Dont be a technical writer be an interface designer

Don't Be a Technical Writer, Be an Interface Designer

1. Write Like You're Designing an Interface

2. Design Interfaces

04-Dec-2014

An interface: Something that helps you use something to do something.

04-Dec-2014

04-Dec-2014

Interface

Companies Think People Want To

• Learn

• Define

• Manage

• Configure

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People Want To

• Understand

• Act

• Forget

• "Point and shoot"

What makes a good interface?

What makes a good interface?

Invisible

What makes a good interface?

Invisible

Unsurprising

What makes a good interface?

Invisible

Unsurprising

Few obvious, useful actions >

many complicated actions

What makes a good interface?

Invisible

Unsurprising

Few obvious, useful actions >

many complicated actions

Doesn't ask you to learn a

language

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

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

Who designs interfaces?

Who designs interfaces?

• Product Manager (Physical, UI, API, …)

• Technical Writer

• Also UX Designer, Product Designer, etc.

04-Dec-2014

Who designs interfaces?

• Product managers (and developers) design tools, not tasks

• The "K Key" story.

R&D

TW

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

1. They think about tasks

2. They think about structure and presentation

3. They think about ambiguity

4. They think about consistency

04-Dec-2014

Why is a good TW a good interface designer?

• 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:

• Fewer words

• Relevant concepts

• No abbreviations

04-Dec-2014

2. They think about structure and presentation

• Context where appropriate

• No passive voice

x may be created

DogBarks()

Paragraph_Capital()

04-Dec-2014

3. They think about ambiguity

• 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)

Buff up your skills:

• Your product’s features, from end to end

• Languages

• Trade journals / websites

• User forums

1. Write Like You're Designing an Interface

2. Design Interfaces

04-Dec-2014

Thanks

jergames.comlinkedin.com/in/jergames@Shade_Jonshadejon@gmail.com