Editor’s Note: For readers who want to enjoy Tech Writer This Week for June 6 via RSS without all the formatting issues, we’ve made it a bit easier by posting the introductory content here, and a link to the Storify curated content.
As a technical writer, one of the problems I run into after I gather information is figuring out how to arrange the information so users can find it when they need it. This is called, unsurprisingly, findability. Mark Baker (everypageispageone.com) addresses this very issue, suggesting we use “robust and accurate linking” to help guide users to what they’re looking for. Elsewhere in Technical Communication, Bill Kerschbaum (intextwriting.com) wonders if user guides can include too much information. How much is too much and what can we do about it? Bill provides some clues. Tom Johnson (idratherbewriting.com) discusses how “faceted search” (what?) can be applied to technical information. The complex subject of this post probably requires more than one reading.
In Content Strategy, Mark Tilly (wordpress.tv) gives a presentation on the elements of content curation and how it makes you a better writer. Greg Bardwell (b2bcontentengine.com) lists specific reasons why content curation is as hot as it is. Blogging for clickz.com, Sarah Negugogor describes the three unreasonable things you should look for in a content strategist (reminding us yet again how closely aligned content strategy is and should be with tech comm). Attributes smart managers look for in technical writers as well. We close this section with a post from Warc.com on the controversial idea of automating content curation. Yes, programmers are already trying to do this. As if we need something else to worry about.
The Ericsson company blog features a multi-authored post with a terrific definition/formula for User Experience. Then, Danielle Arad (ux.walkme.com) discusses the top five User Experience resources of the week. Ted Booth (uxmag.com) tells us what UX can learn from “Mad Men” (I love this show) and how experience tells the story. Jeff Sauro (measuringusability.com) shares seven ways to find users to get your usability testing done.
Customer Experience Management centers on foundations and journeys this week. First, Matti Airas (etuma.com) describes the foundation we need to lay in customer experience to ensure we can build something solid and lasting. Then, Loni Kao Stark (cmswire.com) warns about the things that could go wrong, and what you could learn from them, in documenting customer journeys.
In Career and Life, Phil Nickinson (androidcentral.com) clues us in on how to enable the new Gmail in your browser. Bob Al-Greene (mashable.com) offers six ways to use Evernote (a personal favorite!) more creatively.
Continue to Tech Writer This Week on Storify.
