"Coffee Stains": How to Remove the Blots Quickly and Easily  

Trainers and others in the professional development field have a dual mission (among other responsibilities): to identify written 'coffee stains' and, equally important, to find and use as many effective approaches as possible to get the word out to the largest number of users.

Houser, Barbara J. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Education>Writing

Collecting and Incorporating Feedback from Customers: Making Telephone Surveys Work (for You and for Them)  

There is no question that feedback from customers is a vital input to any information-development process. To try to develop good and useful information without knowing how customers use (or intend to use) it is to work in a vacuum. To produce and deliver information and to ignore the follow-up activity of checking customers use of and satisfaction with the information is nothing less than gross negligence.

Grice, Roger A. and Lenore S. Ridgway. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>User Centered Design>Assessment>Surveys

A Commitment to Excellence: A Systematic Approach to Training Editors  

Creating and maintaining a high quality work environment that attracts and retains talented editors requires a commitment to excellence at all levels of a company or organization. A company dedicated to a nurturing work environment for its employees provides systematic training opportunities for professional growth. This paper describes how a company can meat its ongoing training needs for editors by offering formal and informal training programs and fostering learning at the group, department, division, and company levels.

Moell, Patricia G. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Editing>Education

Communicating Rapidly Changing Information  

When purchasing complex software products, users frequently receive large quantities of information; however, to use the product efficiently, they need a visually obvious starting point that helps them locate the specific information they need. With maintained With the quantity and diversity of information, customers need to be able to find the information they need without flipping through endless pages. In order to give the users a starting point in all of the printed and ASCII file information. we created a document entitled the Guide to products, users can use the features available with a new release most efficiently if they have an overview of the major changes to the product and to the information about the product. By using visual devices and creating an overview document. for each release, technical communicators can decrease their costs and increase users' productivity.

Bown, Jennifer and Connie M. Bibus. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design

Communicating with International and Multinational Audiences  

Preparing technical documentation is always a challenge. The challenges in preparing technical documentation for a multinational or international audience are even greater.

Stewart, Sharon D. and Sara M. Stohl. STC Proceedings (1993). Presentations>Communication>International

Compaq QuickFind: The Editorial Process from Print to CD-ROM  

COMPAQ QuickFind is a CD-ROM database of COMPAQ product information. Available by subscription, QuickFind offers full-text search-and-retrieval functions and full-color graphics in a 350-megabyte database. QuickFind incorporates hard-copy information into an electronic format. The QuickFind editorial process (converting hard- copy information to searchable files) is the key to creating a valuable, centralized support tool for COMPAQ dealers, customers, and internal personnel.

Tacker, Susan and Susan L. Maloney. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>CD ROM>Online

Comparing Assessment Techniques  

In just the last few years, we have begun to see research studies comparing usability testing to other techniques for assessing usability. In general, usability testing has found more of the most serious usability problems and fewer of the least serious problems than other methods. Heuristic evaluation--having people evaluate the interface either from their own expertise or from a set of guidelines--has achieved mixed results. Although usability testing seems expensive compared to other methods, it may be less expensive when considered on the basis of 'cost per problem that needs to be fixed.'

Redish, Janice C. 'Ginny'. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Usability>Testing>Assessment

Competitive Intelligence: How and Where to Find It

Competitive intelligence is both a product and a process. The product is actionable information -- can be used to take specific actions (e.g. prepare a winning sales proposal). The process is the systematic means of acquiring, analyzing, and evaluating it.

Montague Institute Review (1993). Articles>Knowledge Management>Journalism

Computer Networks and the Technical Writer  

Electronic mail and the computer networks it travels over provide new tools for the fechnical writer to use in researching, composing, and submitting documents. Over these networks, the writer can query authors, seek guidance from other professionals, browse through electronic libraries, and exploit other information resources to aid the writing process.

O'Hara, Frederick M., Jr. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Business Communication>Email

Concrete Methods that Promote Active Learning in Software Manuals  

To learn software, passive users prefer to have concepts and procedures clearly spelled out for them, while active learners prefer experimenting with the program. When designing a manual, writers should keep both types of users in mind. Writers at WordPerfect are currently experimenting with minimalist design models that encourage active learning. One such model is an “On Your Own” section which guides users through creating a document. Another model is a visually oriented “Applications” section which provides tips on how to create a document.

Bringhurst, Robert G. STC Proceedings (1993). Presentations>Writing>Documentation

Confronting Doublespeak  

The Doublethink and Newspeak of Orwell's 1984 have counterparts in the Doublespeak that can be identified in many contemporary public documents. As technical editors, we may be confronted with documents that use Doublespeak to misdirect or deceive the reader. What is our role in dealing with such documents?

Bowermaster, Philip. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Language>Rhetoric

Considering Product Usability Along with Information Usability  

In this progression we will examine ways that technical communicators can improve both information usability and product usability. The presentation will center around two major points.

Grice, Roger A. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Usability>Information Design

Contextual Inquiry: Listening and Questioning to Improve Information Design  

Contextual Inquiry is a field research technique that focuses on interviewing users in their own context as they do actual work. As a basis for effective design, Contextual Inquiry can contribute to the requirements and structure of systems and information. This half-day workshop presents a practical introduction to Contextual Inquiry as a step in designing information that supports and extends users' work.

