Here is a diagram that shows the different types of User Assistance that can help users as they progress through the customer journey: Supporting the user through the customer journey has become more important, partly because the subscription, “try before you buy”, sales model means users can stop being a paying customer at a moment’s notice. Today, all… Read more »
Tag: Technical Documentation
A technical communication user’s hierarchy of needs
At the TCUK 2015 conference, Rachel Johnston mentioned the idea of a content maturity model. We thought we’d take this idea and ask: Could we develop a model that illustrates a hierarchy of needs for users of technical communication (and in particular, User Assistance)? A model of what? We suggest calling this model a technical communication user’s hierarchy of needs…. Read more »
Why “What are good and bad examples of technical writing?” is a difficult question to answer
There’s an interesting discussion thread in the ISTC’s discussion forum regarding good and bad examples of technical writing. Incoming ISTC President Alison Peck has been asked by a researcher for a radio programme if she could provide some examples of technical writing: “well done, badly done and particularly innovative or strange”. As it’s a radio… Read more »
Design-led technical documentation
Peter J. Bogaards posted a link on Twitter yesterday to an article and a press release on how IBM is adopting a design-led approach to software design. “IBM Design Thinking is a broad, ambitious new approach to re-imagining how we design our products and solutions … Quite simply, our goal — on a scale unmatched… Read more »
The roofer who makes £400/day because he read the Velux installation guide
Mark the Roofer came round to replace a broken tile on our roof late last week, and he told us that the Velux windows we’d had installed were fitted incorrectly. Apparently, up until two years ago, Velux windows needed to be fitted to the rafters, but now they should be installed onto a batten. The… Read more »