An Alternative to Microsoft Word

Why consider OpenOffice.org at all? Ignoring the functionality and features for a moment, there are several practical reasons:

- OpenOffice.org is available in over twenty-four languages, and projects for additional languages are announced regularly. In addition, the program runs on the Windows, Linux, and Solaris operating systems. The Mac OS X version now has working pre-releases. This interoperability is far beyond that of most alternatives to MS Word.

- OpenOffice.org is released under the Lesser GNU General Public License. As open source software, it's free for the download from www.openoffice.org.

- Because OpenOffice.org is open source, you can legally install it on as many computers as you want. You can also reinstall it without contacting the project first. Neither is possible with MS Office.

- Because OpenOffice.org is open source, upgrades are also free. You can wait for official releases or upgrade to development releases as they become available, whichever you prefer. You can also choose between the latest official release and a developer's build, which may be less stable, but has the latest features that are being developed.

- Free support is available on the mailing lists. This support is as detailed and as accurate as any you can get from paid technical support. As often as not, you may be answered by a person who helped to write the code for the feature you're asking about.

- You or your company can join the OpenOffice.org project and influence the direction of future development.

- If your company needs a feature that isn't there, your company can sponsor development of the feature. The only restriction is that the finished feature will be available to everyone.

- If your company prefers a traditional relation with a software developer, your company can purchase StarOffice from Sun Microsystems for $75.95 for a single copy, or $50 per copy for 150. StarOffice is an enhanced version of OpenOffice.org, with additional translation filters, fonts and clipart, a manual, and a database (see www.sun.com/software/staroffice/6.0/index.html).
These reasons are obviously compelling to a great many. In the first month after OpenOffice.org was released, the project reported nearly a million downloads. Nobody knows exactly how many copies are circulating now, but a conservative estimate would be that there are at least ten million users in the spring of 2003. Judging from the number of reviews and their tones, the demand for StarOffice is almost as great.
...

Even more importantly, in several cases, OOo Writer has workable versions of features that have been crippled for several releases in MS Word.
Consider, for example, the following improvements over MS Word:

- True text frames, instead of text boxes. What's more, styles can be defined for frames. The last time MS Word tried to implement frames, styles couldn't be used inside them.

- The Navigator, a floating palette for moving around a document, not only by page, but by any object from tables to OLE objects and Notes. As a bonus, the Navigator can also be used for a quick outline view of headings. The Navigator is in addition to the Find and Replace tool. On large screens, it can be kept open in one corner for use.
...

In fact, if OpenOffice.org continues to be as much in demand as it was in the first month of its release, don't be surprised if you find features that originated in OOo Writer appearing in MS Word. Flaws and all, OpenOffice.org is looking more and more like a milestone in software.
Your word processing may never be the same again.

By: Bruce Byfield http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/magazine/technical/openofficewriter.html

Why technical writers should learn XML now

Lately you may have noticed the increase in newsletter articles, seminars, and monthly meeting topics that relate to XML. If you haven’t been keeping up, you might be wondering what’s all the fuss about XML? Or, why do I need to learn this if my job doesn’t have anything to do with XML? If you haven’t kept up, you might be interested to know why you should.

What is XML?

Early in its life cycle, XML was seen by some as an excellent technology for technical writers. “At this point, all signs indicate that XML offers the potential of being an ideal tool for tech writers to learn and use. In fact, tech writers are ideal candidates for using this technology because we already have the information development, design, and presentation skills necessary to develop these structured document formats”, (Deborah S. Ray, TECHWR-L, 1998)

Extensible Markup Language (XML), as the name implies, is a markup language that was designed to be an alternative to HTML as the language used to manage content on the World Wide Web. Unlike HTML, it enables the writer to create customizable tags, or labels, if you will, that make sense for use with the writer’s content. This feature allows the writer to create a document or system that is content-based or designed around the content, rather than a document or system that is designed around the limitations of HTML’s inflexible tags. Currently, technical writers use XML predominantly as a way to create content in one file format that can be reused for different purposes and transferred to many formats such as printed manuals or Web pages. Although it was originally designed for use as an alternative to HTML on the Web, its flexibility has driven its application to other uses such as Web Services, WebDAV, transferring data from one system to another, or ensuring that data exchange between systems is valid.

