dont be a technical writer be an interface designer
TRANSCRIPT
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Don't Be a Technical Writer, Be an Interface Designer
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1. Write Like You're Designing an Interface
2. Design Interfaces
04-Dec-2014
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An interface: Something that helps you use something to do something.
04-Dec-2014
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04-Dec-2014
Interface
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Companies Think People Want To
• Learn
• Define
• Manage
• Configure
04-Dec-2014
People Want To
• Understand
• Act
• Forget
• "Point and shoot"
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What makes a good interface?
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What makes a good interface?
Invisible
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What makes a good interface?
Invisible
Unsurprising
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What makes a good interface?
Invisible
Unsurprising
Few obvious, useful actions >
many complicated actions
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What makes a good interface?
Invisible
Unsurprising
Few obvious, useful actions >
many complicated actions
Doesn't ask you to learn a
language
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What makes a good interface?
Invisible
Unsurprising
Few obvious, useful actions >
many complicated actions
Doesn't ask you to learn a
language
Exposes tasks, not tools
![Page 12: Dont be a technical writer be an interface designer](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051720/5aad6b2a7f8b9a3a238b48f7/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
What makes a good interface?
Invisible
Unsurprising
Few obvious, useful actions >
many complicated actions
Doesn't ask you to learn a
language
Exposes tasks, not tools
Worth it
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Who designs interfaces?
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Who designs interfaces?
• Product Manager (Physical, UI, API, …)
• Technical Writer
• Also UX Designer, Product Designer, etc.
04-Dec-2014
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Who designs interfaces?
• Product managers (and developers) design tools, not tasks
• The "K Key" story.
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R&D
TW
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You should do it
• Provide more value to your company
• Be more integrated with development
• Make your company better
• Open up new, interesting career paths with your skills
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1. They think about tasks
2. They think about structure and presentation
3. They think about ambiguity
4. They think about consistency
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Why is a good TW a good interface designer?
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• What does the customer want to do?
• What does the customer need to do it?
• What will the customer do next?
04-Dec-2014
1. They think about tasks
Create a Mountain Profile:
MMID:
Please enter a Mountain Profile
Handle:
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• Fewer words
• Relevant concepts
• No abbreviations
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2. They think about structure and presentation
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• Context where appropriate
• No passive voice
x may be created
DogBarks()
Paragraph_Capital()
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3. They think about ambiguity
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• Spelling
• Case
• Terminology
• Structure
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4. They think about consistency
Documentation
Enter a name
Type an ID
Add a username
UI/API
dog(bark,name)
cat(name,sound)
tree(bark)
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Buff up your skills:
• Your product’s features, from end to end
• Languages
• Trade journals / websites
• User forums
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1. Write Like You're Designing an Interface
2. Design Interfaces
04-Dec-2014