448.html http://tc.eserver.org/21448.html Technical illustrators are the link between the design engineer and the user. An illustrator is able to visualize technical issues in orientation to a specific target group and to prepare them for various media. This article will address how they do this, where their operational areas are, what tools they use, and what you can expect of a technical illustrator. http://tc.eserver.org/21409.html http://tc.eserver.org/21409.html The technical writing process consists of four phases: planning, writing, delivery and archiving. The phases of the technical writing process are not necessarily discrete. You might start the writing phase before you complete the planning stage, for example, or you might have to deliver the documentation before you feel it is finished. It is highly unlikely, however, that you will ever archive the documentation before you deliver it! Some products are released several times. In this situation, you might be in the delivery phase of the first iteration of the project while you are in the planning phase of the second iteration. Don't panic: overlap in the technical writing process is quite normal. http://tc.eserver.org/21401.html http://tc.eserver.org/21401.html Traditionally, information architects and designers (UI, visual, ID) are creatures of process. We generally work in prescribed ways—discover, design, validate, repeat. We sketch first, then create rough flows and then finetuned detailed wireframes and mocks. This usually works well, once accepted, and most companies—whether in-house teams or consultancies—work along similar lines. In my experience, I have found that creating and documenting process has been a good exercise to help institutionalize ways of working, to help educate new team members as well as to unveil the mysteries of what we do for executives, product folks, and development teams. http://tc.eserver.org/21360.html http://tc.eserver.org/21360.html Don't be another project manager who thinks end users have no place in the development cycle. Get the right information from the right people and make sure your team has everything they need to do their jobs properly. When your application is loved by all and you're responsible for its success, your entire team will thank you for it. http://tc.eserver.org/21250.html http://tc.eserver.org/21250.html Even with the present downturn in the economy, more companies, from new media to established banks, have larger usability and design teams than ever before. Should we be content that we have come so far? http://tc.eserver.org/21247.html http://tc.eserver.org/21247.html For the past ten years, the Documentation Department at Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. has undergone numerous changes and evolutions--many to keep up with changing technology and market needs, many to accommodate organizational shifts and restructuring. This presentation sheds light on some of the innovative and creative ways the department has been reorganized and the dynamic documentation strategies that have been put into practice as a result. http://tc.eserver.org/21158.html http://tc.eserver.org/21158.html It is time to drop your title as Webmaster, and pick up something a bit more jazzy. How would you like to be an Internet Strategist or an Electronic Commerce Manager? The time is now to cast your new role. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the once ubiquitous 'Webmaster' position is a memory. There is a need for teams of people with broad skills, diverse knowledge, and an eye for the Internet future. http://tc.eserver.org/21022.html http://tc.eserver.org/21022.html Procedure development can be a challenging task, especially since the process of procedure development is not easily defined. The methodology portrayed in the Ten-Step Process for Procedure Development may serve as a useful model for you to adapt and customize. http://tc.eserver.org/20724.html http://tc.eserver.org/20724.html The nature of a corporation and its product line(s) influences the optimal structure for your information-development organization. When lines of business are unrelated, information-development organizations may best function independently; when lines of business are interrelated, the groups need a unified strategy. While favored by product developers and business leaders, distributed structures can produce inconsistent information quality to customers. Centralized organizations can meet customer needs, but they are often perceived as focusing on publication quality rather than content. The best solution may be a hybrid structure that takes advantage of the strengths of both. http://tc.eserver.org/20738.html http://tc.eserver.org/20738.html Most of the focus in knowledge management is on 'downstream' projects to organize thousands of existing documents that, through various departmental tributaries, are flooding corporate intranets. But what about 'upstream' knowledge management -- organizing and adding value when a source is identified or a document is written? http://tc.eserver.org/20554.html http://tc.eserver.org/20554.html Beneath the glitz and glamour of multimedia technology is the need for well-written concepts and scripts to aid in the development and production process. Many who have written primarily for printed documents, however, often having difficulty adjusting to writing for a multimedia environment. To help make the transition clear, this workshop focuses on