Why should technical writers learn it?

The proliferation of various applications of XML has increased dramatically in the last few years, not the least of which is Content Management (CM). Demand for CM services will increase significantly in the next few years. According to theWhir.com, “…content management services represent an attractive growth segment for the IT services industry…IDC’s five-year forecast anticipates that worldwide content management services spending will increase to more than $7.5 billion in 2007, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.8 %…A huge installation, customization, and training opportunity will occur during the forecast period as a new content infrastructure emerges.” (theWHIR's Web Host News, 2003) Installation, customization, and training all sound like areas with potential job opportunities for technical writers and communicators. And guess what technology is compatible with many of the CM programs on the market today, and expected to be an integral part of the growth and evolution of CM? XML. Speaking on CM at the November 17 STC meeting, Ann Rockley predicted we would see more of XML in the next two years.

If futuristic projections aren’t good enough reasons to learn XML, some of the more practical and “here and now” reasons may be. Although there are a variety of reasons to use XML that are beyond the scope of this article, some of those most common to technical writers are included.

Reusability of content may be the single biggest reason to learn and use XML. Whether you will be plugging it into specific CM software or a less formal system of managing content, once created, the same content can be used repeatedly for different purposes and in different output formats such as Web pages, handheld devices, PDF documents, online manuals, or printed materials. This feature of XML also lends itself nicely for use in a single-source system.

Customization is another reason to use XML. Creating customizable tags and structure for your content allows you to create a system that will meet very specific needs for you or your customers. At the very least, learning about the various components of XML such as tags, elements, and attributes will give you the ability to participate (politics aside) with other team members during the planning stages of the next content management, or other, system that will affect you. Increasing your ability to communicate with developers and other SMEs is an added benefit.

Receiving a significantly higher salary can result from having XML skills. According to online-learning.com, technical writers with XML skills “can add an extra $19K!” to their salaries (online-learning.com, 2000.) The skill set that will be expected with this higher salary may include the ability to develop XML documents, understand and work with DTDs and schemas, and create and work with style sheets that interact with the XML documents. If you’re ready for the challenge and growth of learning a new technology, you can expect a higher salary after gaining skills and experience in XML.

While XML was originally created as an alternative or supplement to HTML on the Web, its use and application has grown dramatically. Content Management is an area where the application of XML is expected to grow in the next few years, which will create many opportunities for all kinds of technical communicators. Other reasons to learn and use XML include reusability, customizability, and increasing your salary, not to mention the growth and challenge that go with learning a new technology. Currently, technical writers mainly use it as an efficient way of repurposing the same content to a variety of output formats. XML’s independence of proprietary platforms and formats and its ever-increasing application in the workplace means that its use will continue to grow, with it the likelihood and frequency that you will interact with it to some degree. It sounds like it’s time to start learning XML.

Renee Schurtz, http://www.stc-psc.org

Which HAT (Help Authoring Tool) should I buy?

There are many Help Authoring Tools available and it be can be difficult to know which of them to use. Below you will find a summary of each tool, based on information from the vendors. They are all excellent tools, each with particular strengths.

RoboHelp X5

RoboHelp X5 is the latest version of Macromedia's Help-authoring software. New features include XML import/export, PDF import/export, content management, team-based authoring and support for JavaHelp 2.0. Compatibility for Word 2003 will be available in a service release for RoboHelp X5.

RoboHelp X5 can import existing XML content as well as export help content as XML. The software also supports the import and export of PDF content. The intelligent PDF import process renders PDF documents into their basic elements, such as text, images, and tables, each of which is independently editable after import for use in online Help. After a Help system has been created, it can be exported in print-ready PDF format.

RoboHelp X5's new content management features allow users to track what edits were made, when they were made, and by whom. At any time, any content can be rolled back to any moment in its history. The benefits of content management are increased when coupled with RoboHelp X5's new multi-author support, which features document check-in/check-out, document version comparison tools and support for remote authors.

XDK Professional

XDK Professional uses XML to gives you a great degree of control over how your online documents will look. It works as an integrated dynamic pane within Word, so you get all of Word's functionality. XDK can create multiple editions using different technologies and designs from one-source.

