Making Help More Human, and Other Discussions

Discusses a number of trends in the technical writing world, particularly the need to make help more human by adopting conversational tones and addressing the angry/frantic state of the user.

Johnson, Tom H. and Heidi Hansen. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design>Help

Managing Virtual Teams: Getting the Most from Wikis, Blogs, and Other Collaborative Tools--Interview with the Authors

I talk with Katherine (Kit) Brown, Brenda Huettner, and Char James-Tanny about their latest book, Managing Virtual Teams: Getting the Most from Wikis, Blogs, and Other Collaborative Tools.

Brown, Katherine 'Kit', Brenda Huettner, Char James-Tanny and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Content Management>Podcasts

Mike Brazill on Writing for Developers

Brazill gives tips for writers who document APIs or write other information for developers. He says that because developers are busy and want to get started, you have to write less and provide more examples. Developers are more goal-oriented than task oriented. He also explains the different levels of API writing.

Brazill, Mike and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Documentation>Podcasts

Mike Hamilton Gives Flare Demo to the STC Suncoast Chapter

Mike Hamilton from Madcap Software visited the Suncoast chapter in Tampa, Florida, and presented on Flare. In this presentation, he talks about the story behind RoboHelp and Macromedia/Adobe (this blew my mind). He also provides a lot of inside detail on Flare.

Hamilton, Mike and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Presentations>Documentation>Software>Madcap Flare

Moving 50,000 Pages of Unstructured Content to DITA

In 2006, Business Objects faced a major challenge. How to migrate over 50,000 pages of unstructured non-topic based documentation it had acquired through rapid growth and acquisitions. The answer was to use DITA to standardize content creation, management, translation and publishing processes company-wide. In this short podcast, David Holmes talks about how he and his team migrated 50,000 unstructured pages to DITA. (DITA is an XML architecture that allows you to better single source your content.)

Holmes, David and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>Interviews>Content Management>DITA

A Natural Conversation about Technical Writing

An introduction to the new co-host, competition entries, an interesting entry from Microsoft, audio in instructions, screen demos, the STC annual conference, other technical communication tools, wikis, blogs, NetVibes, Get me the Geeks video, David Pogue, Walt Mossberg, and more.

Johnson, Tom H. and Heidi Hansen. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Podcasts

Online Communities, Member Maps, Virtual Chats, Sparkpeople, Intercom, and More

In this podcast, Heidi and Tom talk about online communities, member maps, virtual chats, Sparkpeople, Intercom, and more.

Johnson, Tom H. and Heidi Hansen. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>TC>Community Building>Online

Presentation on Writing and Web 2.0

This is presentation Keith Hoffman gave on writing and Web 2.0 at the University of Wisconsin. If you recall, Keith wrote the feature article in January's Intercom on Web 2.0.

Hoffman, Keith. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Presentations>Web Design>Writing>Podcasts

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

Rob Houser on Creating Nontraditional E-Learning

Rob explains how you can use Captivate to create nontraditional e-learning materials, such as on-the-job training, sales and marketing training, or even bird-watching training. You aren't just limited to technical how-to information in screen demos.

Houser, Rob. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Education>Online

Scott Abel on Web 2.0

Abel's presentation on Web 2.0 was the most popular presentation of the STC 2007 conference (at least this is my impression from these interviews). In his presentation, Abel touches upon RSS feeds, wikis, blogs, geospatial positioning, social networking, tagging, podcasts, and other Web 2.0 technologies. He expands here on geospatial positioning and tagging. Abel also explains why he uses a newsletter in addition to a feed for his popular blog, www.thecontentwrangler.com.

Abel, Scott and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Web Design>Podcasts

Show Me Demos and Captivate

In this audio-visual age, technical writers need an easy way to deliver Flash-based, dynamic screen demos for their help content.

Johnson, Tom H. and Kevin Siegel. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Documentation>Multimedia>Flash

Stephanie Bryant on Videoblogging

Bryant talks about videoblogging as a tool for promoting yourself or for communicating with others. She explains the equipment she uses and the process for producing videoblogs. Her book, Videoblogging for Dummies, is available from her website: www.mortaine.com. Bryant also discusses interesting ways lawyers can use videoblogging to educate their clients.

