Better Business Communication: Tips & Techniques

How Much CO2 Is Saved Through Videoconferencing?

2008-01-23T13:24:00.001-05:00

The answer is a lot! Check out the experience of one company in the article below. clipped from www.pcmag.comNorth Carolina-based Global Knowledge Training for instance has already estimated a 4.4 million Lb reduction in CO2 each month by choosing web conferencing.

Usability ROI Declining, but Still Strong

2008-01-23T12:16:00.001-05:00

The article below indicates that usability study ROI is declining, but still strong. I think the article neglects some of the decreases in cost of usability due to products such as Techsmith's Camtasia Studio and the more expensive Morae. These products are used to conduct remote usability studies using Web conferencing. These products make very inexpensive do-it-yourself studies possible even

Principles of Adult Learning

2008-01-17T11:23:00.001-05:00

We all have our first exposure to learning in classes designed for children and adolescents. When we are asked as adults in business or academic settings to teach other adults, we may try to apply the only paradigm we know--the one we learned in school when we were often the unknowing and unwilling.Teaching adults is qualitatively different. The article cited below contains a good summary of

UI Design Strategy: The Gestalt Principle

2008-01-16T15:19:00.001-05:00

Here are some principles for "doing it right the first time": in user interface design. Doing it right the first time can be 10 to 100 times more productive than inspecting and fixing errors. --David clipped from www.usernomics.comPatterns in UI design ..."Measuring usability, identifying usage problems, making

Microsoft (R) Word Template Tips

2007-10-17T11:44:00.000-04:00

Here are a few things I've seen done that make Microsoft Word templates very helpful--especially for longer documents like user manuals, participant guides, instructor guides, and policy and procedures guides.Create a true .dot template instead of just copying over an old .doc document. Then, each time you start a new document, use File/New and specify this .dot file as the template. If you just

Testing Usability with Multiple Users

2007-10-15T11:03:00.000-04:00

Sometimes companies need usability tests with multiple users and need them FAST. This article has some strategies for handling such situations.Multiple-User Simultaneous Testing: MUST Usability testing with large numbers of users ..."Testing 5-10 users at once lets you conduct large-scale usability testing and still meet your deadlines. Sometimes you need to test a large number of users. One

Nash Equilibrium in Employee/Employee Relations

2007-10-09T09:09:00.000-04:00

Did you see the movie A Beautiful Mind? I think the Nash equilibrium (governing dynamics) shown in the bar scene, with the guys trying to get girls, applies in the relationship between employers and employees--i.e., if employers make decisions that balance what is best for the company and what is best for the employees, the result is optimal for both. Same thing goes for employees; however, I

"Lean" Training Development

2007-10-08T15:47:00.000-04:00

Formal instructional design processes, like the standard ADDIE system (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate), have long been responsible for creating expensive training. In a manner similar to the movement away from cumbersome, linear, waterfall software development systems to more "lean," iterative methods, instructional design is moving to lean methods also.Elsewhere in this blog I

Measuring Usability

2007-10-05T16:08:00.000-04:00

Many usability/user experience tests are "qualitative," recording the obvious problems users have with interfaces. If you want more quantitative information to measure usability, without great expense, check out this article. Also see Usability Testing, Web Conference Style in this blog.Measuring Usability: The BasicsFriday, October 05, 2007 5:12 AMUsability measuring techniques ... "Usability is

Demotivation

2007-10-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

Some companies go out of their way to communicate the wrong messages to their employees. What do these actions communicate?Make statements like, "I don't want to hear problems, only solutions." (Message: Keep bad news from me and only tell me when you've figured out a solution, or things get too bad for anyone to fix or hide.)Set up a compensation system that rewards "high performers" and

The Relationship Between Unrelated Things

2007-09-28T14:38:00.000-04:00

A long time ago, I heard a motivational speaker say that discipline acquired in one area of life flows over into other areas of life. The reverse can be true too in my experience. If I slack off in one area of my life, other areas are affected as well.For example, I paint and do gourd art as my "creative" outlet. Of course my business life and personal life have creative elements as well--problem

Usability Testing, Web Conference Style

2007-05-18T15:41:00.000-04:00

I recently had an old client in Chicago contact me to do a usability test for his Web site. Problem was, he had moved to Boca Raton, his partner was still in Chicago, and we had no idea where the test subjects would be located.No problem, we used WebEx Meet Me Now to do the test via web conference. Meet Me Now is an inexpensive version of WebEx (about $50 a month) that allows you to do pretty

