Technical Writing Interface Design Usability Success

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Technical Writing Interface Design Usability
Success

• Presented by
• Jacqui Miller, Information Design Architect
• Contact information hblnash_at_netscape.net

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What is success?

• Success is a useful, usable, and desirable
  product.
• Usefulserves a purpose as perceived by the
  audience
• Usableeasy to learn and use
• Desirablehelps users do something that saves
  time and effort

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How to achieve success
User-Centered Focus
Technical Writing
Usability
Interface Design
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What you bring to the table

• Technical Writers
• Create optimal content
• Ensure content is audience specific
• Conduct content analysis that drives design
  decisions

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What you bring to the table

• Usability Specialists
• Determine user and business needs
• Set product usability goals
• Define audiences
• Feed the design with UI and user specifications

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What you bring to the table

• Interface Designers
• Support user and business needs
• Create optimal page layouts
• Design easy-to-use solutions

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Building a better product

• Define the audience or audiences
• Define and reconcile business and user goals
• Know what you are building
• Conduct content analysis before determining the
  design
• Involve real users throughout the development
  life cycle
• Collaborate to reach the best design decisions
• Test early and often to stay on track

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Where to begin
User-Centered Design Lifecycle
Development Lifecycle
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Use Proven Tools

• STC Chapter Siteswww.stc.org/chapter/
• Jakob Neilsens Heuristicswww.useit.com
• The Hiser Methodologywww.hiser.com.au
• Usability Professionals Associationwww.upassoc.o
  rg
• Human Factors Internationalwww.humanfactors.com
• WebWord Addictionwww.webword.com
• IBM Ease of Usewww-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf
  /Publish/558
• STC Usability SIGstc.org/pics/usability/
• Usability Methods Toolboxwww.best.com/jthom/usab
  ility/
• The Editorial Eyewww.eeicommunications.com
• Optimal Web Designpsychology.wichita.edu/optimalw
  eb/default.htm
• BoxesandArrows (information architecture)www.boxe
  sandarrows.com/
• Webopedia (technology dictonary)www.pcwebopaedia.
  com/

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Build Strong Relationships

• Look for allies in project managers, project
  sponsors, developers, etc.
• Be flexible
• Choose your battles
• Open your mind to an 80-percent solution

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Questions and Answers

• Thanks for joining us!