Bryant, Stephanie and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Video>Podcasts

Susan Burton Provides an Inside, In-Depth Look at STC's Most Pressing Issues

In this special presentation podcast, Susan Burton, executive director of the STC, provides an inside, in-depth look at the most pressing issues and challenges the STC faces. She also explains the initiatives underway to reshape the STC and provide more value to members.

Burton, Susan and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>TC>STC

Tech Writer Voices

Tech Writer Voices is a podcast specifically intended for technical writers. Podcasts include all topics relevant to the profession of technical writing, from single sourcing to collaborating with SMEs.

Johnson, Tom H., Heidi Hansen and Keith Hoffman. Tech Writer Voices. Resources>TC>Technical Writing>Podcasts

The Technical Communication Suite from Adobe

R.J. Jacquez, senior product evangelist at Adobe.com, talks about the new Technical Communication Suite from Adobe, which includes RoboHelp 7, Captivate 3, Acrobat 3D version 8, and Framemaker 8.

Johnson, Tom H. and R.J. Jacquez. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Software>TC>Podcasts

Ten Lessons Learned as a Technical Communicator: Interview with Rahul Prabhakar

Rahul Prabhakar talks with us today about ten lessons he has learned as a technical communicator. Rahul is an Indian technical writer living in South Korea working for Samsung.

Prabhakar, Rahul and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>TC>Podcasts

Top Ten Worst Things SMEs Say or Do

In this podcast, I interview Brenda Huettner about strategies for overcoming the top 10 Worst Things Subject Matter Experts Say or Do.

Huettner, Brenda P. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Collaboration>SMEs

Transitioning from Technical Writing into Usability

In this podcast, I talk with Theresa Putkey, a usability consultant in Vancouver, about how she transitioned from technical writing into usability.

Johnson, Tom H. and Theresa Putkey. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>Usability>Technical Writing>Podcasts

Understanding Principles of Usability, Part 1

In this podcast, Karen Bachmann, manager of the Usability and User Experience SIG, provides an overview of the user-centered design process. This is part one of a two part series.

Bachmann, Karen L. Tech Writer Voices (2006). Presentations>Usability>User Centered Design>Podcasts

Understanding Principles of Usability, Part 2

This is part two of Karen Bachmann's presentation on Usability. In this part of her presentation, Karen gets more in depth with principles and methods for usability.

Bachmann, Karen L. Tech Writer Voices (2006). Presentations>Usability>Methods>Podcasts

Virtual Ways of Communicating

This podcast features Char James-Tanney's June 2007 presentation to the Suncoast Florida STC chapter on virtual ways of communicating.

James-Tanny, Char and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Information Design>Podcasts

Vista and Office 2007

David McNamee presented on Vista and Office 2007 to the Suncoast chapter in May 2007. This is a recording of his presentation. He talks about how the purpose of Vista and Office is to help you create, find, and share information more efficiently.

McNamee, David. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Presentations>Software>Word Processing>Podcasts

Whitney Quesenbery on the Five E's of Usability

Quesenbery is one of the authors of Content and Complexity: Information Design in Technical Communication. Quesenbery explains the five E's -- a simple way to talk about product usability. The five E's are efficient, effective, engaging, error-tolerant, and easy to learn. She elaborates on what it means for a product to be engaging/satisfying. Quesenbery also explains the importance of personas, which she has written about in the Personas Lifecycle by Tamara Adline and John Pruit. She says stories are essential to personas.

Quesenbery, Whitney and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Usability>Podcasts

Wikis Are Coming: An In-Depth Exploration of Using Wikis in Documentation

In this podcast, Katriel Reichman, a technical writer at Method M in Jerusalem, Israel, talks in-depth about how to use wikis for documentation.

Reichman, Katriel and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Presentations>Documentation>Content Management>Podcasts