XDK's Table Of Contents technology automatically integrates into your online document to provide your readers with a hierarchical navigation tree. XDK also provides "topic Auto syncronisation and side entry". This means that as the user click on links and jumps around the document, the Table Of Contents will instantly update to show them where they are. XDK also makes context-sensitive links into standard HTML possible, because its technology allows direct entry into any point of your online document without causing errors with the Table Of Contents. XDK also has a powerful Dynamic Merging feature that will automatically aggregate multiple online documents. To the end user, the document appears as one seamless document, but as the author, you can break the project down into smaller chapters.

XDK Professional Service Pack 4 includes the following enhancements:

- New JavaHelp Compiler
- New Plain-HTML Table of Contents Compiler
- Improved import of HDK v3.1 through v3.4 projects

AuthorIT

AuthorIT is a single source documentation tool. Using AuthorIT, you can write information once, make changes in one place and maintain consistency. You can then use information in as many places as you want. It's the tool we use to produce this Web site.

Authors create pieces of re-usable pieces of information which are managed and maintained in a database and then published to many audiences, documents, and formats - both print and online. AuthorIT is a collaborative authoring tool where authors and other contributors work together as a team. It provides a multi-user environment with dynamic check-in and check-out, security control, standards control, version control, document release control, and integrated project and task management. You can also work offline - this means is you can work on your AuthorIT library outside the office when required.

Version 4.1 offers:

- A new rules-driven importer for bringing existing content into your project.
- A better editing environment. Tables, in particular, have been vastly improved.
- A new Generation module for creating the documents. As a result, generation
is faster.
- XML import and export
- Reduced localisation overhead of approximately 30%

WebWorks

WebWorks Publisher Professional enables you to quickly and easily convert FrameMaker documents into online delivery formats such as XML, XHTML and HTML. WebWorks Publisher WordHelp is the newest addition to the WebWorks product family. It offers single-sourcing to writers who use MS Word to develop content for online help.

WebWorks Publisher Professional 2003 offers new automated capabilities:
- New push-button deployment wizard
- Improved migration wizard
- Context-sensitive help designer
- New mapping interface
- Automatic TOC and index generation
- Automatic scaling and mapping of graphics

There are also new templates for Palm Reader, Fully 508 compliant WebWorks Help, Oracle Help, Dynamic HTML, HTML Help, and Microsoft Reader.

Epic

Epic is a suite of XML authoring tools for organisations that has large teams of authors, each working with large amounts of material that needs to be delivered to multiple audiences and disseminated in multiple forms.

The authoring software (Epic Editor) provides the following features:
- It provides a familiar word processing interface with support for change tracking, real-time spell
checking, multiple levels of undo, cut and paste, drag-and-drop editing, split screen views, multiple
windows and intuitive toolbars. Profiling helps authors create content that can be automatically
customized to specific audiences.
- It provides viewing, navigation and editing functions that are specific to structure.
- It can apply a stylesheet that gives the content a print or Web appearance.
- It lets authors insert only the tags that are valid at the current cursor position
(and it allows authors to see or hide tags).

Arbortext offers separate products for content conversion and publishing. The Enterprise E-Content Engine (E3) converts content to reusable XML components from Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker and Interleaf. It will accept valid XML content from any source. E3 publishes dynamic content to print/PDF and Web/wireless. To publish to CD-ROM, Arbortext offers the CD-ROM Composer.

http://cherryleaf.com

What to Include in a Portfolio

You have started to save your money to buy what is necessary to put your portfolio together, and now you want to decide what to include in it.

How to Get Started

- Start a "portfolio collection file": this file can literally be a file folder where you will put copies or originals of your work that you think you might want to include in your portfolio, or you can have a box that you fill with work. Basically, you can use whatever you want to use to hold your possible pieces.

The point is to start a collection of work. This collection doesn't have to be the definitive pieces you decide to use, but merely a collection of pieces you like, at this point.

