Check out Just in time documentation – some pros and cons by Ellis Pratt. Here is an excerpt:
Bri Hillmer has written two articles on Just-In-Time documentation (https://www.knowledgeowl.com/home/just-in-time-documentation-a-practical-guide and https://www.knowledgeowl.com/home/just-in-time-documentation). This is an alternative to what she called Just-In-Case documentation. The idea…
This is an in-class exercise done in English 352, Technical Writing, at New Jersey Institute of Technology. The directions were to split into groups of four or five, each with a bag of Lego. Each group builds an object and then writes instructions to re-create that object.
The part that is filmed is when each group came to the front of the room and tried to build a different groups object while reading the directions aloud.
The purpose of the assignment is to get some practice doing group work, for class members to get to know each other, and to find out what instruction strategies succeed and which fail (and to discuss why).
This exercise was adapted from a Gurak/Lannon textbook.
To view in higher resolution, click “View in HD” in lower right.
Check out Chapter 2 of the adventures of Trilby Trench by Sarah Maddox. Here is an excerpt:
Have things improved, or is Trilby Trench still in a pickle? Read A Word If You Please, chapter 2 to find out!
A Word If You Please is the first book in an online fiction series about Trilby Trench, tech writer and action hero. Don’t worry if you missed chapter 1 – you can still read it and…
Check out Jump over these obstacles to website personalization by Antti Hietala. Here is an excerpt:
What do you think are the primary obstacles that prevent companies from personalizing their website?
- Unproven ROI?
- Don’t know who to target?
- Tools are difficult to use?
Nope. Those were my guesses but they all proved wrong.
“We haven’t managed to get started”
In 2016 we interviewed 50
Check out Columbia State is Looking for MANY Adjuncts for the Fall 2017 by njoying. Here is an excerpt:
Columbia State is looking for some, well ok, A LOT of adjunct English instructors for the Fall in 2017. The courses are in Columbia state’s five campuses. We host classes in Clifton, TN, Lewisburg TN, Lawrenceburg , TN, Franklin, Tn and Columbia.PT Faculty can teach up to 3 Classes and we…
Check out Why we’ve launched the Cherryleaf podcast on technical communication by Ellis Pratt. Here is an excerpt:
Earlier this month, we started the Cherryleaf podcast, and we’re currently publishing a new episode each week. I thought it might be useful to explain why we’ve done this, instead of publishing videos. For the audience members, they are able to do something else at the same time as listening to…
A technical writer is any writer who takes technical jargon and puts it into an accessible format for the common person. Technical writers often create manuals and instruction books. Find out how technical writers make reading instructions easier with information from a writer and instructor in this free video on technical writing.
Expert: Laura Turner
Bio: Laura Turner received her B.A. in English from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., graduating magna cum laude with honors. Her plays have been seen and heard from Alaska to Tennessee.
Filmmaker: Todd Green
Check out A Quick Guide to MadCap Analyzer and How It Will Save You Time by Denise Peña. Here is an excerpt:
Before I let you in on how great MadCap Analyzer is and how much time you’re about to save, I’d like to quickly paint a picture of a scenario that might be too familiar to some. Picture it: you’ve inherited …
The post A Quick Guide to MadCap Analyzer and How It Will Save You Time appeared…
Check out Typical DITA projects – do they exist? by Bill Swallow. Here is an excerpt:
In this podcast, Alan, Bill, and Sarah discuss some of the characteristics of typical DITA projects.
What is DITA? What are some reasons why you might move to DITA? What are some of the common challenges when implementing DITA? How does publishing work?
Resources
- LearningDITA.com: a free…
