The best book for Technical Communicators in 2012

The best book I’ve read in 2012 wasn’t written for Technical Authors. It wasn’t even published in 2011. It was written by one my fellow speakers at the STC Conference in Chicago, and it was one that was the most thought provoking books I’ve read this year.

One of the subjects it explores is curiosity:

“When we become aware of this missing information – when something changes from being known (or so we thought) to an unknown state – we become curious….
…The feeling we get from these information gaps is best described as deprivation, which is critical to understanding why it is we are motivated by curiosity. In order to “eliminate the feeling of deprivation,” we seek out the missing information.”

This is an example of why the book is thought provoking.  Technical Authors help curious people find the information they are looking for.

The book reveals that:

  • The more someone knows about a topic, the more likely they are to focus on the gaps in their information (=the more curious they will be).
  • The more someone knows information exists, the more likely they are to seek it out.
Zone of curiosity

So what’s the name of the book? It’s called Seductive Interaction Design.

Which books would you recommend? I’m curious (!)

See also:

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