What's Your Problem?

This is a piece on pesky colleagues who are curious about others' activities at work place and try to be the good samaritan but land up in need of one.

Ravi, Suryakantham. Live.com. Humor>Workplace>Collaboration>Blogs

When ROI Isn't Enough: Making Persuasive Cases for User-Centered Design

Making the case for user-centered design (UCD) is a topic of recurring discussion for UX professionals. Much of the discussion has centered on strictly objective approaches such as cost-benefit or return-on-investment (ROI) analysis. However, recent commentary suggests proving ROI is not always enough.

Jones, Colleen. UXmatters (2007). Articles>User Centered Design>Project Management>Workplace

Where in the Organization Should a Usability Group Belong?

Companies often struggle to find the best place for the usability/UCD group within the organizational structure. While common placements for this skill set are in the IT/development department, in the marketing/communications department, in the Quality Assurance department or in Product Development, whether these locations are the best for any specific organization is a function of the capability of the usability group and the maturity of the organization to leverage that capability.

Usability Body of Knowledge. Careers>Workplace>Usability

Who Should Document Organizational Policies and Procedures?  

Senior-level managers in organizations often over- or underestimate the role employees should take in documenting policies and procedures (P&P) on their operating practices. Solutions to this challenge include engaging the talents of a P&P writer, having stakeholders participate in a P&P information development process, and training employees in P&P writing skills.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Documentation>Workplace

Who's Policing the Policy Makers?  

This ethics case concerns a technical writer charged with the task of introducing new company policies to employees. The writer faces a dilemma when she discovers that the workplace habits of some managers contradict the policies. Reader responses to this ethics case will appear in an upcoming issue of Intercom.

Wiles, Debbie. Intercom (2001). Articles>Workplace>Ethics

Word Processing vs. "Web" Documents

Reading on screen is different than reading on paper. The metaphors used for writing word processed documents do not make for easy to read screen documents. Techniques from CD-ROM's, the Web, and on-line documentation can help make web documents that are compelling to read on-screen.

Bricklin, Dan. Good Documents (1998). Articles>Writing>Workplace>Word Processing

Work Environment: An Organization's Intangible Asset  

Researchers have long proposed that work environment can play an important role in business and organizational communication. A properly designed work environment supports positive communication and therefore relationships among a company’s constituencies and contributes to a satisfied work force and customers. Work environment will ultimately affect the bottom line of the company through its impact on the constituencies. Unfortunately, the impact of the work environment and communication on the financial performance of a company is often overlooked by scholars and practitioners. This paper aims to arouse people’s attention to the impact of work environment on a company’s healthy development by proving that work environment is an essential organizational intangible asset. In this paper, we focus on the intangible value of the work environment, i.e. the tone it sets in a company which either fosters or retards communication, productivity, and job satisfaction. It is incumbent upon communication scholars and practitioners to understand this untapped area of research.

Hartman, Jackie L. and Ningkun Wang. Association for Business Communication (2004). Careers>Workplace>Communication

Work Schedule Form  

A form for allowing teams to coordinate days and times for meeting.

Markel, Mike. Bedford-St. Martin's (2001). Careers>Workplace>Workflow

Working Day: 9 to 5

A video documentary about the appropriate use of computer technologies in the workplace, which may be useful in talking about workplace ethics.

Johnson, Rachel. EServer (2006). Academic>Course Materials>Ethics>Workplace

Working with Subject Matter Experts: Strategies to Gain Cooperation and Win Respect  

Working well with SMEs is essential to our success as technical communicators. This article recommends strategies to employ to improve your relationships with SMEs – seeking buy-in, increasing transparency and cross-functional teams, expressing expectations clearly, setting common goals and objectives, and making success a shared accountability.

Mason, Catheryn L. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration>SMEs

Workplace Recommendations for Interns and New Hires  

This paper presents suggestions to help interns and new hires adjust to the workplace in business or government. They include avoiding personal use of company equipment; controlling use of cell phones and computers; observing telephone and voicemail etiquette; opening only business-related email; learning about the organization's culture; dressing appropriately; participating actively in meetings; being punctual; remembering names; behaving appropriately in social interactions with other staff; being courteous; and having a positive, constructive attitude. The suggestions are designed to enable the intern or new hire to create a good impression and increase their chances of success in the organization.

Samson, Donald C., Jr. STC Proceedings (2005). Careers>Internships>Workplace

Workplace Relationships

Examines the ways in which electronic communication has affected interaction of coworkers in the workplace and the responsibility of technical communicators to ensure positive interactions with coworkers.

Dutton, Kyley. Orange Journal, The (2005). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration

Workplace Surveillance and Managing Privacy Boundaries    

According to communication privacy management (CPM) theory, people manage the boundaries around information that they seek to keep private. How does this theory apply when employees are monitored electronically? Using data from 154 face-to-face interviews with employees from a range of organizations, the authors identified various ways organizations, employees, and coworkers describe electronic surveillance and the privacy expectations, boundaries, and turbulence that arise. Privacy boundaries are established during new-employee orientation when surveillance is described as coercive control, as benefiting the company, and/or as benefiting employees. Correlations exist between the surveillance-related socialization messages interviewees remember receiving and their attitudes. Although little boundary turbulence appeared, employees articulated boundaries that companies should not cross. The authors conclude that CPM theory suppositions need modification to fit the conditions of electronic surveillance.

