Technical Technical WritingWriting

20132013

Unit #1

Welcome to the Class!Welcome to the Class!

Notes, news, etc. available at

http://www.elo.iastate.edu/engl-314

Readings in PDF available on course Moodle

Contact Contact InfoInfo

Office: Ross, 447

Jon Balzotti balzotti@iastate.edu*

Textbooks, etc.Textbooks, etc.

1. Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. 1. Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. 2013.2013. Technical Communication Technical Communication TodayToday. Indianapolis: New . Indianapolis: New Riders.Riders.

2. Readings in PDF from the 2. Readings in PDF from the course Moodle sitecourse Moodle site

What is Content?What is Content?

Content is the combination of Content is the combination of informationinformation and and interactionsinteractions that comprise the user that comprise the user experience. experience.

Content is synonymous with Content is synonymous with value, comprising what users value, comprising what users see and interact with. see and interact with.

Which of these qualify as Which of these qualify as content?content?

►A news item on the CNN websiteA news item on the CNN website►A movie trailer in QuicktimeA movie trailer in Quicktime►A recipe search tool on EpicuriousA recipe search tool on Epicurious►A flash version of Who Wants to Be A flash version of Who Wants to Be

a Millionaire on the ABC sitea Millionaire on the ABC site►A threaded discussion about Tech A threaded discussion about Tech

Support for Red Hat LinuxSupport for Red Hat Linux►A blogA blog’’s syndicated RSS feed s syndicated RSS feed

Qualities of web contentQualities of web content

►Web content is dynamicWeb content is dynamic►Web content is linked & Web content is linked &

distributeddistributed►Web content is customizedWeb content is customized►Web content is granularWeb content is granular►Web content is interactiveWeb content is interactive

When I say “is,” I allude to users’ expectations

Now: Content is DynamicNow: Content is Dynamic

What we see on the web, we What we see on the web, we expect to change soon…or to expect to change soon…or to have changed recently. have changed recently.

We talk of We talk of ““stalestale”” or or ““stagnantstagnant”” pages. Pages that donpages. Pages that don’’t recognize t recognize us, or recognize what day it is are us, or recognize what day it is are less easy to trust as sources of less easy to trust as sources of information. Note how different information. Note how different this is from the medium of print.this is from the medium of print.

Now: Content is Linked & Now: Content is Linked & DistributedDistributed

Users experience content in a Users experience content in a localized way when it shows up localized way when it shows up on their screens. But we know on their screens. But we know that it may reside on servers that that it may reside on servers that are remote and widely dispersed.are remote and widely dispersed.

The ability to link content with The ability to link content with other content means that, often, other content means that, often, the information IS the interface! the information IS the interface!

Now: Content is Now: Content is CustomizedCustomized

As As ““the primary location of valuethe primary location of value”” of a of a website, the content that is most website, the content that is most prized is content that the user prized is content that the user experiences as tailored to their experiences as tailored to their individual needs.individual needs.

This creates an interesting dilemma: This creates an interesting dilemma: When should we customize to the When should we customize to the point of personalization? Is there a point of personalization? Is there a point where delivering value by point where delivering value by personalizing yields diminishing personalizing yields diminishing returns?returns?

Now: Content is Granular, Now: Content is Granular, 11

Content today is far less likely to Content today is far less likely to stay neatly tucked into the stay neatly tucked into the boundaries we associate with boundaries we associate with traditional print genres.traditional print genres.

As we develop better ways to attach As we develop better ways to attach meta-data to content, we increase meta-data to content, we increase its granularity. Familiar units from its granularity. Familiar units from the print world like the page or the print world like the page or the paragraph, give way to new the paragraph, give way to new ones…ones…

Now: Content is Granular, Now: Content is Granular, 22

““GranularizingGranularizing”” content simply means content simply means identifying and identifying and placing boundaries placing boundaries around smaller and around smaller and smaller chunks of smaller chunks of information so it can information so it can be referenced, be referenced, styled, and re-used. styled, and re-used.

Can you think of a situation where we’d want word or character level granularity?

Now: Content is Now: Content is InteractiveInteractive

If we truly accept the idea that If we truly accept the idea that content comprises both content comprises both interactions and information, interactions and information, then web then web ““contentcontent”” can can conceivably take the place of conceivably take the place of applications as we know them. applications as we know them. Have a look at Ebay, for Have a look at Ebay, for example…example…

The Changing Role of The Changing Role of Technical CommunicationTechnical Communication

Old school technical communicators Old school technical communicators operated with a clear mandate operated with a clear mandate defined by the difference between defined by the difference between the the productproduct and and informationinformation about the product. about the product.

