Business Process Design is an essential part of the Software Development Lifecycle. It allows you to capture the broad outline and procedures that govern what a business actually does, from both a technical and operational level. A business process or business method is a collection of interrelated tasks, which accomplish a particular goal. So, how can I use it? [Read more →]
Tags: Business Process · Marketing · Strategic management · WorkflowNo Comments.
You can now download DocBook: The Definitive Guide by Norman Walsh. [Read more →]
Ever had Word crash on you? Lose everything? There’s a nice feature in Microsoft Word that let’s you automatically recover files when/if Word crashes.
Tags: Productivity · Tips · WordNo Comments.
Writing for the web is different that writing for a magazine, newspaper or business journal. Before writing web content, spend some time looking at how information architecture and navigation systems work.
1. On the web, write in small digestible chucks, which fit into the information hierarchy. To create your hierarchy, outline the website as you would for printed material.
2. Examine the site’s purpose and define the main sections (e.g. words people use to navigate) and the links within those heads. Test it before it goes online.
You can do this by writing the heads and links on Post-IT sticky notes and put them on a chart. Show the chart to sample users. Ask them how to get from one section to another.
3. Run a usability test.
3.1 Put the outline of each webpage on a sheet of paper. Stack the pages and, sitting next to the user, hold up the pages. Tell them what to find and ask them to “click” the headings to get there.
3.2 If they choose the right pages then continue; otherwise go back and make notes.
3.3 Don’t give any hints or clues on how to navigate. Sit back and watch. You’ll be amazed how their approach differs from what you had expected. Make notes for later revisions. This paper model helps you see how people navigate through the site.
By writing concise, descriptive headings, you will lead users to the content that they are seeking. For example, do visitors expect to find phone numbers, under “Who we are” or “Contact us”?
On the web, one page on print media requires two or three screens. As readers scan text on the Web, make sure you:
Planning your content is 80 percent of the work.
Once you’ve created a good outline, the writing will have more impact.
Tags: CMS · content management · Web Writing1 Comment
Jakob Nielsen explains the different benefits that Short versus Long articles bring to your site, especially if you are running an online business. [Read more →]
Tags: Advertising · Consultants · content management · Jakob NielsenNo Comments.
ReSize lets you resize image and convert files into different image formats while maintaining the proportions and much of the quality of the original image.
Tags: Conversion · Images · RobohelpNo Comments.
Many tech writers have had to convert Word documents into FrameMaker. It is a very unpleasant and painful process! [Read more →]
Tags: Adobe FrameMaker · Conversion · Microsoft WordNo Comments.
iFilter is now bundled within the Acrobat and Reader products. Improvements to iFilter in Acrobat and Reader 8 include support for Vista and Windows Desktop Search, as well as improved performance and stability. [Read more →]
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Google Chrome’s interface has quite a few useful features. Its extension support is still young, but these extensions give you a glimpse of Firefox-like extension goodness in Chrome.
Tags: firefox · Google Chrome · pluginsNo Comments.
This tutorial explains how to retrieve information from Microsoft Word documents that may have become corrupt. We have provided as many screenshots as possible to show you the steps you need to take. Let’s start. [Read more →]
Tags: Corrupt · How To · Macros · Microsoft Word · normal.dot · Recover · Templates4 Comments
One of the things I’ve noticed while doing the Technical Writers Salary survey is the tendency for US IT companies to start outsourcing their technical documentation. [Read more →]
Tags: career · India · Jobs · OutsourcingNo Comments.
Before I start. I was going to title this article “Is Technical Writing the ideal job for Single Moms?” until I realized that two of my friends are male sole parents. With that said, it does seem to me that technical writing as a career offers many opportunities for single/lone parents. Here’s some reason why. [Read more →]
Tags: career · Frealance · Jobs · Single Moms5 Comments
One way to speed up the time it takes to create process diagrams is to attach shapes to each other. This is another way of grouping shapes so that they move as a unit and not individually. [Read more →]
Tags: Business Analyst · Corners · data models · diagrams · Flowcharts · How To · Information Architecture · Lines · maps. · Mind Mapping · process · processes designs · sequence diagrams · shapes · site maps · technical diagrams · technical Illustrations · technical writer · Technical Writing · Visio. · visual designNo Comments.
You can now get a Free Test-Drive of Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2. [Read more →]
Tags: Adobe FrameMaker · Technical Communication Suite · trialNo Comments.
BusinessWeek report how outsourcing has become less attractive to companies in light on the recession. It also highlights the type of jobs that will NOT be out-sourced, such as technical writing and business analysis. [Read more →]
Tags: Business analysis · Jobs · Out-Sourcing · Poland · Project management · Technical WritingNo Comments.
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Virtual Currency Report Word Tips & Tricks