Massively Parallel Documentation Development

2007-03-26T08:54:00.000-04:00

I have a software idea for you that is FREE--wetpaint.com. Wetpaint is a free wiki. You can set it up in five minutes. The content can be anything you want.I'm using it right now to begin documenting the core processes of the Meet the Geeks technology networking group I belong to in Western North Carolina. See http://meetthegeeks.wetpaint.com/.Its real power is that anybody with permission can

Just in Time Documentation

2007-03-19T10:50:00.000-04:00

Increasingly, timeframes for producing documentation and training for computer software are diminishing--often due to new software development methodologies driving rapid development and change. Open source software development is one of these methodologies that democratizes the development process, in that anyone can make a change to open source code. Erik Berglund, in his paper "Open-Source

FAST Training Development

2007-03-16T14:59:00.000-04:00

I recently got written up by TechSmith, maker of Camtasia Studio, Snag-It and Morae because I produced a 195-page training tutorial in one weekend using their product. Here are the details:"Camtasia Studio is a powerful, easy-to-use recording tool to capture computer output. It speeds up production of training and documentation," said David Orr, instructional designer and founder of David Orr

Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines

2006-11-03T08:49:00.000-05:00

Many people have opinions about web design and usability, but the U.S. Department of Health and Family Services has a guidelines book based on research.Research-Based Web Design & Usability GuidelinesHere are the topics covered:Guidelines by Chapter (2006 ed.)Chapter 1 – Design Process and Evaluation (8 pages, 1.8 MB)Chapter 2 – Optimizing the User Experience (13 pages, 8.9 MB)Chapter 3 –

Great Free Stuff

2006-11-02T16:51:00.000-05:00

I always love free stuff. Here's the latest from Microsoft.State of the Art: A Web Site to Call Your Own. Microsoft Office Live is a suite of services, mostly free, to help the little guy get into the game of online sales and marketing. By DAVID POGUE. [NYT > Business]

Buzzwords and Simple Language

2006-09-26T12:08:00.000-04:00

The following article examines what's wrong with using buzzwords and provides a better approach. I also recommend Strunk and White's, Elements of Style.Source: Signal vs. Noise; 9/25/2006; 2:32:50 PM.Buzzwords say all the wrong things.Our industry is addicted to bullshit buzzwords. Emails are full of “I’m an insider” jargon, blog posts brim with tech duckspeak, and resumes are loaded with

2006-09-19T09:26:00.000-04:00

SEO Optimization Via RSS Feeds: How To. by Sharon Housley SEO via RSS: RSS feeds are a great communication medium, and when properly managed, web feeds can bring in significant Internet traffic. RSS feeds should contain compelling themed content with episodic titles that are united in common broad theme. Photo credit: Livia Iacolare Use RSS feeds as an online marketing and search engine

Flying versus Web Conference

2006-09-18T10:36:00.000-04:00

I do a lot of fly-in projects for clients. Especially in the early stages of a relationship, clients want to press the flesh, but I've found it's possible to shift many working meetings to the web conference. Subject matter expert inverviews, document or design review meetings, and status meetings are easy to hold online. Here's an article that explores the issue further. David OrrWhy Fly When

Simplicity and Complexity

2006-09-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

I pride myself in being able to explain complex situations in a simple way that anyone can understand. I have also been accused of sometimes making things look more simple than they are. The following article on John Maeda examines some of the tension between simplicity and complexity. David OrrSource: Signal vs. Noise; 9/14/2006; 11:18:59 AM.John Maeda: The Master of Simplicity.John Maeda is a

Incentives Suck!

2006-09-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

I grew up believing in the Religion of Incentives--if you give employees the right incentives, you will increase their performance. Furthermore, people won't really perform well unless they have the right incentives. I had this Religion practiced on me by several employers in my twenties and thirties. Somehow, the practice of the Religion always seemed unfair, political, and unproductive.

