Advanced Advanced Technical Technical WritingWriting

20082008

Session #1

Welcome to the Class!Welcome to the Class!

Notes, news, etc. available at

http://www.msu.edu/~hartdav2/atw.html

Readings in PDF available on ANGEL

Contact Contact InfoInfo

Office: Suite 7 Olds Hall (TR 3;5 pm)

Phone: 353-9184

AIM: billhd30

Bill Hart-Davidson

hartdav2@msu.edu*

And you are…?

Textbooks, etc.Textbooks, etc.1. Rockley, Ann. 2003.1. Rockley, Ann. 2003. Managing Managing Enterprise Content: A Unified Enterprise Content: A Unified Content StrategyContent Strategy. . Indianapolis: New Riders.Indianapolis: New Riders.

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

What is Web Content?What is Web 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 synonomous with Content is synonomous with value on the web, comprising value on the web, comprising what users see and interact what users see and interact with. with.

Which of these qualify Which of these qualify as content?as 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 ‘blog’s syndicated RSS feed A ‘blog’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

Web Content is DynamicWeb Content is Dynamic

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

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

Web Content is Linked & Web Content is Linked & DistributedDistributed

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

Web Content is Web Content is CustomizedCustomized

As “the primary location of value” of As “the primary location of value” of a website, the content that is most a 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?

Web Content is Granular, Web Content is Granular, 11

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

Web Content is Granular, Web Content is Granular, 22

““Granularizing” Granularizing” 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 information so it can be referenced, can 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?

Web Content is Web Content is InteractiveInteractive

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

The Changing Role of The Changing Role of Technical CommunicationTechnical CommunicationOld 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 about the product. the product.

The web effectively erases this The web effectively erases this distinction. Developer roles merge distinction. Developer roles merge as what used to be clear as what used to be clear distinctions among job distinctions among job responsibilities become more responsibilities become more difficult to make.difficult to make.

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

22This class aims to explore the This class aims to explore the new responsibilities new responsibilities information developers, information developers, technical communicators, HCI technical communicators, HCI or UCD specialists…and a host or UCD specialists…and a host of other titles…can expect to of other titles…can expect to have. Call it Tech Comm 2.0, 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 web site content? responsible for web site content?

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?

ATW Mission…ATW Mission…► To add to the working definition and To add to the working definition and list of characteristics presented herelist of characteristics presented here

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

► To further define the role of the To further define the role of the content developer in the context of TCcontent developer in the context of TC

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

About ATW Projects…About ATW Projects…Typical practices a content person usesTypical practices a content person uses

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

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

Help those around you to better develop and manage content

Turning Your Projects Turning Your Projects in…in…

Set up a personal project page. Set up a personal project page. A website where you’ll post A website where you’ll post your projects, big and small.your projects, big and small.

A template is provided on the A template is provided on the class web site. class web site.

Go grab it now.Go grab it now.

Web Space?Web Space?You have access to an account You have access to an account provided by MSU– your provided by MSU– your AFS SpaceAFS Space..

http://www.msu.edu/~your_msunet_idhttp://www.msu.edu/~your_msunet_id

To put stuff there, FTP to To put stuff there, FTP to ftp.msu.eduftp.msu.edu and store files in the and store files in the directory called directory called public_html; public_html; Or, Or, in a networked lab, map the drive in a networked lab, map the drive and navigate to your public_html and navigate to your public_html directorydirectory

Did that last bit of jargon confuse you?

For next time…For next time…

Post your project page in your Post your project page in your AFS space.AFS space.

You can use the template You can use the template provided, modify it, or replace provided, modify it, or replace it if you like.it if you like.

We’ll troubleshoot and calm We’ll troubleshoot and calm fears today and next time…fears today and next time…

Project 1: Ergonomics Project 1: Ergonomics PosterPoster

For the first project, we’ll be For the first project, we’ll be building a poster that helps folks building a poster that helps folks working in Bessey 317 to work in working in Bessey 317 to work in egonomically appropriate ways. egonomically appropriate ways.

Individually, your job will be to Individually, your job will be to develop content for the poster & develop content for the poster & play an editorial role in its play an editorial role in its production. You should also document production. You should also document your participation carefully.your participation carefully.

Project 1, ContinuedProject 1, Continued

Information will come from…

But we will…

OSHA online site + MSU Ergonomic Info Center

Customize the information for the specific users and specific ergonomic challenges of EBH 317

We will also Test the poster with real users to be sure that it is a useful and usable resource

Project 1, ContinuedProject 1, Continued

We will consider four key topics, each of which will We will consider four key topics, each of which will be assigned to an editorial team:be assigned to an editorial team:

Workstations (chairs, tables, computers)Workstations (chairs, tables, computers) Non-Workstation areas (tables, laptops)Non-Workstation areas (tables, laptops) Lighting & displays (monitors, projector, overhead lights, Lighting & displays (monitors, projector, overhead lights,

resolutions)resolutions) Work Processes (timing, group dynamics)Work Processes (timing, group dynamics)

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

Project 1, continuedProject 1, continued

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

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

► You’ll learn important content You’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…

Project 1, RequirementsProject 1, Requirements

► A poster, suitable for hanging up in A poster, suitable for hanging up in 317, is our final deliverable; you 317, is our final deliverable; you will produce all the digital assets will produce all the digital assets needed for the final production of the needed for the final production of the posterposter

► A portfolio, compiled by each person, A portfolio, compiled by each person, of work contributed to the poster of work contributed to the poster projectproject

► Your portfolio will be a section of Your portfolio will be a section of your project page that makes your your project page that makes your contributions to the project visiblecontributions to the project visible

Next Time…Next Time…

► We’ll talk more about P1; think We’ll talk more about P1; think about the key topics and which about the key topics and which team you’d like to be onteam you’d like to be on

► Get your project page upGet your project page up► Order textbookOrder textbook► Review syllabus and scheduleReview syllabus and schedule► Read articles by Applen, Geisler Read articles by Applen, Geisler et. al., & Crowley (all are PDFs et. al., & Crowley (all are PDFs you can get from ANGEL)you can get from ANGEL)