What is Different? Technical Communication for the Web P.V. Sairaj Asst Manager Cognizant Technology Solutions [email protected]

What is Different?What is Different?

Technical Communication for the WebTechnical Communication for the Web

P.V. SairajAsst ManagerCognizant Technology Solutions

[email protected]

To:

assess the requirements of users in the Web

environment

understand what we must deliver to meet user

expectations

Objective

Factors of influence on Technical Communication

Other factors to consider

The Web: A New Challenge

Technical Communication for the Web

In This Presentation…

User Requirements

- User profile: Novice/intermediary/expert

- Approach: Screen-based, Task-based, User-centered?

- What do users need to know?

Technology

- Hardware

- Software/Tools

Existing Standards

- International documentation

- Client’s standards and guidelines

Factors of Influence

User Requirements

Users are new to concept of computers

Documentation explains computers—

thus screen-based

Users are new to concept of computers

Documentation explains computers—

thus screen-based

Users understand that computers help

perform tasks

Documentation explains tasks— thus

task-based

Users understand that computers help

perform tasks

Documentation explains tasks— thus

task-based

Users understand that that entire

software does not apply to them

Documentation becomes user-

centered and task- based

Users understand that that entire

software does not apply to them

Documentation becomes user-

centered and task- based

Users understand software that is

intuitively designed. Need only quick reference help

Documentation becomes “content word” oriented and

enables quick find of content

Users understand software that is

intuitively designed. Need only quick reference help

Documentation becomes “content word” oriented and

enables quick find of content

PastPast PresentPresent PresentPresent Future?Future?

Growth of Technical Communication

Technology

HardwareHardwareHardwareHardware

SoftwareSoftwareSoftwareSoftware

X486,MB

- Text oriented- Limited use of

images- Specialized

PentiumsGBs

- Quality with PCs- Image intensive- Non-specialized- Speed- Cost still issue

BandwidthFTPs

Low-costprinters

- Quality with PCs- Image intensive- Color oriented- Global printing- Online Books

EarlyTools

- Text oriented- Linear- More effort

UserManuals

- Improved design- Improved

features - Image intensive- User-friendly

OnlineHelp

- General book-like Help

- Dialog box Help- Field help- Frame-based

Help- Pointer Help??

Standards

Chicago Manual of Style

Chicago Manual of Style

- General writing styles

- Not necessarily applicable to software documentation

- General writing styles

- Not necessarily applicable to software documentation

Industry-specific style guides; Organization

standards

Industry-specific style guides; Organization

standards

- Industry specific

- Good guideline

- Helps standardization across organization

- Not necessarily client-specific

- Industry specific

- Good guideline

- Helps standardization across organization

- Not necessarily client-specific

User-specific or context-specific style

guides???

User-specific or context-specific style

guides???

- Follow basic style guide

- Customize style guide to meet requirements of users

- Adapt client’s style guide if necessary

- Follow basic style guide

- Customize style guide to meet requirements of users

- Adapt client’s style guide if necessary

User Familiarity

- With application environment (Windows)

- With documentation style

- With application

- With subject

User Conditioning and Behavior

- To elements of application

- To documentation pattern

User Experience and Expectation

- On navigation

- On information

Other Factors of Influence

Earlier

- From the File menu, select the Save As option.

- Click the Ok button.

Example – User Familiarity

When Familiar

- Select File > Save As.

- Click Ok.

Users understand that menu, option and button are implied in the

documentation.

Online Help

- User action involves “click and

read”

- View complete content and

understand application

- If help is required for specific topic,

use Index

Example – User Conditioning

Microsoft’s Assistant

- Requires user to think, enter,

read and click (more action,

no choice)

- Cannot view all content

- Often distracts with animation

Progressive and incremental change

Online Help

- General Help

- Context-sensitive dialog box Help

- Content-sensitive field Help

- General Frame-based Help

Example – User Conditioning

User’s Manual

- Text-based

- Text and screen shots

- Callout procedures on

screenshot

How convenient and easy is it to reach information?