2006-09-11T16:40:00.000-04:00

Prioritizing Web Usability (Paperback) by Jakob Nielsen, Hoa Loranger average customer review: (12)In StockThis item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. DetailsBook DescriptionIn 2000, Jakob Nielsen, the world’s leading expert on Web usability, published a book that changed how people think about the Web—Designing Web Usability (New Riders). Many applauded. A few jeered. But everyone

Paper Versus Electronic Documents

2006-09-08T08:25:00.001-04:00

Like everyone else, I have been, over the past 10 years, faced with the choice between using paper and using electronic documents. Caroline Jarrett's article below focuses on forms, but other documents pose the same choice. Because I travel a lot with my laptop, and hooking up to a printer is a dicey proposition on the road, I have trained myself to rely on electronic documents and avoid paper as

Reframing Issues and Projects

2006-09-06T11:54:00.000-04:00

As an instructional designer, I am often called in by clients because they have a "training" requirement. As we talk to them and they explain the problem/challenge that has led to this need, it becomes clear that much more than a training intervention is needed. For example, at one travel company they were getting a lot of telephone orders bounced for technical reasons and many of their best

Lesson: Writing a Procedure

2006-09-05T09:01:00.000-04:00

Procedure writing is essential to every business. Business process procedures and computer software operating procedures are the most typical ones that need documenting. Without procedures people do things wrong and often re-invent the wheel, creating extra work and duplication of effort.A few years ago I taught a course on software documentation at the Purdue University Calumet Campus. One

Podcamp Boston Uses Wiki to Publish Conference Information.

2006-09-03T09:28:00.000-04:00

As a follow-up to an earlier article, here's an article on an interesting business application for wiki technology:Source: Dennis D. McDonald's Technology Digest; 9/3/2006; 9:11:16 AM.Podcamp Boston Uses Wiki to Publish Conference Information.Chris Brogan, with whom I've spoken in the past about the use of wikis for collaboratively creaing and sharing corporate documentation, emailed me about the

Standish: Project Success Rates Improved Over 10 Years

2006-08-30T09:14:00.000-04:00

Twelve years ago my technical writing, training and usability company salespeople used to quote a new study called "Chaos" done by The Standish Group of West Yarmouth, MA, to show the desperate condition of IT-generated projects. We had solutions, of course, centered around communications and more frequent feedback. At that time, IT project failure rates ran close to one-third. Adding in troubled

Orr's Aphorisms™08/29/2006 (updated weekly)

2006-08-29T14:23:00.000-04:00

Clients don't care about process, just results. Process is, nevertheless, important to teamwork. Don't rescue clients or teammates. People begin to expect to be rescued, in fact, plan on it.Decentralize/coordinate rather than centralize/control.Mentor , mentor, mentor junior people. Delegate juicy things, not just unpalatable things, to subordinates to keep their enthusiasm high. Some people

Assumptions

2006-08-28T09:31:00.000-04:00

Assumptions are deadly in business. 1. We assume something has been done, that has not. 2. We assume something has not been done that has. 3. We assume someone believes something that they don't. 4. We assume someone knows something that they don't. 5. We assume someone doesn't know something that they do. 6. There may be other examples, but you get the idea. Here's a user interface designer's

Writing Lesson: Using Jargon

2006-08-19T07:17:00.000-04:00

What is jargon?Terminology specific to an industry or discipline that is unfamiliar to novices. Why is jargon often inappropriate for technical documents?Jargon intimidates and frustrates readers.Jargon wastes reader's time.Use of jargon may indicate the writer's ignorance of the audience. When is jargon appropriate for technical documents? Audience knows the jargon from experience. Audience has

Do You Wiki?

2006-08-18T09:35:00.000-04:00

Wikipedia advertises itself as "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page. The idea is that anyone who knows, or thinks they know, about any topic can add their "knowledge" to the Wikipedia encyclopedia by writing an article on the topic. Anyone else can edit the original article to correct errors or add information.Obviously, because of the potential

Business Priorities for Training

2006-08-16T13:48:00.000-04:00

TrainingOutsourcing.com regularly conducts polls among its membership, who are training professionals working within businesses or who work as consultants to businesses. One of the questions asked was:What is the most important metric that your learning organization could contribute to positively impact business performance? As you can see from the data summaries below, the number one answer was

I Hate You! Oops, Maybe It’s Someone Else.

