1 Technical & Business Writing (ENG-315) Muhammad Bilal Bashir UIIT, Rawalpindi

Outline 1. Guidelines for conducting a user analysis 5. Plan interviews carefully 6. Involve users in all phases of project 7. Identify document goals 8. Tie the user analysis to document features 2. Summary 2

Analyzing Your Users Lecture: 14 3

5. Plan Interviews Carefully User interviews provide most important source of information for planning your documentation project You encounter potential users of the program and, in one or two settings, learn enough to design a documentation system that will satisfy writer’s goals Not all documentation projects required the same kind of questions of users or poses the same set of challenges to the writer Investing time to plan your interview strategy can pay off by preventing repeat visits or unproductive interviews 4

Plan Interviews Carefully (Continue…) General steps for productive user interviews  Do preliminary research into the user job and the programs already in use  Review the software programs and identify the issues  Establish a scope of your interview (how many, with whom etc.)  Make a list of interview questions  Get permission (from your boss, from users, from security)  Get the interview schedule (date, time, place)  Plan a follow up after the interview( thank you letter, reviews, testing) 5

Plan Interviews Carefully (Continue…) How to observe  Observation consist of shadowing: spending time at the workplace watching users perform their jobs, recording the sequence of tasks  By observing them you have chance to capture some of the user reasoning behinds the software use  This reasoning can be missed in interviews  You should avoid to try two types of distortions Getting too involved Not getting involved enough 6

Plan Interviews Carefully (Continue…) How to write a questionnaire  This is another source of information like interviews and observations  It enables you to get the information from variety of users  It increases the chances of getting a unique and valuable piece of information  Pattern of questionnaire Make it open ended Provide clear instructions how to fill out the questions Phrase questions affirmatively Stimulate responses by including sample passages 7

6. Involve Users in All Phases of Project A full user analysis should not only study users in the early phases, but should involve user into entire documentation writing, reviewing and testing process  For example: where do you think you will find good user reviewers when you are sending your draft out  Similarly, your testing will require real persons from the user population to help ensure productive results 8

Involve Users in All Phases of Project (Continue…) Involving the users in the process can have the following benefits  Increased accuracy: Users can indicate mistakes or lack of clarity in the manuals  More appropriate information: Users can identify information that is useful for describing workplace tasks and activities that software user supports  Increased usability: Users can advise on the most useful design techniques for information  Improved relationships: Users are flattered to be consulted 9

Production Phases and User Involvement 10 Production PhaseWays to Involve the User 1. Start the ProjectIdentify Users. Get permission for interviews. 2. Perform the User AnalysisInterview, observe, survey potential users. 3. Design the DocumentsCheck document objectives for suitability to users’ needs. Get user feedback 4. Write the Project PlanCheck outlines for appropriate task organization. 5. Write the Alpha DraftTest prototype design with users. 6. Conduct Reviews and TestsGet user reviews for usability, accuracy, completeness. 7. Revise and EditReconfirm changes with user. 8. Write a Final DraftConfirm vocabulary decisions with users. 9. Conduct a Field EvaluationSurvey actual users for reactions, improvements.

7. Identify Document Goals The goal lays the foundation of workplace activities You must identify the goals of your documents You can communicate documentation goals--the activities you want to support, the user performance you want to empower--to other writers, managers and clients Documentation goals consist of statements of purpose that articulates what you expect to do for the users The clearer your objectives, the better chance that you will achieve them 11

8. Tie the User Analysis to Document Features The user analysis will not help until you tie them to documentation features  aspects of document that tailor information to specific users You can not, at the stage of the user analysis, state the details of your documents design: the page layout, choice of type size, style, fonts or stylistic choices You should base all your design decisions on the user task needs that you discover in your user analysis 12

Tie the User Analysis to Document Features (Continue…) As you interview, observe, or survey your users, you should try to see how you can tailor the documents to the user’s needs Idea that you get during your analysis can help to guide your later, more detailed, document design 13 Analysis ResultsFeatures to Meet User Needs Possible Users of the Software What recognizable groups (teacher, student, system administrator) will your users comprise? Documents/sections for separate group Illustrations targeting different groups

Recap (Guidelines for Conducting a User Analysis) There are eight guidelines to conduct a user analysis 1. Choose users carefully 2. Anticipate transfer of learning: Study before and after using a program 3. Research professional behaviors 4. Write use cases 5. Plan interviews carefully 6. Involve users in all phases of project 7. Identify document goals 8. Tie the user analysis to document features 14

15 Summary Any Questions?