The content today effectively The content today effectively erases this distinction. Developer erases this distinction. Developer roles merge what used to be clear roles merge what used to be clear distinctions.distinctions.

The Changing Role of The Changing Role of Technical Communication, Technical Communication,

22Part of this class aims to explore Part of this class aims to explore

the new responsibilities the new responsibilities information developers, information developers, technical communicators, HCI or technical communicators, HCI or UCD specialists…and people with UCD specialists…and people with a host of other titles…can expect a host of other titles…can expect to have. Call it Tech Comm 2.0, to have. Call it Tech Comm 2.0, or maybe Tech Comm XP…or maybe Tech Comm XP…

How will you fit in?How will you fit in?

How many of you envision a career How many of you envision a career in which you will be somehow in which you will be somehow responsible for content, both responsible for content, both traditional print and otherwise? traditional print and otherwise?

How do you see the tasks of How do you see the tasks of managing information, managing information, interaction, and value as interaction, and value as interrelated?interrelated?

Our Mission…Our Mission…►To add to the working definition To add to the working definition

and list of characteristics presented and list of characteristics presented herehere

►To deepen our understanding of To deepen our understanding of content production/management content production/management

►To further define the role of the To further define the role of the content developer in the context of content developer in the context of TCTC

►To think about these things but To think about these things but also to actively experiment and try also to actively experiment and try out techniques – reflection-in-action out techniques – reflection-in-action

About Our Projects…About Our Projects…

Typical practices a content creator usesTypical practices a content creator uses

►Know available technologies and Know available technologies and how they intersect with your how they intersect with your knowledge & skills knowledge & skills

►Analyze an organizationAnalyze an organization’’s overall s overall content strategy; implement this content strategy; implement this strategy via content modelingstrategy via content modeling

►Help those around you to better Help those around you to better develop and manage contentdevelop and manage content

Turning Your Projects in…Turning Your Projects in…

Set up your personal Moodle Set up your personal Moodle account. Moodle is an LMS account. Moodle is an LMS (Learning Management System) (Learning Management System) where you where you’’ll post your projects, ll post your projects, big and small.big and small.

Go Go create your Moodle identity now. now.

Project 1: Resume and Project 1: Resume and Cover LetterCover Letter

For the first project, we’ll be building a For the first project, we’ll be building a traditional print-based resume and traditional print-based resume and cover letter. The resume will allow me cover letter. The resume will allow me to organize the class into teams and to organize the class into teams and find out more about each team find out more about each team membermember

Individually, your job will be to develop Individually, your job will be to develop content for the resume & play an content for the resume & play an editorial role in its production.editorial role in its production.

Project 1, ContinuedProject 1, Continued

Information will come from…

But we will…

Past experience with work, school, and activities

Customize the information for the audience and purpose.

We will also Test the resume with a simulated rhetorical situation (Arisoph)

Project 1, ContinuedProject 1, ContinuedWe will consider four key topics, each of which We will consider four key topics, each of which

will be used to asses the quality of the will be used to asses the quality of the document:document:

► The overall objective of the documentThe overall objective of the document► The rhetorical audience (who has the power The rhetorical audience (who has the power

to act?)to act?)► The document genreThe document genre► Professionalism Professionalism

We will negotiate issues of design, sequence, We will negotiate issues of design, sequence, real estate, etc. for each of these areas in the real estate, etc. for each of these areas in the resume.resume.

Project 1, RequirementsProject 1, Requirements

►A resume and cover letter, suitable A resume and cover letter, suitable for a professional company, is your for a professional company, is your final deliverable; you will produce all final deliverable; you will produce all the content for the resume from the content for the resume from your previous work experienceyour previous work experience

►An interview memo, correctly An interview memo, correctly formatted, compiled by each person, formatted, compiled by each person, responding to the questions on the responding to the questions on the Arisoph websiteArisoph website

This SemesterThis Semester

In addition to reviewing key TC concepts & In addition to reviewing key TC concepts & skills, weskills, we’’ll learn other valuable things:ll learn other valuable things:

►WeWe’’ll explore the complexities of ll explore the complexities of managing multiple content-providers, managing multiple content-providers, including managing format & content including managing format & content consistencyconsistency

► YouYou’’ll learn important content ll learn important content management conceptsmanagement concepts

……and there might be a few twists thrown and there might be a few twists thrown in along the way…in along the way…

Next Time…Next Time…

►WeWe’’ll talk more about Tech comm. ll talk more about Tech comm. concepts; think about which position concepts; think about which position you would like on your team (not you would like on your team (not everyone can be Project Manager)everyone can be Project Manager)

►Get your Moodle info upGet your Moodle info up

►Order textbookOrder textbook

►Review syllabus Review syllabus