Tech doc usability

[jlanus at netscape.net]

 Hi All, 

This is a silly posting in that it doesn't add nothing new, only that I wholeheartedly adhere to the labeling being of paramount importance and yes, it can be considered the first line of an application documentation.

Actually, it's the most important of all documentation levels. To stress this assertion first imagine an application with completely clear and understandable labels everywhere. In this case the manual would stay untouched, meaning that the perfection of the labeling server as the single source of information for the user. 
Now imagine an application with completelly unintelligible labels, for example because they are written in a language you don't understand. In this case you (the user) need to grab the English manual (or help or whatever) meaning that the first line was defeated and the second one is in charge.

But there is more that the label wording involved in a great UI. There is the context. Let me explain this we all already know.
For an application to be usable without the using having to resort to the supporting docs somehow *the user must already know it*. Even the first time!
This means that the UI must fit the user's "conceptual model", or: the applications "manifest model" has to be built after the user's "conceptual model". When this is so the users feel as if they already knew the system, in fact the system already "knows" them. When I babble about this I always recall images like this: http://www.ape2zebra.ca/images/thumbs/Plan/shape_sorter_236.jpg


 


Juan Lanus
TECNOSOL
Argentina

 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Chaunsee at aol.com
To: STC Usability SIG discussions <stcusesig_l at lists.stc.org>
Cc: vlada.goldin at gmail.com
Sent: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 8:33 am
Subject: [stcusesig_l] Re: Tech doc usability














Hello Vlada,


?


I've made the statement about the UI being the first level of documentation 
since the 1980s when I worked at DEC and we trained many technical writers in 
usability and user interface design methods.? We often had technical 
writers collaborate with us on UI design specifications, design reviews, and 
other activities.? Ensuring that the text and labels on the UI are 
understandable? has always been to me a natural activity for writers, 
though politics often made that difficult. 


?


I would probably search the STC database.? There are some articles on 
the impact that writers can have on ROI by Ginny Redish and Joanne Hackos I 
believe and there is a classic article by Marshall Atlas on a technique called 
the "usability edit" (Candance Soderston has also written about that).


?


There is also an article in the STC literature?that refers to levels 
of edit where there is a technical edit, a copy edit, a usability, and several 
others levels.? I think that article triggered my idea about UI design 
being a level (as well as usability edit which comes later than design).


?


So, I'm sure that my statement has been made by others, but somewhere in my 
pile of presentations from the 1980s is a slide exhorting writers to become 
involved in the design of user interface as that first level of 
documentation.


?


Chauncey? 


?


?


?




In a message dated 1/24/2008 2:55:29 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
vlada.goldin at gmail.com writes:



  
In your message you've mentioned the?"first" level of documentation 
  meaning the wording of?user interfaces. Do you know of any resources in 
  the professional literature that deal with this approach?

  
?

  
Can the list members?recommend any books or articles on involving 
  technical communicators in interface design and 
implementation?








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