2006-08-16T10:33:00.000-04:00

In an earlier article I wrote about psychological projection in business. See http://tipsbuscom.blogspot.com/2006/07/i-hate-you-psychological-projection-in.html. The article explains psychological projection (PP) this way: ”PP occurs when a person is operating in a social setting and unconsciously overlays some internal phenomenon on an external situation or person. The person then reacts to the

Writing Lesson: Negatives in Sentences

2006-08-15T10:50:00.000-04:00

What is negative language? The action is phrased as what not to do Usually includes forms of no or notWhy is it inappropriate for technical documents?It tells users what not to do instead of what to do. Adds extra words Confuses usersSolution: Replace negative with positive wordingNegative:The system administrator should not fail to update the system every three months.Positive :The system

Prospecting

2006-08-14T14:16:00.000-04:00

Prospecting is a form of business communication that attempts to deliver a marketing message to a receptive person by going through many non-receptive people to find the receptive ones. Business people try to narrow the field of people to those likely to be receptive by purchasing mailing lists or joining networking groups of people professing to share similar interests. Another hidden power of

Clickstream Data on Web Page Use

2006-08-11T10:42:00.000-04:00

A recent Clickstream study revealed new information about how we use and peruse the Web. University of Hamburg researchers found that the Web is moving from a static hypertext information system to dynamic interactive services with rapid interactivity between man and machine. The authors recommend that web developers create concise, fast loading web pages to keep pace with the speed of web

Orr's Aphorisms™08/08/2006 (updated weekly)

2006-08-08T14:10:00.000-04:00

Use just the right amount of pictures. If three pictures are good, that doesn't mean fifty are automatically good. Using no picture is usually not good.Graphic flow-chart overviews with screen captures in PowerPoint® are a powerful way to give the BIG picture.Graphics must always have a cognitive purpose, not merely a decorative one.Graphics and fonts are for emphasis—too many ruin the effect.

Visual Design in User Interfaces

2006-08-03T08:42:00.000-04:00

The Robin Good article below is packed with good ideas for using visual elements in a functional way in user interface design. Lots of illustrations!Interface Design: Usability And Visual Innovation Key Future Success Factors. Increasing numbers of websites are developing new types of user interface design, taking advantage of users' increasing levels of Internet-sophistication and faster

Why Document Processes?

2006-08-02T09:58:00.000-04:00

Have you ever said to yourself, “We’re too busy, there’s no time to document processes? We have REAL work to do.” If so, I’d like to suggest that one of the reasons you are so busy is that you lack documented processes.Documenting existing processes:Prevents re-inventing the wheel for each projectAssures continuity of process and, therefore, the continuity of quality that the process

2006-07-31T16:14:00.000-04:00

Helping Others See Beyond The Surface, Makes Blogs True Digital Weapons Of Mind Change. Changing other people's minds, launching small and large Calls To Action, influencing and persuading others, providing insightful tools and pointers to facilitate self-discovery and personal understanding: these are the most powerful applications that individuals, small online publishers and passionate

I Hate You: Psychological Projection in Business Relationships

2006-07-29T09:07:00.000-04:00

Has something like this happened to you? You have been assigned to a project working with a person you just can't stand. Something about them really bugs you! They don't like you much either. Maybe you think the person is manipulative, overbearing, power hungry, sneaky, whatever.... Logic and the needs of the business don't seem to be enough in dealing with this person. You start documenting

STC Announcement

2006-07-29T08:51:00.000-04:00

The Society for Technical Communication is the primary professional organization for technical writers, and for those interested in clear technical communication. STC holds an annual competition at local chapters and at the national level. Just got this announcement:The July/August issue of Intercom [STC news magazine], which recognizes the winners of STC’s international technical communication

The Elements of Style for Designers

2006-07-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

Source: Usability In The News; 7/26/2006; 9:59:27 PM.The Elements of Style for Designers. Writing effectively for websites ..."The creative act of writing is always bounded a bit by the audience: journalism is not writing a novel. The same can be said of design: it is not art. Yet the materials are the same words and pictures and it is no big surprise that what is good for fiction is good for

Orr's Aphorisms™ 07/24/2006 (updated weekly)

2006-07-24T05:30:00.000-04:00

There are often unacknowledged disconnects between how people are supposed to use a system and how they actually use it. Cross-departmental, cross-functional process analysis teams are best at uncovering disconnects.Quick and dirty process mapping and conceptual design can be done with sticky notes, index cards, magic markers, and butcher paper tacked or attached with Spray Mount® on a wall.