Beabes, Minette A., Mary E. Raven, and Karen Holtzblatt. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Information Design>Methods>Contextual Inquiry

Control Charts, Quality Assurance, and Information Development  

The purpose of this paper is to explore a method that allows information developers to measure the quality assurance being invested in the products they create. A successful project achieves a balance between the time it takes to produce information, the associated cost, and the quality of the end product.

Murphy, Stephen W. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Information Design>Assessment

Control Costs of Translation with Advance Plan

The liability of a translated manual is several times greater than the English version. This increased liability can be tied directly to the accuracy of the translation.

McBride, Bill. Boston Broadside (1993). Articles>Language>Translation>Project Management

Controlling Quality, Controlling Costs  

By developing a strategic plan, finding out if we are producing the right learning products in the most efficient way, and changing to a minimalist document design, we can meet the challenges of the present business environment. Since many of us are now expected to produce more with less while maintaining or improving the quality of the products we produce, we need to manage our function better. By following the suggestions in this paper, you will be able to: communicate the importance of your function; get control of your function; demonstrate how you add value to your companies' products.

Mattingly, William A. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Management>Quality>Assessment

Converting and Delivering 750,000 Pages on CD-ROM  

The SIS Conversion Team and Electronic Media Development Team support the Service Information System development by providing data on CD-ROM for Caterpillar customers. This unique project covers eighteen different publication types, requires conversion of 750,000 pages and more than a million gray scale and line art images. The targetted data includes Parts Manuals and a variety of technical documents that were written to cover all Caterpillar machines and engines built since 1977. The conversion to electronic images and SGML-tagged text, and subsequent EMD processing and distribution via CD-ROM required extensive development efforts and a significant investment in leading edge technologies.

Bennington, Roger. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>CD ROM

Creating a Multimedia CD-ROM: Bringing a General Information Manual to Life  

There are three parts to the process for creating a multimedia CD-ROM, and each part contains a number of steps. The first part, PLANNING, defines the goal, audience, budget, equipment, team members, theme, reviewers, schedule, and outline. The second part, PRODUCTION, develops, com- bines, and tests the multimedia elements: the script, story board, and audio and visual elements. The final part, PACKAGING, creates the printed infor- mation, the label, and the text and control files that go onto and ship with the CD-ROM.

Jedlicka, Linda Barnes. STC Proceedings (1993). Design>Multimedia>CD ROM

Creating an Electronic Service Manual  

Developed by the Technical Information Division of Caterpillar Inc., the Service Information System (SIS) is a state of the art process using the latest in computer technology to electronically create, process and deliver technical service information to Caterpillar dealers worldwide. It utilizes authoring workstations and servers on a distributed network to create and store information elements (I/E's). The I/E's are written using Caterpillar Technical English (CTE) which allows for complete automatic language translation. I/E's are taken from the data base to make traditional publications as well as CD-ROM's. A personal computer is used to display information for shop and field servicemen and to perform interactive diagnostics.

Rennich, Merv and Gerry Meixsell. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation

Creating an Orientation Package for Your Organization  

You can create an orientation package to acclimate new personnel and ensure that they receive all the items and information they need in a timely manner. The orientation package can consist of six sections: introduction, maps, organization overview, skills list, other information sources, and checklists. Such an orientation package is currently being used at the IBM(R) Corporation in Cary, North Carolina. Businesses constantly grow and change. People join organizations, transfer between departments and sites, and return after extended absences. The sooner new personnel become skilled in their new positions, the sooner they will be productive and contributing members of the organization.

Flaherty, Erin E. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Business Communication>Workplace

Critical Elements in the Design of Help and Hypertext Systems  

The demand for help and hypertext systems has created a problem for many documentation departments, particularly those in smaller companies and inexperienced in creating these forms of online documentation. The scarcity of existing literature compounds this problem. This document provides writers in small companies with limited resources some suggestions to facilitate hypertext project management, planning, design, editing, and usability testing. Also discussed is how to select a hypertext package.

Wasserman, David C. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>Hypertext>Help

Current Research: An International Perspective  

Research provides the basis for technical communication practices. Such research, conducted in the United States, is readily available to STC members through the Proceedings, Technical Communication, and other technical communication journals. However, research being performed in other countries is not so readily available to those in this country who may need it.

Warren, Thomas L. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>TC>Research>International

Current Research: STC's Research Program  

This interim report shows that the research program sponsored by STC in its publications is becoming more annecdotal each year, relying less and less on research for support of its generalizations.

Warren, Thomas L. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>TC>Research>STC

Customer-Centered Publications  

The ultimate goal of today's technical communicator is to provide customers with product information that is clear, concise, and easy to use. Our panel will explore strategies for achieving excellence in designing and developing task-oriented user education materials.

Burgess, Gloria J., Chris Dahl, and Margy Kotick. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>TC>User Centered Design

Degrees of Edit  

The levels of edit concept can be a valuable editorial tool, especially to clarify for staff what editors do with documents. However focusing on degrees of edit (light, medium, and heavy) can simplify decisions about editorial work on a document. Dividing heavy edits into macro edits and micro edits can clarify what editors do in editing a document thoroughly. This presentation simplifies the editorial process by examining the three different degrees of edit and establishing the aims and procedures for macro and micro editing.

Samson, Donald C., Jr. STC Proceedings (1993). Presentations>Writing>Editing