Does the documentation provide expected content?

Are chapters, index entries, etc. intuitively named?

Is the documentation easy to scan or read?

Example – User Expectation


The Web

Huge online resource of information and tools

Users can learn, perform tasks, communicate…

Technical Writing

Perception that no Help support is required

Help required for online tools

Help required for browser-based applications

What is the Web and how does Technical Writing apply to it?


Anybody could be a user

- Child looking for Nursery Rhymes

- Senior citizen trading online

- Layman e-mailing distant kin

Users conditioned to Web environment, but not

necessarily to a Help system

Expectation: Context-sensitive Help

Behavior: Low patience, Quick access to information

User Profile

Differences

Predictable and organized: menu, buttons, tabs, and fields

Contained within your screen

Non predictable: no menu, random buttons, text and image links

No standards: can scroll vertically or horizontally

Software/ApplicationsSoftware/Applications WebWeb

Navigation

Space

Version controlled. Regularized. Static

Standardized, mature, progressive

Dynamic. Sometimes User-defined. Cannot be regularized

Non-existent. Evolving

Content/Features

Documentation Specs

Back-seater. Plain

Mature. Meets expectations

Significant. Creative. Anything possible

Evolving. Insufficient

Aesthetics

Technology


Online reading is difficult

Users scan content

Reading is non-linear

Avoid Fluff

Users hate to scroll

Users hate to wait for content

Users’ Response to Content

Key Web Words

The User’s experience when browsing through a site: first impression, visual impact, navigation, frustration, irritation, etc.

How many clicks does it take for a user to reach content?

How is your screen space (Prime Property) used? Does the user have to scroll? Is the scroll meaningful?

How quickly does your page load?

User Experience

Clicks Away

Real Estate

Load Time

Technical Writing for the Web

Information design

Content display

Naming convention

Context-sensitive Help

Design

Special features


Ideal documentation is when it matches the structure of

the application

Information must drill-down from Global to Specific topics

Users should quickly identify the subject of interest and access

the information

Users should reach the required information with minimal effort

Information Design


Information Design

Technical Writing for the WebInformation Design


Objective is to use screen space to the maximum

Users must also instantly reach the navigation bar

(Contents, Search)

Navigation effort must be minimal

Displayed content must meet the expectations of users

Content Display


Content Display: Solutions

Have a drop-down selection option for chapters

Display content in first screen

Retain structure for context-sensitive Help, but display

information on current screen

Current Status

Retains conventional Help system structure and look

Help tools do not aid innovative structures

Content management tools such as Vignette Story Server

help context-sensitive display


Content Display: Example


Content Display: Example


Naming Conventions

Users scan for information,

catching content words

Chapters and headings should

be brief and clear

Names should indicate content

contained


Naming Conventions: Examples

Documents

- Create

- Open

- Save and Close

- Preview document and properties


Context-Sensitive Help

Users require information on the task they are on

- Screens

- Fields

Information should help users understand current task and

perform it

Why not have “point and read” help, rather than “click and

read”

Why not view other Help topics from Screen-level context

sensitive Help


Design

It is a myth that design does not matter in the web context.

Both Design and Content matter

When care is taken to carry a design through a site, why is it

not applied to documentation?

Help need not be formal. It could keep to the mood and

intention of the site — formal, informal, light, sporty


Features

Research shows that most users use the Search feature to

quickly reach content

Other effective tools for quick access of content are quick

find, customized quick find, and user-defined home pages

When the web has become integral with these components,

why isn’t online documentation including them?

Position them as they are in web sites — prominently

Technical Writing for the WebFeatures: Example

Documents

- Create- Open- Save and Close- Preview document and properties

Go


Summary

Technical Communication is influenced by User

Requirements and Technology

You also need to consider user familiarity with an

environment, conditioning, behavior and expectation when

developing documentation

The web is a new medium with a unique influence on users

in terms of conditioning and expectations

Technical documentation needs to change from its set

patterns to effectively meet user expectations on the web.

Thank You