Freely Revealing Innovations

2006-07-23T07:28:00.000-04:00

Asheville, North Carolina, is a beautiful town tucked in among the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is also a center of "Open Source" software development. Small "boutique" software development firms thrive in a community where innovations are freely communicated, not hoarded and patented. The basic proposition is this:I invent a useful product like software. I share the invention freely and all

Copyediting

2006-07-22T15:10:00.000-04:00

Most business writers, technical writers, and administrative assistants have to edit documents created by themselves or others. Typically, there are two main types of edits:Technical/content edits - Is the content complete and accurate?Copyedits - Is the text grammatically correct, checked for spelling, consistent in usage, and appropriately formatted? Is the text consistent with illustrations?

Outside Training Experts as Mentors

2006-07-21T12:22:00.000-04:00

Corporations need to produce technology training fast and inexpensively, but sometimes the lack of internal resources or expertise in training development forces them to look for help from outside training consultants. Four issues arise immediately when companies go outside: Consultants have to be brought up to speed on the industry, the technology to be trained, and on the corporate culture and

Social Networks are Killing Email

2006-07-21T08:41:00.000-04:00

Source: Usability In The News; 7/19/2006; 2:32:46 PM.Social Networks are Killing Email. Evolution of social networking and IM are reducing email use..." According to my friend Bill, who teaches there, 92% of the 45,000 students at Michigan State University have Facebook accounts. That's a lot of people! Probably more than passed their latest finals, or more than will graduate on time. In addition

Instant Messaging for Business

2006-07-19T07:59:00.000-04:00

I've been using instant messaging (IM) for business since 2003, when I was on a project with Hewitt Associates and witnessed the following: I needed the answer to a technical question to ensure the accuracy of the training materials I was writing. I phoned the tech lead several times, getting voicemail each time. I emailed him several times with no reply. I was on a deadline and needed the answer

Entoosiasm!!!!

2006-07-18T10:51:00.000-04:00

In another life, I worked as a sales person for a pharmaceuticals company called Warner-Chilcott. My favorite instructor in sales training was a guy named Hyat Kahn. Hyat had come from a wealthy family in Pakistan, but had decided not to rely on his daddy’s money, but to make it on his own in America. One of his assignments was to teach us how to sell Gelusil®, the company’s antacid product.We

Corporate Culture, Conformity and Leadership

2006-07-17T10:43:00.000-04:00

Back in the late Fifties, a best-selling book was called “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit.” It is about a man caught in the need to conform to corporate culture, the unofficial uniform of which was the gray flannel suit. Conforming was really big in those days.In the early Sixties, before the Aquarian revolution hit, my girlfriend Martha took a course in psychology called “The Psychology of

Writing Lesson: Structure Sentences for Clarity

2006-07-16T07:02:00.000-04:00

Compare the sentence above to the sentence below. Which one would you rather rely on to get your job done? The database is updated periodically.If you chose the second sentence, you must be psychic because the writer left out so much information. Technical writers write for people who are trying to accomplish business or technical tasks. Make sentences clear, concise, and accurate.Make

Virtual Assistants

2006-07-15T12:09:00.000-04:00

“A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent entrepreneur providing administrative, creative and/or technical services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own office on a contractual basis." This is a quote from the International Virtual Assistants Association.The International

Orr's Aphorisms 7-15-2006

2006-07-15T06:31:00.000-04:00

Train, train, train the writing/development staff so they can do it right the first time, instead of having to revise it.Use templates with extensive autotext and macros to automate standards and, thus, do it right the first time.Planning and process aren't ends in themselves, but they are important, especially to teamwork.Involve users and clients in development to get ownership. You can

Moderator Skills for Web Conferencing

2006-07-14T15:25:00.000-04:00

I've found web conferencing to be a powerful tool for marketing, selling, interviewing SMEs, collaborating in teams, training remotely, and conducting document review and design meetings. Lot's of people take a do-it-yourself approach to running these things. If you want to add some professional polish to your web conference moderation skills and get better response and attention from your

File Management, Training and Certification

2006-07-14T11:22:00.000-04:00

I've recently been a beta evaluator for a product called WebFiles, which is part of a larger Documentation and Certification System http://www.projectstory.com/doc-cert/now used at some Fortune 500 companies.WebFiles by ProjectStory.com is a system you use to store documentation and training materials with controlled access. WebFiles provides:Easy transfer of even VERY large filesAbility to