- Keep in mind that this work doesn't have to be limited to school assignments: you can collect work from past job experiences or an internships. Plus, no one says you can't make a hypothetical brochure to show your skills with a certain software application, and that is also a good way to show off your design skills. Also, if you see a flyer that you think needs a redesign, then redesign it and put it in your portfolio along with a rationale of why you redesigned it, or be prepared to discuss this rationale with an interviewer.

When it comes time for you to fish through all of your work for your portfolio, choose only your best work. Be sure to save multiple copies of your work. You will need to replace wrinkled pieces as you begin showing your portfolio during several interviews.

Typical Pieces to Include

You should have an introduction page. Include your name, address, and/or any other information you want to include

>Resume and/or a vitae
>Giveaways
>Examples of your best work
>Entry cards
>Section dividers

Entry Cards

Basically, an entry card is an introduction to a piece that is included in your portfolio. Suggested components of the entry card can be as follows:

Entry Card Component

Title: Visual C++ -- Program I

Description: The first program introduces comments, assignment statements, input and output streams, #include, int main(), literal text strings, variable declarations, if-then-else statements, and arithmetic expressions. It also introduces the notion of a fuzzy set.

Course: Computer Science 1462: Fundamentals of Computer Science I

Instructor: Dr. Bob Jones

Date Completed: 4 March 1998

Objectives: 1. Comprehend a problem specification and design a solution to the problem
2. Create, debug, and submit a C++ program that implements a design
3. Use elementary C++ statements (assignment, I/O, if-then-else)
4. Create a program that takes as input from the keyboard four real numbers
which define a trapezoidal membership function of a fuzzy set.
The program must also take as input a fifth real number, x, and output to the screen
a message indicating the degree of membership of x in the fuzzy set.

Note: The assignment is on the first page of this section. The second page contains a listing of grading criteria. Following that information is my top-down design and my code.

This particular entry card was printed directly onto a cardstock section divider. You can adjust the entry card components to suit your needs, and you do not have to print the information onto section dividers. The point of these cards is to provide adequate background of the piece in order to introduce it and give the interviewer a context for the piece.

Suggested Pieces to Include

>Hardcopy (print) or online design or layout projects
>Brochures or flyers
>Marked up editing pages
>Reports
>Articles
>Programs
>Teaching or training materials
>Surveys
>Graphics
>Awards
>Redesigns

General Tips

If a piece is especially long, you might consider including only a sample of the long piece. You can bind the long piece and insert it into a side pocket, just in case the interviewer wants to peruse the full piece, but samples are usually fine for interview purposes. An example of this is a usability report. The report itself is quite long, but if you pull the first portion of the report to include in your portfolio, that will be enough to show the purpose of the report and the conceptual framework of the piece.

You should include some pieces you can "give away." If there is a piece that shows your best editing, you might make additional copies of that to give to the interviewer. Or, if you designed a Web site that illustrates your use of graphical design and firm grasp of online design and navigational strategies, don't hesitate to put that work on a disk and give it away during the interview. It is helpful if you print out a few pages of that disk copy to show the interviewer what is on the disk. An added touch is to design your own disk labels. For the technical writer whose expertise is in the multimedia production realm of the field, especially instructional design, don't hesitate to burn a few extra CD-ROMs of your work and give those to the interviewer. Again, designing your own label for your CD-ROM pieces is a nice added touch.

You should include a sheet-protected copy of your resume and list of references, and you should always have give-away copies of those in your portfolio. Plus, sheet protected copies of your transcript(s) are recommended, as well as a few giveaway copies. While the transcript is a not an overwhelming popular giveaway request, it is requested, nonetheless. It is best to be prepared.
Also, have several people you trust look at your portfolio. Get as much feedback as you can before you show it at interviews. Show it to your teachers, friends, or the Career Center at your school. This will give you time to make any necessary adjustments.

Thomas Nelson http://www.burnett.nelson.com/include.html

How to Organize a Portfolio

You have collected the pieces you would like to include in your portfolio. You have sorted through your collection and selected your best work. You have made entry cards for each piece to provide a good introduction for each sample. And you are ready to place your work, introduction page, entry cards, section dividers, and give-aways into your new leather portfolio.

Where do you start?

