Here’s a video of a proof of concept prototype we’re putting together for a client. The system automates the creation of field reports. It creates a skeleton document, with key content populated. Many pages contain guidance on what to write.It is probably the lowest cost content management system we’ve put together. If you can see… Read more »
Category: Technical Author
Why do Technical Authors only use two of the three qualities of good design?
Why do Technical Authors only use two of the three qualities of good design? Vitruvius, the Roman architect, claimed a structure must exhibit the three qualities of firmitas, utilitas and venustas: it must be solid, useful and beautiful. Paul Mijksenaar, a modern day Information Designer, turned these qualities into a practical three-point formula: Reliability, Utility and… Read more »
In the studio this week: An e-learning course on creating Web sites that get your message across
We’re working on project with Lesley Morrissey of Inside News to develop some online training courses on creating Web sites that get your message across. Inside News runs traditional classroom workshops on this subject, and now it wants to create online versions in order to be able to offer them around the world and reduce… Read more »
If your business ever has to stand in front of a judge..
If your business ever has to stand in front of a judge, you may regret believing the documentating of procedures didn’t matter. When things go wrong, people ask “where’s it written down?” You’ll find them looking at what’s documented to see where the blame lies. If it’s not written down, or if it’s unclear, then the… Read more »
What links spy scandals to technical writing?
Answer: Context. Someone recently said “content is king, but context is queen”. This is true when it comes to actions as diverse as spying and writing technical documentation. We can illustrate this using scenes from the World War II film “Went the day well?”. It’s a story about spies and “fifth columnists”. The importance of… Read more »