Writing Lesson: Passive Voice

2006-07-13T16:15:00.000-04:00

Principle: Avoid Using Passive Voice in Directions or ProceduresWhat is passive voice?–The subject of the sentence is the object of the action, not the initiator. Contains a form of the verb to be–Example: The system is updated regularly.Why is passive voice inappropriate for directions or procedures?–Hides responsibility for an action–Adds unnecessary words–Sounds weak and stilted–Sounds

Open Source Knowledge

2006-07-12T10:54:00.000-04:00

The article below is terrific, with lots of great graphics. I live in Asheville, NC, where open source coding is king. A local technology group called Meet the Geeks (www.meetthegeeks.net ) was able to put up a technology portal in one month, from concept to execution, by using an open source application. The article is about ideas in general, not about code specifically, but the principle is the

Certification - ASTD

2006-07-11T16:38:00.000-04:00

Here is an email I got from the American Society for Training and Development about their certification program. Thought I'd pass it on.Dear Future CPLP Candidate,Due to unexpected demand, the ASTD Certification Institute (ASTD CI) has opened a new CPLP™ (Certified Professional in Learning and Performance™) testing window in October 2006. Now you have an additional opportunity to get certified in

Qualitative Versus Quantitative Usability Testing

2006-07-11T14:00:00.000-04:00

Often the question is asked, what is the optimal number of participants to use in a usability (user experience test). Jakob Nielsen (left), the Godfather of Usability, says 20 if you want a statistical confidence interval of +/- 19%, which he considers "ample" for a quantitative test."Luckily, you don't have to measure usability to improve it. Usually, it's enough to test with a handful of users

Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs)

2006-07-11T09:22:00.000-04:00

The Department of Defense (DOD) has invested heavily in developing Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs). There is an excellent article on one of their sites. It outlines the features and benefits if IETMs, but also defines the five standard classes of IETMs. Here is an exerpt:"Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals allow the user to locate required information faster and more easily

Gray Value Issues in Presentation and Screen Design

2006-07-10T11:22:00.000-04:00

Have you ever looked at a presentation or computer screen where one of the design elements or print seemed to recede into the background? Maybe, you just noticed that the contrast between the print and the background is low and makes the print hard to read? These effects are caused by errors in gray value design. What is gray value? by David Orr, Continued.... http://www.orrnet.biz/Blogs/

Business Processes and Related Topics

2006-07-10T08:14:00.000-04:00

I've seen first hand the value of documented business processes. I owned a small business of 15 to 40 people for 16 years. We had "before" and "after" stages of having our processes documented. "Before," it was chaotic. Processes were passed by word of mouth and changed just about every time they passed. Formal training? What formal training? It was all word of mouth. The only thing that saved us

Comments on Nielsen Article Below

2006-07-09T23:48:00.000-04:00

My reservation about Nielsen's aversion to graphics on web sites (see article below) is governed by one of his own principles--that everything on a site ought to enhance the user experience and not just be for the convenience of the site owner.Forget graphic ads and Flash presentations; it's a given these days that nobody likes them except some graphic designers and marketing people. What about

2006-07-09T23:35:00.000-04:00

Wise Words About Branding From The Usability SageAn explanation of usability concepts in Nielsen's website design ..."Jakob Nielsen knows A LOT about usability. He's perhaps the world's foremost expert on how people use Web sites. I finally had the chance to meet Jakob face to face last week (we've been trading e-mails for some time) in San Francisco at his Usability Week Summit. I was down there

2006-07-09T19:17:00.000-04:00

Unlocking the Promise of Web 2.0 (NewsFactor). NewsFactor - The Internet is evolving. Whereas once it served mostly as a conduit for data, today the World Wide Web is turning into something more akin to a giant operating system, an immense interactive platform on which full-blown applications run in your browser and collaboration occurs in real time. [Yahoo! News: Technology News]

2006-07-09T19:15:00.000-04:00

Office 2007 Delayed Again. Performance problems force Microsoft to postpone again. Plus: Brazil chooses Japanese technology for its digital television standard.... Verizon sues a Maryland county over its cable franchising law.... and more. [Wired News: Top Stories]

2006-07-09T19:10:00.000-04:00

Orr's Aphorisms (6/30/2006)by M. David OrrDocumenting the 20 percent of tasks that people have to use 80 percent of the time is more effective with new users than documenting all the tasks. Communication of the product metaphor and the way of working through the system are critical. Documentation is only part of a solution that might include, user interface, training, job aids, online help, Web

