Applying Research to Practice: Helping Users Find What They Need  

Have you wondered why some documents succeed when others don’t? Have you been curious about the research behind the guidelines that you use? Are you ready for some new challenges and new ways of thinking about organizing documents for your audiences? Come participate in this demonstration/workshop on applying research to practice. We’ll concentrate on issues about how to help users find what they need in documents, interfaces, and just in time training materials.

Redish, Janice C. 'Ginny'. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Usability>Help

Applying Software Development Methodology to Developing Help Systems  

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.

Nurczyk, Susan V. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Documentation>Workflow

Applying Technical Communication Theory in the Workplace: Can Theoretical Frameworks Survive in the World of e-Business?  

Technical communication is usually seen as a practical profession -- one that emphasizes products, process and results -- rather than one that emphasizes theory and broad, generalized application of research results.

Grice, Roger A. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>TC>Workplace>Theory

Applying the Sensation-Perception Continuum to User Documentation  

The sensation-perception continuum represents the interplay of sensation and perception in everything we think and do. Technical communicators must exploit this continuum by understanding and applying sensory filters and perceptual tendencies in the design and development of information. This paper discuss three sensory filters: thresholds, cocktail-party effect, and sensory adaptation; it discusses four perceptual tendencies: perceptual set, figure-ground relationships, laws of grouping, and goodness of figures.

Coe, Marlana A. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design

Appraising Technical Communicators  

Appraisals based on objective performance criteria identify and measure the abilities and contributions of technical communicators. This workshop explores how to develop effective performance criteria, specific to technical communication, and how to use these criteria to evaluate performance and foster professional growth and development.

Gilbert, Catherine E. and Sharon A. Gambaro. STC Proceedings (1994). Careers>TC>Assessment

Architecting a Tradeshow Booth: A New Job for the Technical Communicator  

Can a technical communicator step in and create a striking booth to attract attendees and successfully market a company? You bet – it is easier than it looks. Designing a tradeshow booth is a fun exploration of a communicator’s talents in design, organization, and writing. And if you dare to add some creativity to your talents, success comes automatically.

Faure, MacKenzie, Amey Celoria and Cecilia Kullberg. STC Proceedings (1998). Design>Information Design>Marketing

Architecture of Designing Documents  

Both parks and document design share the same goal: to satisfy patrons and entice them to return. The common characteristics - available for many activities, easy navigation and circulation, appropriate equipment, effective use of space, and patron safety - are applied to document design. So take a walk - in a park - to find out about document design.

Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1999). Design>Document Design>Information Design

Are There ELF's in Your Monitor?  

Technical writers are justifiably concerned with the health risks that their work entails. Although the dangers of poor ergonomics, stress and repetitive motion are well known, the effects of Extremely Low Frequency radiation may also present a hazard. This presentation looks at what research is telling us about this risk.

Devine, Kevin M. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Technology>Biomedical

Are You Careering in Control?  

If you're having difficulty as a technical communicator finding the right career advancement path, then you're not alone; many technical communicators struggle with the problem of controlling their careers. It sometimes appears easier to let others make decisions about where, for whom, on what and how you work. Technical communicators often go 'where the work is' rather than assess the dynamics of the marketplace and determine where they can add the most value. The reality is that you have the power to control your own career and that you can make conscious decisions, build a plan based on those decisions and implement that plan. As a technical communicator, you can use the same skill set that entrepreneurs use to take advantage of the marketplace and to create the career opportunities that you want.

Simmons, Laurel R. STC Proceedings (2003). Careers>TC

Are You Ready for Multimedia?  

Lights! Action! Sound! There's a certain mystique associated with the design and development of multimedia. A multimedia developer is not quite a movie director, but.... If you're a technical writer, you may already have considered multimedia as a career option, but you may not know what's involved or how to get started. Having the information you need always makes a change easier, so perhaps this information will help you make that career move!

Currie, Cynthia C., Carmie Boutin and Linda Mandra. STC Proceedings (1999). Careers>Multimedia>Technical Writing

The Art of Risk Communication: Overcoming the Public Fear Surrounding Controversial Projects  

Technical writers and editors in the environmental field can make additional contributions to the document production process by becoming familiar with risk communication principles. These principles can help us communicate more effectively with the public about controversial environmental projects, which are ever increasing. Considering the public's power to delay such projects, our ability to diminish public opposition through good risk communication skills is invaluable.

Barr, Christine R. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Risk Communication>Environmental>Writing

As the Paradigm Shifts: Skills Technical Communications Will Need in the Coming Ice Age  

Forces are converging in the mid-90's that threaten to change the shape of technical communication forever. This paper-attempts to examine a few important manifestations of the coming ICE age (Information, Communication, Entertainment): business pressures to shrink documentation; a manifesto to move from paper to online documentation; a growing emphasis on making the user successful; a convergence of documentation and training; and the explosion of multimedia/interactive media. This paper then predicts what new skills technical communicators must develop in order to remain marketable -- and grasp opportunity -- during this period of great change.

Cheirrett, Peg A. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>TC

Ashes or Phoenix? Technical Communication or Information Design?  