explaining the theory, concepts, and strategies for planning and writing multimedia scripts. http://tc.eserver.org/20556.html http://tc.eserver.org/20556.html This panel presents the software documentation processes of three companies. At McGraw-Hill School Systems, the technical writers are involved in every stage of the software development life cycle. This approach ensures that writers are always in control of the information they need and that sufficient time is available for the documentation process. Our involvement allows us to produce high-quality documentation that is up-to-date with the software’s functionality. http://tc.eserver.org/20066.html http://tc.eserver.org/20066.html This session distinguishes between analytical- and performance-based flowcharting of process and procedures. The session will present why, how, and when flowcharting is considered superior to text alone, along with defining flowcharts and symbols. The session distinguishes between processes and procedures and the various styles, formats, and trends that have developed historically primarily due to different origins, purposes, and technologies. The session also presents recommended standards for creating flowcharts, and addresses issues on tools, training, and trends. http://tc.eserver.org/19558.html http://tc.eserver.org/19558.html Writers, of course, seldom find themselves in life-and-death situations. However, the way in which a writing project is managed can often mean the difference between a project’s failure and success. For writers managing a project, obtaining backup consists of two issues: making sure someone can continue your work if something prevents you from doing so yourself; and knowing how to get help when you can’t keep your head above water. http://tc.eserver.org/19554.html http://tc.eserver.org/19554.html Is the customer always right? My uncle Fred would argue that in the microcosm of neighbourhood corner store management the customer had better be always right, or you won't have your corner store for very long. He also knew, however, that regardless of his philosophical approach towards running his business, a lot of his customers who were supposedly right didn't have a clue as to what they were complaining about...but he'd never tell them that. http://tc.eserver.org/19525.html http://tc.eserver.org/19525.html Whether you are managing an internal site, or building a new site from scratch, one thing remains as a key responsibility — managing expectations for an external or internal 'client.' This client must understand not only the fundamentals of building a Web site, but must also understand how each choice and decision that is made impacts both scope and budget of the project. By understanding the core elements of process which go into creating a Web presence, both the client and the project manager can utilize resources adequately and effectively. http://tc.eserver.org/14858.html http://tc.eserver.org/14858.html It is our hope that even one of these tips will help you rethink one of your current PDF processes. http://tc.eserver.org/14587.html http://tc.eserver.org/14587.html The proliferation of interest in “knowledge management” in the last few years is a reflection that information has finally gained visibility as a major corporate asset. Furthermore, sharing information across the organization to support greater learning and competitiveness has resulted in moving to the next level of information management (IM)—knowledge management. Those of us who have been in the information business for a while have to contain our amusement as we have seen a society preoccupied first with data (anything that is observed, measured, counted, or collected), then information (organized data), now knowledge (selected information), and, perhaps next, wisdom (integrated knowledge).y´ As Thomas Stewart defines it in Intellectual Capital: The New Wealth of Organizations, “Intelligence becomes an asset when some useful order is created out of free-floating brainpower—that is, when it is given coherent form (a mailing list, a database, an agenda for a meeting, a description of a process); when it is captured in a way that allows it to be described, shared, and exploited; and when it can be deployed to do something that could not be done if it remained scattered around like so many coins in a gutter. Intellectual capital is packaged, useful knowledge.” http://tc.eserver.org/14521.html http://tc.eserver.org/14521.html Clear, positive feedback can contribute significantly toward improving the quality of printed and on-line documentation. Wizen feedback is negative, unclear, or incomplete, however, the accuracy and quality of a document can suffer, and misunderstandings between colleagues can result. Those who are responsible for reviewing documental ion can enhance that process by knowing what type of feedback to provide and how to offer it in a clear and constructive way. Those who request feedback on their documentation projects also can enhance the review process by clearly identifying the project scope and specifying their evaluation needs to their reviewers. http://tc.eserver.org/14378.html http://tc.eserver.org/14378.html Help systems have become an important part of the Technical Communicator’s repertoire. If we as communicators approach developing help systems in the same way we approach writing paper documentation, we miss the advantages of using software development methodology. http://tc.eserver.org/14368.html