Miller's Magic Number

2006-07-09T18:57:00.000-04:00

George Miller wrote a now famous paper in 1956: The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on our Capacity for Processing Information, George A. Miller (1956), Harvard University, First published in Psychological Review, 63, 81-97.Technical writers, business writers, instructional designers and others have elevated the central concept to a truism of writing, which we call Miller's

Optimal Software Updates

2006-07-09T18:45:00.000-04:00

From Dave O'Brien, a usability specialist:I'm currently working on a software updater, and our usability tests have revealed a few things, at least, about users updating consumer software:When installing or updating, users expect to be able to click "Next"without thinking, and expect it will do the right thing.When installing, they assume they have the latest version, even ifit's on a CD. We used

Design/Writing/Training Articles

2006-07-09T18:44:00.000-04:00

Check out InfoDesign Understanding By Design - News. It has a large number of carefully selected RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds with newstories directly related to design, usability, technical writing, and training. Here's the link: http://www.informationdesign.org/archives/cat_techcom.php

A Really Simple Explanation of Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

2006-07-09T18:24:00.000-04:00

Using RSS allows you to pull content from many sources into your website, news reader (aggregator) or blog. It also allows you to syndicate content from your own website or blog for use by other sites.How Does RSS Work?Content producers (anybody) use the XML language to mark up selected content from the website or blog so that this content can be easly identified and picked up by news aggregators

Cold Calling Script

2006-07-09T17:31:00.000-04:00

The idea of cold calling is to go through a list of prospects very quickly to grab the low-hanging fruit. As such, the idea is to rapidly plow through the No's to get to the Yes's. A No or Maybe, is simply something to get through as fast as possible with as little emotional energy as possible.My script is very simple-minded:Hi, my name is _______________. I'm an award-winning technical writer/

Orr's Aphorisms™. (updated weekly)

2006-07-09T17:22:00.001-04:00

Decision tables/charts are useful, especially in non-linear situations.Users expect a new product to operate somewhat like an old product of the same type.Often it's useful to show samples of effects you can get with a product, and then give directions for getting those effects. There is no magic bullet. One size does not fit all. There is no one approach to documentation and training that works

2006-07-09T17:22:00.000-04:00

Online Job Networks for the 55-Plus Crowd. Companies are eager to lure back to the work force retirees with decades of experience.[Computerworld Breaking News]

2006-07-09T17:21:00.001-04:00

Microsoft Allows Open Document Format for Software (Reuters).Reuters - Responding to government requests for interoperability, Microsoft Corp. said on Thursday it will offer free software that will allow Word, Excel and PowerPoint to handle documents in rival technology formats.[Yahoo! News: Technology News]

Digital Photo Timelines

2006-07-09T17:21:00.000-04:00

A Clearer Picture of You . Digital photos have been frozen in a picture-book metaphor on the Web for so long that it's refreshing to see a new crop of sites developing the picture further. By Leslie Walker. [washingtonpost.com - Technology - Industry News, Policy, and Reviews]I can see all sorts of business applications for this timeline approach--organization histories, generic industry training

Microsoft Office (2007) Open XML File Formats

2006-07-09T17:17:00.001-04:00

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms406049.aspxSummary: Learn the benefits of the Microsoft Office (2007) Open XML Formats. Users can exchange data between Office applications and enterprise systems using XML and ZIP technologies. Documents are universally accessible. And, you reduce the risk of damaged files. (26 printed pages).Comments: An important article for anyone who uses the

Knees Bent with Tongue Firmly in Cheek

2006-07-09T17:16:00.000-04:00

Now here's a useful word for consultants (I'm one) and lower level corporate employees:genuflect: Dictionary.com Word of the Day. genuflect: to bend the knee, as in worship; also, to grovel. [Dictionary.com Word of the Day]

Web Conferencing: WebEx Bug

2006-07-09T16:16:00.000-04:00

(InfoWorld) - Researchers at Internet Security Systems (ISS) have discovered a number of flaws in Web conferencing products, including a critical bug in WebEx Communications Inc.'s client software.ISS researchers began studying Web conferencing software at the beginning of the year and to date have discovered a handful of security problems in the products, said Gunter Ollmann, director of

ISPI (International Society for Performance Improvement)

2006-07-09T16:15:00.000-04:00

In my 23 year business career, ISPI has been the single best source of useful information for the technical writer, instructional designer and performance technologist. I belonged to the Chicago Chapter before moving to Asheville, NC. The meetings were informative and always added to my skillset, since they practiced learning by doing. (People remember 90% of what they do.) ISPI has a free

Tech Writing--Money, Honey!

