This presentation explores how “meaning” works in technical communication, why it fails, and how you can create meaningful documentation. Drawing on the cognitive psychology of mental models and user experience design, Kai shows with examples why minimalism works but FAQs don't, and how to write for users without irritating them.

1. ADDICTED TO MEANING
MENTAL MODELS
FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATORS
Kai Weber
@techwriterkai #STC13
7 May 2013

2. PROGRAM
Intro: Who am I and what do I know?
1. What is meaning…
… and why should technical communicators care?
2. How does meaning work in communication…
… and why does it still fail in tech comm?
Semiotics
3. How and why we create meaning…
… and how to create meaningful documentation?
Mental models

3. WHO AM I AND WHAT DO I KNOW?

4. WHAT IS MEANING?
Wisdom
Knowledge
Information
Data
Don„t put into fruit salad.
It„s a fruit.

5. WHAT IS MEANING?
Wisdom
Knowledge
Information
Data
Nothing lasts...
Used to be File menu
Open, Save, Print
Office 2007

6. WHAT IS MEANING?
Wisdom
Knowledge
Information
Data
Nothing lasts...
Used to be File menu
Open, Save, Print
Office 2007
MEANING

7. WHAT IS MEANING?
 Can be in information, more valuable in knowledge
 Allows us to “connect the dots”
 Answers “why should I care?” and “what should I do?”
 Turns information into relevant & applicable knowledge

8. WHY SHOULD TECHNICAL COMMUNICATORS CARE?
It‟s what we do:
Turn information into relevant & applicable knowledge
 Know your audience!
 Task-oriented documentation

9. HOW MEANING WORKS IN COMMUNICATION
 Shannon & Weaver (1949) – process theory
Omits meaning!

10. Sender Receiver
 Fiske (1990) – semiotics
HOW MEANING WORKS IN COMMUNICATION
Messages
Conventions
Media

11.  Fiske (1990) – semiotics
HOW MEANING WORKS IN COMMUNICATION
Messages
Conventions
Media
In semiotics… In tech comm…
Represent “stuff” arbitrarily Clarify w/ definitions & glossary
Include or exclude groups Can ensure comprehensibility
Allow or restrict feedback Invite feedback & collaboration

12. WHY DOES MEANING FAIL IN TECH COMM?
 Aren‟t message, conventions, and media clear?
 von Foerster (1949ff.) – radical constructivism
 There is no meaning
but the one created by the reader.
 Each individual situation is
a new beginning, another page one
…which is why FAQs fail.

13. HOW WE CREATE MEANING
We compare each individual situation…
… with personal past experience…
… by matching…
Mental models
 Semi-consciously selected, incomplete images
 What (we think) we understand of the world
 How we face the world: Options? Solutions? Confidence?

14. HOW WE CREATE MEANING

15. HOW WE CREATE MEANING

16. HOW WE CREATE MEANING
Imagecredit:jwarletta

17. HOW WE CREATE MEANING

18. HOW WE CREATE MEANING
Mental models
 Flexible and adaptable, within limits
 Support meaningful knowledge
 How we approach a task
 How we react to a problem
 How we look for help
 Inert, uncontrollable

19. HOW WE CREATE MEANING
Mental models
 Flexible and adaptable, within limits
 Support meaningful knowledge
 How we approach a task
 How we react to a problem
 How we look for help
 Inert, uncontrollable
 In tech comm:
Designer vs. user
 Norman (1988)

20. WHY WE CREATE MEANING
We are addicted to meaning!
 Conspiracy theories
 Pop lyrics, “mondegreens”
 Logos
 Janoff (1977)
Image credit: Marcin Wichary

21. WHY WE CREATE MEANING
We are addicted to meaning!
 Because we want to understand and do stuff:
What does this mean? How does this work?
 Because we seek order:
How does this hang together? How to connect the dots?

22. WHAT IS MEANINGFUL USER ASSISTANCE?
1. Relevant to user, applicable to situation
2. Or a way ahead, a workaround
3. Or an explanation
4. Or even understanding and sympathy

23. HOW TO CREATE MEANINGFUL USER ASSISTANCE
Meaning needs understanding (cognition and empathy)
1. Understanding your audience
2. Understanding semantics
3. Understanding mental models

24. HOW TO CREATE MEANINGFUL USER ASSISTANCE
Understanding your audience
1. Help users connect the dots.
2. Beyond information, deliver applicable knowledge.
3. Beyond the “how”, include the “why”.

25. HOW TO CREATE MEANINGFUL USER ASSISTANCE
Understanding semantics
1. Messages are best clear and consistent.
2. Conventions are best inclusive.
3. Media are best serving people‟s communication.
4. Receivers need “random access”.

26. HOW TO CREATE MEANINGFUL USER ASSISTANCE
Understanding mental models
1. Translate designer‟s model into users‟ models.
2. Observe diverse audiences.
3. Support with options, solutions, and confidence.
4. Invite to explore; don‟t teach to control.

27. BETTER GRASP ON MENTAL MODELS...?

28. FURTHER READING AND SOURCES
1. DIKW Pyramid
2. Shannon & Weaver‟s process theory (1949)
3. Fiske on semiotics (1990) (chapters 3 & 4)
4. Mental models
 in user interfaces
 Norman: The Design of Everyday Things (1988)
5. Mondegreens in pop lyrics; Phil Collins‟s “In the Air Tonight”
6. Janoff, designing the Apple logo (1977)
7. Carroll on minimalism (1998), (esp. chapter 2)

29. THANK YOU! KEEP IN TOUCH!
kaiweber.wordpress.com
@techwriterkai