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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
04-Dec-2014
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
04-Dec-2014
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