2006-07-09T16:00:00.000-04:00

"Technical Writer" Ranks 13th on Money's Best Jobs List. Money magazine's list of the 50 Best Jobs in America includes three job titles commonly held by technical communicators: technical writer (number 13), curriculum developer (18), and editor (19). [Society for Technical Communication]STC's 2005 Salary Survey. STC's 2005 Technical Communicator Salary Survey (STC Members Only) [Society for

STC (Society for Technical Communications) News

2006-07-09T15:59:00.000-04:00

Three SIGs have changed their names. STC's Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are composed of STC members with common experiences and interests who share their skills and knowledge with each other and with other STC members. Online, Information Design and Architecture, Quality and Process Improvement update their names. [Society for Technical Communication]

Hole in Your Pocket??

2006-07-09T15:57:00.000-04:00

Lots of us use flash drive to bridge clunky corporate file transfer issues. Oops!Lexar recalls dangerous flash drives. Lexar Media Inc. recalled some of its flash memory drives made in China over fears they could overheat and burn users or cause property damage[Computerworld Breaking News]

Usability Testing - Getting It Right

2006-07-09T12:04:00.000-04:00

I owned a usability lab and consulting service for five years, so this topic is near to my heart. I've seen money blown and money saved. The article below has good insights as to why the blowing or saving happens.Personally, I think the recognition that usability testing is a back-end device goes a long way toward understanding its limitations and value. Usability testing can tell you what is or

2006-07-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

Top reasons why usability doesn't pay.I’d love to say that usability investment pays back every time. Unfortunately that’s just not the case; often a usability project will completely fail to deliver measurable benefits, and this can have a devastating effect on future organizational commitment to the user-centered cause.[uiGarden.net - Weaving Usability and Cultures]

2006-07-09T11:50:00.000-04:00

Casting a Really Wide (Broadband) NetThis year in Las Vegas, Beth Agnew, technical communication instructor at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto, Canada, made the case for including podcasts and vidcasts in technical documentation. I asked her to share her views on multimedia content and the technical communication profession. Thanks, Beth, for taking time to share your

2006-07-09T11:34:00.000-04:00

Putting the Strunk Back in Strunk and WhiteMinimalist design for websites ..."In web design screeds, the most commonly cited book is not what you might expect. It is not by Jakob Neilson or Jeffery Zeldman or Edward Tufte. It's not even on design or typography or code. It is a thin volume of guidelines on writing by a professor at the closing of the first world war and treasured by one student

User Manual Checklist

2006-07-09T11:18:00.000-04:00

by M. David OrrIs the document written from the user's point of view (as opposed to the developer's)?Does the design follow job tasks, not program structure?Is information easy to find? Does the document have:* Headers or footers, navigation bars, or tabs* Table of contents* Index using both approved product terminology and alternate terms users might use * Glossary with both approved

2006-07-09T07:45:00.000-04:00

Blind ReaderNew device could open up new jobs for blind workers ..."The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) unveiled Monday a groundbreaking new device, the Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader.The portable Reader, developed by the National Federation of the Blind and renowned inventor Ray Kurzweil, enables users to take pictures of and read most printed materials at the click of a

Hole in Your Pocket

2006-07-09T07:43:00.000-04:00

2006-07-09T07:40:00.000-04:00

Business Prospecting

2006-07-09T07:16:00.000-04:00

In business we have to communicate who we are and what we can do for the prospective client. The series of cartoons above suggest an important lesson. Can you suggest a caption that embodies this lesson? Answer: In order to find the handsome prince, you have to kiss a lot of frogs.Prospecting involves going through hundreds of prospects a week (most of them frogs) in order to find the one that

2006-07-09T07:13:00.000-04:00

Stories are the human experience.Usability through storytelling, the theme for the UPA 2006 conference, was examined from many angles. Presenters looked at how stories fit into our work, throughout the entire user-centered design process.[uiGarden.net - Weaving Usability and Cultures]