Well, first start by conceptualizing how you want to present your work. This means that while you may want to include a marked up piece of editing in your portfolio to show that you do posses strong editing skills, you don't want to market yourself as an editor - since you have set your sights on working as a Web designer. So, do you put that piece of marked up editing in the front of your portfolio? Probably not.

Organize your portfolio to illustrate what your interests are. If you DO want to be an editor, fill the first part of your portfolio with marked up editing pages, recommendations letters of past employers where you worked as an editor, your STC chapter editing award, and anything else that screams, "I am the best editor in the universe! You must hire me, and you can see that by looking at all of my editing work!"

That doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't include that document design project that you completed for a course, since it shows your skill with print design. And that Website you created shows your keen sense of color and layout. Print out a few pages of that and put it in there, too. But put it in the back, if that is where you think it should be.
So, it all depends on how you want to sell yourself.

Plus, the key to portfolios is neat and tidy sections. Clearly label and introduce each section and each piece. Make use of page dividers and tabs. Just think about how you can best get through the portfolio quickly. If the interviewer can see clearly marked sections, he or she might say, "Oh, there is a sample of graphic design, so it says on this tab. Let's take a look at that." If you didn't have those tabs, you would be thumbing through pages and pages of work that may or may not be desirable to the interviewer.

Think neat. Think clearly labeled. Think adequately introduced. Think about how you want to market yourself. Then organize your portfolio accordingly.

Also, have several people you trust look at your portfolio. Get as much feedback as possible. That will help you decide if you need to adjust the organizational structure of your portfolio.

Thomas Nelson http://www.burnett.nelson.com/organize.html

How to Create a Portfolio

So, you decide that you would like to create a portfolio. What do you do? Where do you start?

First, realize that a portfolio is not something you can whip together the night before an interview. You should start planning your portfolio well in advance of interviews, perhaps even before an interview is scheduled or even approaching.

Second, you should start a collection, not just of your best work, but collect your money. You will need to save some money for this endeavor. You want your portfolio to be a professional representation of your work; therefore, be prepared to spend some money.

What to buy

- A nice leather portfolio, preferably burgundy in color: burgundy is recommended since you can carry it with virtually any color conservative suit. You want to make sure the portfolio rings are metal and sturdy. Open and close the rings several times before purchasing. If the rings look as if they are not lining up appropriately, ditch that one and try another. You don't want your work to crinkle because the rings are not lined up. You may want a portfolio with handles, so that you can carry like a briefcase. Look to see how many pockets there are in the portfolio, and see if they are large enough to insert bound pieces. You will want to utilize all space available.

- Quality paper, preferably white: white will not interfere with any of the colors in your pieces. Also, buy a ton of paper. You will need more paper than you think. As you show your pieces, they will become crinkled, so you will need to replace them with fresh pieces periodically.

- Card stock: you might want to invest in some card stock to use for section dividers. A nice neutral color is fine.

- Page divider tabs: you might want to use page-divider tabs to help show your different sections clearly. You can type the sections on the white tabs and insert them into the divider sheets. This allows for a clean, neat look that is easy to navigate through, quickly.

- Sheet protectors that allow top loading: these will help protect your pages through the many "look throughs." Top loading will just ensure that you can easily remove a piece if the interviewer wants to get a closer look. You can also keep "giveaways" behind the original, and a top-loading sheet protector will allow you to get the give a way easily.

- You will need to save money for copy costs, also: you may have to print several resumes, copies of samples, etc.

Thmoas Nelson http://www.burnett.nelson.com/create.html

Why Technical Writers Should Create a Portfolio

Your projected graduation date is coming up. You are preparing your resume, including on-line, paper, and ASCII versions. You have been practicing your interview questions. What are you missing? You are missing your portfolio.

Why do you need a portfolio?

It isn't required, but it is a good idea to bring a portfolio to your interviews. There are several advantages to having a portfolio:

- Instead of merely telling the interviewer about the work you have done and the skills you have, you can actually show evidence of those skills.

For example, let's assume you are a technical writer who has experience in software applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. You have created graphics for both print and online projects. Why not show them off? Why not say, "I can use these software applications, and here is sample of what I can do." Showing is always more effective than merely telling.

