Business guide to Twitter

We've put together a guide that explains the business uses for Twitter. If you're a Twitter user, please let others know.

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The eee pc and the right to remix documentation dilemma

Last week we purchased and received an Asus eee pc 900. Its popularity illustrates the dilemma manufacturers will face in the future, with regard to their user documentation/user assistance.

Background

The eee pc is a ultra portable laptop, which costs roughly a fifth of the price of an Apple Airbook or a Sony Vaio.

It runs on Linux and it was originally designed for children, which explains why it is so cheap. It has a simple interface that provides links to the key software but restricts you from doing much else.

The consequence

Its low cost, low weight and size means the eee pc is popular outside its target audience. The consequence of which is Asus now has a group of users who want to do more with the laptop than was originally intended. They want to add more software and access the Linux desktop hiding underneath.

The manual supplied provides basic, but usable, information on how to use the laptop as originally designed. It doesn't provide any more detail than that. So, as a consequence, a number of Web sites have developed, such as eeeuser.com, which tell users how to access the advanced features.

The problem for Asus is they now have a group of users making modifications to their laptop, based on completely unofficial information. Users have to trust this information is correct - hoping it won't trash their machine.

The dilemma

Here's the dilemma:

Should Asus distance itself from this information? They might miss out on sales to business users if they do.
Should Asus let its documentation be "remixed" - supplemented with additional, more geeky information from users? The information might be incorrect.
Should Asus moderate this user information in someway? They might end up with more support calls if they do.

So what should they do?

How will the Semantic Web affect user documentation?

Tim Berners-Lee said, in 1999:

I have a dream for the Web [in which computers] become capable of analyzing all the data on the Web – the content, links, and transactions between people and computers. A ‘Semantic Web’, which should make this possible, has yet to emerge, but when it does, the day-to-day mechanisms of trade, bureaucracy and our daily lives will be handled by machines talking to machines. The ‘intelligent agents’ people have touted for ages will finally materialize.

Today, the Semantic Web means that data may be re-used in ways unexpected by the original publisher.

What does this mean to technical communicators?
Is the Semantic Web "a good thing" for technical communicators?

Twitter revisited

Here is graph comparing the use of words in Twitter that are commonly associated with the field of technical communication.

Our DITA XML training course - Update

Carol is in the studio today, recording the audio track for the new, updated, version of our self-teach online course on DITA XML. She has to record 140(!) audio segments, which will take some time to complete. The development team will then match (within Abobe Captivate) these segments with the visuals and slides, ready, I think, for the final fettling and publishing stage.

Is Twitter a useful tool for technical authors?

A lot of people I know, it seems, are talking about Twitter. Quite a lot of these discussions seem to revolve around the question: is it actually useful?

At the moment, I'm not sure myself. I'm asking myself whether it's a useful tool for technical authors.

So what is Twitter?

Twitter describes itself as a Web site service for people "to communicate and stay connected" through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

In practice, it's also used to communicate with SMS-like messages and as a "RSS-lite" feed.

Why are people twittering about Twitter?

The Internet began with "One to Many" - Web sites that acted as online brochures. Web 2.0 offers "Many to Many" - social networks, YouTube etc. Twitter is seen as part of a new phase: "Many to one".

It's an idea of being able to follow a person's actions and thoughts; to create or be part of a following. That may sound cultish, but the purpose of doing this is to help us recognise patterns. By using Twitter, you may spot trends - people doing the same thing; people sharing the same goal or intention.

According to one commentator, "You can even read exactly what your contacts are reading and recommend you read too. Content in context."

Is Twitter actually useful for technical authors?

1. Twitter may be useful in understanding your users. You could follow your customers' thoughts and action through Twitter. However, this benefit may be more useful for the technical support, usability and marketing departments.

2. Twitter may be a useful way to track the people who set trends that you may follow In the future. These can be experts in their field, imaginative thinkers etc. People like Seth Godin or Dave Winer.

3. Twitter may generate more heat than light. I know of one person who receives one thousand Twitter updates on his mobile phone every hour! That's not content in context, in my book - it's information overload.

In summary, I'm not convinced. Twitter could be useful in a business context as a way of understanding users. It is certainly something to investigate.

PS

I've now created a Twitter account : www.twitter.com/ellispratt

Tracking - One function of twitter that could be useful is the ability to track topics. If anyone in the "twitterverse" posts an update about topic, you can get a notification. This could be a handy way to keep track of certain keywords that apply to you.