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Dont be a technical writer be an interface designer

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Yehuda Berlinger
Yehuda Berlinger

1. A good technical writer is a good interface designer. 2. The interface design skills of a technical writer can be put to use in other interface design capacities: a) to help design the product; b) to move to another line of interface design work.

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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
Thanks jergames.com linkedin.com/in/jergames @Shade_Jon shadejon@gmail.com

More Related Content

Dont be a technical writer be an interface designer

  • 1. Don't Be a Technical Writer, Be an Interface Designer
  • 2. 1. Write Like You're Designing an Interface 2. Design Interfaces 04-Dec-2014
  • 3. An interface: Something that helps you use something to do something. 04-Dec-2014
  • 5. Companies Think People Want To • Learn • Define • Manage • Configure 04-Dec-2014 People Want To • Understand • Act • Forget • "Point and shoot"
  • 6. What makes a good interface?
  • 7. What makes a good interface? Invisible
  • 8. What makes a good interface? Invisible Unsurprising
  • 9. What makes a good interface? Invisible Unsurprising Few obvious, useful actions > many complicated actions
  • 10. What makes a good interface? Invisible Unsurprising Few obvious, useful actions > many complicated actions Doesn't ask you to learn a language
  • 11. 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
  • 12. 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
  • 14. Who designs interfaces? • Product Manager (Physical, UI, API, …) • Technical Writer • Also UX Designer, Product Designer, etc. 04-Dec-2014
  • 15. Who designs interfaces? • Product managers (and developers) design tools, not tasks • The "K Key" story.
  • 17. 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
  • 18. 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?
  • 19. • 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:
  • 20. • Fewer words • Relevant concepts • No abbreviations 04-Dec-2014 2. They think about structure and presentation
  • 21. • Context where appropriate • No passive voice x may be created DogBarks() Paragraph_Capital() 04-Dec-2014 3. They think about ambiguity
  • 22. • 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)
  • 23. Buff up your skills: • Your product’s features, from end to end • Languages • Trade journals / websites • User forums
  • 24. 1. Write Like You're Designing an Interface 2. Design Interfaces 04-Dec-2014

Editor's Notes

  • #2: Airplane joke