- When you have a well-organized portfolio that contains sample of your best work, you can show your wide range of talents. It is important to have only your best work in your portfolio. You show clear evidence of your skills and talents when you can show a portfolio that serves as visual support for your resume.

- You can use your resume to help focus on your desired area of expertise.

For instance, all technical writers know that the field is very diverse. There are technical writers who are editors, and there are technical writers who are Webmasters and Web designers, focusing on graphic arts instead of editing content. With such a broad definition of the field, a portfolio can help define your niche in the field.

- When you have a portfolio, suddenly, you can guide the direction of the interview, controlling the meeting.

For instance, when you are asked about your skills, you can show your portfolio - your best work. This often is intriguing to interviewers, and they want to see more. It's a wonderful feeling to have the opportunity to discuss all of your best work, your skills, and your talents, while showing the interviewer what you can do. Now, you guide the direction of the interview with your portfolio.

- When you have a portfolio, and you have sample "giveaways" to leave with the interviewer, you have left a visual reminder of who you are and what you can do. That is very powerful.

Thomas Nelson http://www.burnett.nelson.com/why.html

Usability in Technical Writing

"Well-written" manuals are not good enough.

To most technical writers, "well-written" has traditionally been their quality goal for the User's Guide, online Help, and other information elements they developed. "Well-written" meant things like clarity of text and accuracy of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

These are important characteristics to achieve. But, what should be our ultimate goal when we design information for people who want to quickly and easily do things with our software?
The answer is in the question. People want to quickly and easily perform tasks with our software. Therefore, the quality goal for information should rather be to help improve the ease-of-use of software. This means all our efforts and deliverables should be focused on making that
possible.

Enter UCID

User-Centered Information Design (UCID) is an integrated approach to designing various information elements such that they together improve software usability.

In UCID, the design stage is iterative and evaluation is a two-level activity. Technical writers, in collaboration with usability engineers and software engineers, primarily design and write all the four information components that impact software usability:

- User interface labels: names of all those things on the user's screens (for example, names of menu options)

- Application messages: error messages, warning messages, etc

- Online documentation: all the information elements that appear on the screen (for example, Help and tutorial)

- Printed documentation: all the paper-based manuals such as User's Guide and Reference Manual

Benefits of UCID

By giving a software usability driven approach, UCID puts you on the right track toward designing information. The UCID approach covers new strategies for the design and evaluation of information. The critical design goals you set and the two-level evaluation approach keep your information development efforts focused on improving software usability.

A UCID project makes full use of the technical writer's skills. Writers now have an expanded and challenging role that includes the design of labels and messages.

UCID brings you the advantages of integration. The UCID process ensures that individual information elements (error messages, screen-level Help, User's Guide, etc) are identified and designed together as one piece — with improved software usability as the goal. This means you make better decisions on what types of information to provide in which media and in what form -- based on users' needs and your project-specific requirements. Through integration, you will avoid four undesirable things: exclusion of critical information, inclusion of unnecessary information, unnecessary repetition, and information inconsistencies across the software system.

By helping you meet users' information requirements, UCID achieves improved software usability, which ultimately impacts the software organization's image and bottom-line.

http://www.tech-bridge.com/ucid.html

Justification for Documentation Testing

Is documentation testing a part of your production process? If not, don’t you think that it should be? Generally, Technical Writers work to tight schedules, which often does not include documentation testing because there is no time. Besides, who wants to take the risk of causing a rewrite or correcting product design and not shipping on schedule? Nobody! What is needed is a justification for including documentation testing in the production schedule.

In "Liability for Defective Documentation," Cem Kaner provides valuable justification for documentation testing to ensure quality. Bad documentation, he says, has a ripple effect on the number of users it impacts such as Product Development, Training, and Customer Support.

Effect of Quality Documentation on Product Development:

- The manual provides an overview of the program. Despite best efforts by Quality Assurance to evaluate the program, a thorough test of the manual against the program is likely to highlight problems that were overlooked.

- New programmers and testers who join the project can use the manual to learn the program..

- Many product development groups stop maintaining the external specification and rely on the manual to serve this purpose.

Effect of Quality Documentation on Training:

- Customers will need less training and can proceed more quickly to advanced training if the manual is high quality.

