1 Technical Communication A Reader-Centred Approach First Canadian Edition Paul V. Anderson Kerry Surman

2 Planning For Usability Chapter 9

3 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Learning Objectives Describe ways to plan for usable communications Describe ways to plan for usable communications Verify that you are planning for ethical communications Verify that you are planning for ethical communications

4 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited The Importance of Usable Writing Goal shared by all on-the-job writing Goal shared by all on-the-job writing Increase your expertise in planning Increase your expertise in planning – Identify content, organization, style, graphics, other features to achieve results – Become more efficient Plan communications that are usable in your readers’ eyes Plan communications that are usable in your readers’ eyes

5 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Your Goal When Planning for Usability Readers find communications to be usable if they are Readers find communications to be usable if they are – Complete – from your readers’ perspective – Task-oriented – Accessible Plan for planning usable communications with eight guidelines Plan for planning usable communications with eight guidelines

6 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Guidelines for Planning for Usability Identify the information your readers need Identify the information your readers need Organize around your readers’ tasks Organize around your readers’ tasks Identify ways to help readers quickly find what they want Identify ways to help readers quickly find what they want For a complex audience, plan a modular communication For a complex audience, plan a modular communication

7 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Guidelines for Planning for Usability (continued) Look for a technical writing structure you can adapt Look for a technical writing structure you can adapt Plan your graphics Plan your graphics Outline, if this would be helpful Outline, if this would be helpful Check your plans with your readers Check your plans with your readers

8 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Identify the Information Your Readers Need List the questions readers will bring to your communication List the questions readers will bring to your communication Consider your readers’ characteristics Consider your readers’ characteristics Include facts that are important to readers, even though they would not know to ask for them Include facts that are important to readers, even though they would not know to ask for them Plan for completeness from your reader’s perspective Plan for completeness from your reader’s perspective

9 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Organize Around Your Readers’ Tasks Use a mental portrait of your readers to envision the tasks they want your communication to help them perform Use a mental portrait of your readers to envision the tasks they want your communication to help them perform – Organize hierarchically – Group together the items your readers will use together – Give the bottom line first

10 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Organize Hierarchically Readers build small bits of information into large structures of meaning Readers build small bits of information into large structures of meaning – See Figure 9.1, page 231, or – See Figure 9.2, page 232 Help your readers build mental hierarchies Help your readers build mental hierarchies

11 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Group Together the Items Your Readers Will Use Together Create a hierarchy by grouping facts Create a hierarchy by grouping facts Increase your communication’s usability when your grouping matches your readers’ tasks Increase your communication’s usability when your grouping matches your readers’ tasks

12 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Give the Bottom Line First Readers want the main point quickly Readers want the main point quickly Focus on use, not logic, when you organize Focus on use, not logic, when you organize In some circumstances, you should delay the main point In some circumstances, you should delay the main point

13 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Identify Ways to Help Readers Quickly Find What They Want Make the information accessible Make the information accessible – What will they be looking for? – How will they search for it? Use headings, topic sentences, contents lists for print Use headings, topic sentences, contents lists for print Use site maps, menus, links within the texts, clickable images, icons for websites Use site maps, menus, links within the texts, clickable images, icons for websites

14 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited For A Complex Audience, Plan a Modular Communication Different parts address different readers Different parts address different readers – Each reader can go to the most relevant section – Each topic can be treated at the appropriate level – See Figure 9.3, page 234 Different readers read reports in different ways Different readers read reports in different ways – See Figure 9.4, page 235

15 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Look for a Technical Writing Structure You Can Adapt Use conventional patterns, or genres, for recurring situations Use conventional patterns, or genres, for recurring situations Structures assist readers and writers Structures assist readers and writers – Answers readers’ questions – Provides writers with a framework for presenting their persuasive claims – See Figure 9.5, page 232

16 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Structure for Proposal Answers readers’ questions Answers readers’ questions – What is this communication about? – Why is the proposed project needed? Makes writer’s persuasive point Makes writer’s persuasive point – Briefly, I propose to do the following – The proposed project addresses a problem, need, or goal that is important to you

17 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Plan Your Graphics Graphics convey certain kinds of information better than words Graphics convey certain kinds of information better than words – How something looks – Explain a process – Make detailed information readily accessible – Clarify the relationship among groups of data

18 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Outline, If This Would Be Helpful Use outlines for longer, more complex communications Use outlines for longer, more complex communications – Experiment with alternative structures – Help with troublesome passages Share plans with coworkers Share plans with coworkers Helps writing teams negotiate a structure Helps writing teams negotiate a structure

19 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Using Software to Outline Make an outline and convert it into headings Make an outline and convert it into headings Switch from outline to normal view Switch from outline to normal view Move material in the outline, and the draft passages are moved automatically Move material in the outline, and the draft passages are moved automatically – See Figure 9.6, page 238

20 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Check Your Plans With Your Readers Ask for your readers’ responses and requests Ask for your readers’ responses and requests Alternatively, share your plans with someone who understands your readers Alternatively, share your plans with someone who understands your readers

21 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Ethics Guideline: Investigate Stakeholder Impacts Asking stakeholders directly Asking stakeholders directly Action your can take Action your can take Speaking for others Speaking for others Seeking stakeholder views Seeking stakeholder views

22 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Asking Stakeholders Directly When an action is considered, representatives may meet to discuss impacts When an action is considered, representatives may meet to discuss impacts The public’s comments is often asked for on government documents The public’s comments is often asked for on government documents Even drafts of one-way communications can be reviewed by stakeholders Even drafts of one-way communications can be reviewed by stakeholders

23 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Action You Can Take Solicit views from internal stakeholders Solicit views from internal stakeholders Use creativity to get feedback from external stakeholders Use creativity to get feedback from external stakeholders Make as serious an attempt as circumstances allow Make as serious an attempt as circumstances allow

24 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Speaking for Others It is better to imagine what stakeholders would say than ignoring them altogether It is better to imagine what stakeholders would say than ignoring them altogether However, it’s best to let stakeholders speak for themselves However, it’s best to let stakeholders speak for themselves Seek out a variety of people to represent stakeholders Seek out a variety of people to represent stakeholders

25 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Seeking Stakeholder Views Asking stakeholders for their input does not guarantee that they all will be happy with what you write Asking stakeholders for their input does not guarantee that they all will be happy with what you write However, it does guarantee that you have heard their opinions However, it does guarantee that you have heard their opinions Take stakeholders’ needs and concerns into account Take stakeholders’ needs and concerns into account

26 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited In Summary Plan for usable and ethical communications Plan for usable and ethical communications Readers will find your communication to be usable if it is Readers will find your communication to be usable if it is – Complete – from your readers’ perspective – Task-oriented – Accessible