Watkins Allen, Myria, Kasey L. Walker, Stephanie J. Coopman and Joy L. Hart. Management Communication Quarterly (2007). Articles>Workplace>Security>Privacy

Write Newspaper Style

Write in an inverted-pyramid style, with the conclusion first, details later. Writing with the 'punch line' first, starting with the conclusion, rather than building up to it with careful reasoning may be hard for some writers used to presenting detailed arguments orally. If you think like you are writing a newspaper or newscast, instead of telling a joke, you may find it easier.

Bricklin, Dan. Good Documents (1998). Articles>Writing>Workplace

Writing for Business

Business writing ranges from formal memos and proposals, to casual email messages, to catchy Web pages and presentations. In general, business communication deals with establishing and maintaining guidelines for policies and practices, with facilitating project work and with delivering convincing arguments about a product or proposal.

Allyn and Bacon (1999). Resources>Writing>Workplace>Business Communication

You Want to Do What? Convincing Your Management to Support Usability Studies  

It's a classic chicken-and-egg struggle. Many information developers wait for management go-ahead before conducting usability studies. Management, on the otherhand, is sometimes reluctant to support usability work.

Scanlon, Tara C. and Alicia Flanders. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Usability>Planning>Workplace

The Life of a Lone Writer

Lone writers are found across all industries, as junior- and senior-level employees, contract workers and direct employees. Sometimes, they’re not even the only writers in their company, but rather are the only writers in their division with either little to no contact — or little to nothing in common — with the other writers in other company divisions.

Potsus, Whitney Beth. TechCom Manager (2006). Articles>Writing>Business Communication>Workplace

Raising Your Documentation Team's Visibility

Whether the documentation department has a staff of one or a team of 12, visibility within the company is a frequent concern. The reasons for this concern range from personal to professional. You want to be remembered when promotions and bonuses are handed out. You want new challenges to add diversity to your workload, and new projects to add skills to your resume. You want to defend your turf against budget cuts and layoffs during lean economic times. And you want to be more than an afterthought that lives in the back 40 of the cubicle farm.

Potsus, Whitney Beth. TechCom Manager (2005). Articles>Management>Documentation>Workplace

Copyright for Corporate Information Professionals: Staying Within the Law    

Considers the role of copyright in the dissemination of information within the corporate sector. Examines the various forms of authorization available for companies using copyright-protected content to ensure compliance with copyright law. Discusses the distinction the law makes between copying for a commercial purpose as opposed to copying for a non-commercial purpose. Looks at the limited scope for businesses to rely on the copyright exceptions to justify their copying, particularly fair dealing. Considers licensing as a way of being able to do more than the copying exceptions would allow, and the interrelationship between contract law and copyright law. Outlines some copyright legal cases and the lessons we can learn from them. Sets out examples of copying activities that should be avoided if one wants to reduce the risk of being accused of copyright infringement.

Pedley, Paul. Business Information Review (2008). Articles>Intellectual Property>Copyright>Workplace

Updating a Corporate Style Guide: Process and Reality

Establish a company-wide team of writers and editors to process comments on the style guide. If applicable, aim for a geographically diverse group that represents all of your company's documentation groups.

Gelb, Janice and Alysson Troffer. STC Proceedings (2008). Presentations>Slideshows>Style Guides>Workplace

Ready for the Enterprise?

A quick look at ten Open Source Content Management Systems which are beginning to find their way inside Enterprise IT Departments.

Shreves, Ric. Water and Stone (2006). Articles>Content Management>Open Source>Workplace

Managing Documentation Teams with Varied Schedules and Locations

In many of today’s corporate work environments, the days of managing a group of people who all share a common physical location and the same work hours are waning. More often, work teams may be composed of people who work in either a company office or from home, in different cities, states, time zones, and countries. They may also work different hours or even different days. Knowledge work, such as technical writing, is ideally suited to these types of work arrangements since, in many cases, the work can be done anytime, anywhere -- unlike certain professions such as nursing or construction. Modern computer and telecommunications technology has made the world, or at least those parts of it with high-speed Internet access, one big potential office. This article article analyzes various types of work arrangements, the tools that make them possible, the benefits and potential pitfalls of these arrangements, and how to make them work.

Peruzzi, Brett. TechCom Manager (2008). Careers>Management>Management>Workplace

Information Architecture for My Office

To get a handle on the challenge in front of me, I created a complete item inventory of everything currently in my office. I used Microsoft Excel and created a spreadsheet.

Swope, Amber. Content Wrangler, The (2008). Articles>Information Design>Workplace

Intranet Communications: Improving HR Service and Communications

Effective communications requires two-way, synchronous communications – not just messages pushed on a one-way street from the top floor executive offices. Successful intranets have a well-defined plan that accounts for employee needs and preferences and engages the target audience.

Ward, Toby. Intranet Blog (2006). Articles>Web Design>Intranets>Workplace

Is Your Intranet Trusted by Staff?

It is widely recognised that an intranet must be trusted, if it is to be regularly used by staff across an organisation. While it is easy to make this statement, it is harder to qualify what is meant by trust, how users assess it, and how we can build (or rebuild) trust in the intranet. This briefing looks at the issue of trust, and presents some simple steps that can be taken to further build staff trust in the intranet.

Robertson, James. Step Two (2005). Articles>Web Design>Intranets>Workplace