- If the Training department likes and trusts the manual, it will use it for training purposes, saving the company time and money.

- If the manual is of high quality, the Trainer can use it to reinforce tips and tricks during the session. This can give a real "piece of mind" boost to the company.

Effect of Quality Documentation on Customer Support:

- It takes less time and costs less to prepare answer books – A well-organized Support staff prepares books or a database of answers to the questions that they expect will be frequently asked, or that will be difficult to answer.

- It makes calls take less time – Sometimes the best way to handle a call is to alert the customer to the relevant section of the manual.

- It results in less difficult calls – There’s nothing Support staff like less than dealing with customers that were misled by the contents of the manual. Imagine dealing with a person who has followed the instructions but wasn't able to achieve the result that the manual promised, or worse, who followed the instructions but lost data or got into trouble. Such calls can discourage Support staff.

Every Technical Writer has experienced resistance to doing what is necessary to thoroughly test manuals. To people who care about quality, you are talking about customer satisfaction. To people who care about schedules, you are talking about efficiency because a well-tested manual helps to train Development and Support staff faster. To people who care about saving money, you are spending a little to save a lot. To people who are afraid of making decisions, you are providing a business case that makes this decision look safe and obvious.

By: David Dick at http://www.stcsig.org

Technical Writing Course

Virtual University of Pakistan has announced admission in Technical & Business English Writing short course. Students can study at any of the Virtual University campuses or from home. The duration of the course is 18 weeks, starting from March 7, 2005. The total fee is Rs. 2,000 inclusive of Tutorial Guidance, Discussion Board Visits, Mid and Final Term Exams etc plus Rs. 500 for course material (CDs & Lecture Handouts) within the country. The registration fee (one time only) for new students is Rs. 500. Last date to apply is March 5, 2005.

Click for more information

Effective Writing: Deadwood Phrases

Deadwood phrases are found in all types of writing. In technical writing they are to be avoided at all costs as documentation needs to be crisp, concise and accurate.

You can improve your writing by cutting these out and replacing them with better expressions.

The following is a list of the ‘most wanted’ culprits.

The "deadwood" is in bold; use the suggested term instead.

- a majority of -- most
- a sufficient amount of -- enough
- according to our data -- we find
- accordingly -- therefore, so
- after the conclusion of -- after
- along the lines of -- like
- as is the case -- as is true
- ascertain the location of -- find
- at such time as -- when
- at the present time -- now
- at this point in time -- now
- be deficient in -- lack
- be in a position to -- can, be able
- by a factor of two -- two times, double, twice
- by means of -- by
- come to a conclusion -- conclude
- despite the fact that -- although
- due to the fact that -- because
- during the time that -- while
- equally as well -- as well, equally well
- fewer in number -- fewer
- for the purpose of -- to, for
- for the reason that -- because
- for this reason -- thus, therefore
- give consideration to -- consider, examine
- give indication of -- show, indicate, suggest
- happen(s) to be -- am/is/are
- has been proved to be -- is
- if conditions are such that -- if
- in a number of -- several, many
- in all cases -- always
- in case -- if
- in close proximity to -- near
- in excess of -- more than
- in large measure -- largely
- in many cases -- often
- in most cases -- usually
- in no case -- never
- in order that -- so that
- in order to -- to
- in some cases -- sometimes
- in terms of -- in
- in the amount of -- for
- in the case of -- for
- in the event that -- if
- in the field of -- in
- in the near future -- soon
- in the neighborhood of -- near, about, nearly
- in the vicinity of -- near
- in this case -- here
- in view of the fact that -- because, since
- is capable of -- can
- is found to be -- is
- is in a position to -- can
- it has been found that -- (nothing)
- it has long been known that -- (nothing)
- it is a fact that -- (nothing)
- it is evident that -- (nothing)
- it is interesting to note that -- note that
- it is noted that -- (nothing)
- it is our opinion that -- we think
- it is possible that -- perhaps
- it is well known that -- (nothing)
- it may be said that -- (nothing)
- make inquiry regarding -- ask about, inquire about
- manner in which -- how
- not with standing the fact that -- although
- on the basis of -- from, because, by
- on the order of -- about, approximately
- present in greater abundance -- more abundant
- prior to -- before
- provided that -- if
- put an end to -- end
- reach a conclusion -- conclude
- serves the function of being -- is
- subsequent to -- after
- the question as to -- whether
- there can be little doubt that -- probably
- utilize or utilization -- use
- with reference to -- about
- with the exception that -- except that

Deadwood is also found in excessively wordy writing. In other words, where writers use two or three words when one will suffice.