http://tc.eserver.org/14368.html A storyboard is a tool used by teams to write documents. Information needed to create the document is posted on cork boards or walls in a designated room accessible to all team members. In this room, the document grows from outline, to draft, to a thoroughly reviewed final document. During its growth, the document can be tracked using a simple flagging system. http://tc.eserver.org/14304.html http://tc.eserver.org/14304.html A form for coding users' interaction with a written document. http://tc.eserver.org/14302.html http://tc.eserver.org/14302.html Use this form to evaluate the other members of the group. Write the name of each group member in one of the columns, then assign a score of 0 to 10 (0 being the lowest grade, 10 the highest) to each group member for each criterion. Then total the scores for each member. Because each group member has different strengths and weaknesses, the scores you assign will differ. On the back of this sheet, write down any comments you wish to make. http://tc.eserver.org/14303.html http://tc.eserver.org/14303.html On this form, record and evaluate your own involvement in a project. In the Log section, record the activities you performed as an individual and you performed as part of the group. For all activities, record the date and the number of hours you spent. In the Evaluation section, write two brief statements: one about aspects of your contribution you think were successful and one about the aspects you want to improve. http://tc.eserver.org/14301.html http://tc.eserver.org/14301.html A form for allowing teams to coordinate days and times for meeting. http://tc.eserver.org/14247.html http://tc.eserver.org/14247.html Performance support (also called EPSS, for electronic performance support system) emerged from the instructional design and training communities because corporate enterprise systems were difficult for people to use, and the training needed to make them productive was expensive and time consuming. A good definition is that 'EPSS (Electronic Performance Support Systems) are systems that provide employees with the information, advice and learning experiences they need to get up to speed as quickly as possible and with the minimum of support from other people' (Raybould 1996). One of the issues in designing performance support is managing information overload. Two approaches are the use of agents and the presentation of information in visual form (called information visualization). The former looks for ways that computer programs can do work for users, sorting through data on their behalf; the latter looks for ways to present information so that users can directly access it through direct manipulation. You can do both, but the selection of each has an impact on the interaction style and the degree to which users can directly control the system. It is therefore an issue that any performance support system designer should consider carefully. This is a logical extension of the goal of easy-to-use programs, adding the requirement that the user interface be actively informative and helpful. http://tc.eserver.org/14173.html http://tc.eserver.org/14173.html To cope with a flood of assets, site owners turn to content management software. As they outgrow their “home brew” solutions, they buy packaged applications -- even though today’s products are immature. http://tc.eserver.org/14142.html http://tc.eserver.org/14142.html Following are questions and issues that should be covered during early meetings with a client, including general project questions, questions specific to documentation, and questions regarding scheduling, reviews and administrative issues. Thanks to TECHWR-Ler Judy Fraser for providing this awesome summary. http://tc.eserver.org/14140.html http://tc.eserver.org/14140.html As a technical writer, you may be asked to develop a style guide for the hardcopy and online documents you produce. Sounds easy enough. After all, commercial style guides and, potentially, examples shared by your colleagues should provide enough information to get you started. In researching your task, though, you may find a variety of definitions and explanations of what a style guide is and why companies use them. What's more, you many find that style guides don't seem to have consistencies among them that can help guide you in developing one. http://tc.eserver.org/14137.html http://tc.eserver.org/14137.html A sample project kickoff form, useful to clarify specific issues to particular jobs that might not otherwise become apparent until late in the job itself. http://tc.eserver.org/13657.html http://tc.eserver.org/13657.html We can compare web design and development to the process of building a house or a structure. The development of every web site has a process that these craftsmen must follow in order to achieve the finished structure. These phases are generalized and somewhat vague at times, while some may even be grouped or varied in name, but they are all essential steps in each web construction. http://tc.eserver.org/13480.html http://tc.eserver.org/13480.html This paper defines a good manual to have a good balance in quality, cost (close to estimation, not over), and delivery (on time schedule). Analyzing our past problems, we have been developing documentation process to control these three factors through the following: working as a team, standardizing an estimation method, and standardizing an evaluation system.