The results of a study of 28 New Zealand technical communicators show that practitioners in this country are undergoing the same role redefinition as their colleagues in the US. New Zealand practitioners are no longer just 'wordsmiths' but are using a wide range of multimedia skills to design and produce user-ready information products. Practitioners were interviewed to find out what their roles were, how their roles had changed and what skills they believed were essential to be a successful technical communicator. The results revealed a group of highly motivated problem solvers and a profession that is evolving to use the core competencies of information design with new strength and energy.

Reynolds, Alison. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>TC>Regional>New Zealand

Asian Cultural Backgrounds for International Technical Communication  

The communication styles of Asian people have often been seen by Westerners as part of a single, unified 'Oriental culture.' However, there are observable differences in communication strategies among them, mainly Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans. The present research attempts to reveal the deep structure of their thinking and behavior that affects writing styles in international technical communication. Its purpose is to overcome stereotypes, and to understand better similarity and diversity within East Asian countries.

Otsuka, Yoshihiro, Kenji Hitomi and Eiichi Yubune. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>TC>International>Asia

Ask the Indexer: Get Answers to your Indexing Questions from Experienced Technical Indexers  

After brief introductions by 4 panelists who are all members of the Indexing SIG (and experienced indexers and technical writers), we plan to discuss Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about indexing, and allow plenty of time for questions.

Bonura, Larry S., Dick Evans, Joan K. Griffitts and Peg Mauer. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Indexing>Technical Editing>FAQ

Asking for Usernames and Passwords on the Web  

The Web has moved beyond purely open content available to all. We now want to use it to collect and provide information that we want to restrict in some way – to members, or to staff, or because it is sensitive or personal data. One common method of restricting access is to ask users to enter username and password. Even this simple combination can be a source of annoyance and frustration to users but it does not have to be. This paper compares options for setting up and maintaining usernames and passwords, and also shows how to design a screen so that users are guided easily to the correct choices.

Miller, Sarah and Caroline Jarrett. STC Proceedings (2002). Design>Web Design>Security

Asking Your Users and Doing What They Need: The Story of How Federal Express Ground Operations Revamped Its User Manuals  

Worldwide Communications & Policy is a relatively new department in Federal Express, created to manage communications and produce policy and procedure (P&P) manuals for the largest division in our global company. We asked an outside consultant, JoAnn Hackos & Associates, to evaluate the existing divisional P&P manuals and conduct an audience analysis. We emerged from the process with a plan to change the existing manuals, which tried to be all things to all people, into a collection of audience-specific, task-oriented documents.

Gill, Sadie P., JoAnn T. Hackos, Mary Hartmann, Carol Sowell, and Julian S. Winstead. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Documentation>Policies and Procedures

Assessing “Translation Readiness”: A Maturity Model  

The importance of competent translation is becoming increasingly evident. Many companies are unsure of how to deal with the conflicts of high volume, fast turn-around and reasonable cost. We propose five levels of “translation readiness” or maturity: Reactionism, Quality Awareness, Consistency, Long- Term Solutions and Continuous Improvement. These levels indicate an organization’s ability to manage high volumes of translation more quickly while keeping costs under control. While recognizing the uniqueness of each organization, we propose that assessing the level of “readiness” can lead to improvements in quality, cost, and turn-around time.

Iverson, Steven P. and Heidi E. Kuehn. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Language>Localization

Assessing Information Needs of Diverse Users to Guide Web Design and Content Development  

This paper presents a qualitative study of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's diverse users and their mental models regarding injury-related content. The study employed an innovative modified contextual inquiry method utilizing tailored, in-depth interviews with five distinct user groups. Included in this paper is a detailed description of the background, framework, and method used for this study. Analysis of the full results was still in process at the due date of this paper. The results will be in the presentation's slide set and available from the STC website www.stc.org.

Pettit Jones, Colleen and Susan J. Robinson. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Web Design>Scientific Communication>Biomedical

Assessing Publications Process-Maturity: The Experiences of Two Organizations at Different Levels of Process Maturity  

As Information Development organizations grow and mature, their organizational structure should grow and mature as well. The optimal structure for an organization in its early stages should focus on achieving stability and repeatable quality. As an organization matures, the optimal structure may need to be significantly different to develop a more thorough understanding of customers and contribute substantially to customer satisfaction.

Hackos, JoAnn T., Lisa Blaschke, Brenda MacKay and Deborah J. Rosenquist. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Information Design>Assessment>Case Studies

Assessing the Maturity Grade of Policies and Procedures Programs  

Policies and Procedures (P and P) refers to the types of communication about an organization’s internal operating practices. A P and P program refers to the context in which an organization develops and manages its P and P communications. Because a P and P program is an on-going investment, its role and value to an organization should be assessed. A P and P program must provide performance-based communication, using performancebased means, for an organization that is performance oriented. Urgo and Associates devised a model to assess the maturity of P and P programs. The model consists of a questionnaire and matrix that work together in measuring and describing four grades (levels) of maturity according to five functions commonly found in P and P programs.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Management>Policies and Procedures

Assessing the Value Added by In-House Technical Communication Courses  

A specially designed instrument that measures the effectiveness of written communication courses taught in-house has been pilot-tested with employees of a major power utility. The instrument showed that, one month afrr attending the course, participants’ written communication skills increased by twenty percent. A second measurement, recordedfour months aJer the course, showed there had been only a marginal drop in skills compared to the level recorded three months earlier.

Blicq, Ronald S. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Writing>Assessment