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The Shifting Technical Writing Market

Here's a disturbing statistic: According to a recent study, there are more technical writing jobs available than there are writers to fill them.
Run that by me again?

If there is a technical writer shortage, why then are there unemployed writers? And if you are unemployed, well, does being unemployed mean that you aren't very good at your chosen profession?

Let me answer the second question first: No. In my experience, the job weeds out those who aren't very good at it. The fact is that technical writing is one of the most demanding professions a person can practice. If you have survived and done reasonably well for more than two or three years, you're doing just fine.

Now for the first question. I believe that technical writers, by and large, do a poor job of marketing themselves in a competitive business. We cannot simply send resumes out anymore and expect the employers to come to us. The market moves too quickly for that. And business is changing: We're about to start moving even faster.

Business Acumen and Self-Promotion: The high tech industry is undergoing radical change -- as if that were anything new. But the change isn't happening so much in the area of technology as it is in the area of business intelligence. Well-run businesses are market driven, not technology driven, so it is important to understand not only the technology of the products we document, but the business problems that the technology solves. Writers must therefore also understand their company's business in a much broader way than ever before and learn to apply that business knowledge in the creation of new information products.

Technical writers must evolve. We must reinvent ourselves and be market-driven if we wish to remain employed and have interesting, challenging work to do. The days of being able to pull out a few binders full of detailed specifications that you can distill into a nice installation, configuration, or maintenance manual are long gone for most of us. Companies can no longer afford to have engineers "wasting" their time producing specifications.
Rapid development techniques have become the prime movers of today's product development cycles, fracturing traditional business, production,and documentation processes and requiring us all to approach what we do differently.

Trend Spotting: We must stay on top of the business and development trends that allow us to survive and thrive in today's business world. Today's hottest trends for technical writing include:

- Deep integration of technical writers into early development cycles to help create design specifications. Such specifications represent much of the company's intellectual capital, which is worth millions. Who better to manage the recording and maintenance of engineering intellectual property than a technical writer?

- The need for better technical marketing materials. White papers, competitive analyses, business intelligence, newsletters, data sheets, and technical product stories deliver compelling information to potential customers. Advertising gimics do not work -- people want to read about the benefits that your company's technology delivers.

- The need for consistent proposals and technical sales materials. The large account selling process is a game of inches, won by those account teams who present the most consistent message to the potential customer. Technical writers can create request for proposal (RFP) databases that enable busy sales people to assemble consistent, accurate RFPs. And they can maintain those databases far more effectively than a sales person or sales engineer can. Help the sellers sell, and you help yourself -- and those around you -- stay employed.

- The death of user guides. User guides are catalogs of user interface design errors. Technical writers must move deeper into the product management and development cycles to influence and help improve product usability. Though sometimes a hard sell, it is imperative that technical writers and their managers increase their personal marketing efforts to educate product management and engineering development. Technical writers are, after all, among the first users to figure out a product. Why not make use of that to help improve product usability?

- Web site content creation and maintenance. Technical writers are uniquely positioned to address the Web site content creation and maintenance problem. Good corporate Web sites feature useful, updated content to offer customers information that helps them solve their business problems.

- Knowledge management. Technical writers instinctively know that knowledge management is the record of a company's collective wisdom. Technical writers will play key roles in capturing that knowledge and making it accessible by those who need it.

- The demand for expertise in specialty areas. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that the need for writers with expertise in areas such as law, medicine, and economics will likely increase because of the continuing expansion of scientific and technical information and the need to communicate it to others.

Now more than ever before, technical writers must learn to market and promote themselves, and add business acumen to the skills they offer. In so doing, we make a better work life for ourselves and for the people we serve.

By: Michael Knowles