This presentation describes some of the major techniques for ascertaining the effectiveness of technical documentation among end-users.

1. This program underwritten in part by a generous grant from

2. Understanding and Applying Documentation Usability A Training Demo for Technical Communicators

4. Usability Firstly … What This Presentation Isn’t !

5. The Tip of the Iceberg!

10. Usability IS Simply put … The ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal or task.

14. Watching…Evaluating

15. Usability In human-computer interaction and computer science, Usability refers to the elegance and clarity with which the interaction with a computer program or a web site is designed.

20. The Semantic Differential One of the best-known and most widely used Usability tools is the Semantic Differential . Example: Please check one of the boxes below? Excellent Good Adequate Poor Inadequate     

21. The Semantic Differential The Semantic Differential was developed in the 1950s by University of Illinois psychologist Charles Osgood . The Semantic Differential is a rating scale used to measure the connotative meaning of objects, events, and concepts.

23. Model of a S-Diff. Bipolar Scale

25. What does “Big Blue” (or Purple) Do?

26. Included as “Back Matter’ in all docs

27. Expanded Semantic Diff. Mailer Format

28. The BRM Side: Cost-effective, encourages user response

30. Way to go, Matt Way to go, Matt!

31. Usability Techniques Document Usability means that people who use documents created by you, the writers, can do so quickly and easily to accomplish their own tasks. Technical writers thinking about the usability of their documents should …

48. Don’t Leave Them Wandering Aimlessly In The Desert!

52. Don’t Create Road Blocks For Users!

58. Embedded Object or Submenu?!

59. Audience Analysis: A meeting of the minds!

62. Documents + Daiquiris = Ummm !

70. Minimize Users Descending On Your CSRs!

71. Leave ‘Em Jumping For Joy!

72. Don’t Cause Them To Blow Their Tops !

74. Make It Smooth Sailing For Them, Always!

75. THE END