The Digital Technical Documentation Handbook

Preface

Part I: Environment

Chapter 1. User Information Environment


1.1 Goal of User Information


1.2 User Information Team


1.3 Product Team


1.4 Changing Environment

Part II: Process

Chapter 2. Overview of the Information Creation Process

Chapter 3. Researching the Project


3.1 Analyzing the Audience


3.2 Analyzing the Product


3.3 Gathering Information about the Audience and Product


3.4 Special Considerations: Submitting to a Standards Organization or Consortium

Chapter 4. Designing the User Information Set


4.1 What Is Modular Information?


4.2 Identifying Modules


4.3 Identifying Information Types


4.4 Information Architecture


4.5 Relationship Between Methodology, Design, and Architecture


4.6 Design Case Study: DECproduct

Chapter 5. Developing the Information Plan


5.1 Purpose of the Information Plan


5.2 Master Plans and Component Plans


5.3 Who Writes the Information Plan?


5.4 When to Write the Information Plan


5.5 Before Writing the Plan: Scheduling, Staffing, and Budgeting


5.6 Information Plan Contents


5.7 Product and Packaging Plans

Chapter 6. Draft and Review Process


6.1 Steps in the Draft and Review Process


6.2 Facing the Blank Screen


6.3 Informal Reviews


6.4 Formal Reviews


6.5 Preparing for Formal Review


6.6 What Reviewers Look For


6.7 Additional Review Methods


6.8 Incorporating Review Comments


6.9 Field Test Review


6.10 Online Information Review


6.11 Final Signoff

Chapter 7. Production and Distribution


7.1 Submitting Hardcopy Reproduction Packages to Internal or External Suppliers


7.2 Submitting Electronic Files


7.3 Reviewing Film Master Proofs


7.4 Submitting Electronic Bookreader Files for Distribution on CD-ROM


7.5 Duplication, Printing, and Distribution Services

Chapter 8. Project Closure


8.1 Post-Project Review


8.2 Client Satisfaction Survey


8.3 Reader Comment Cards and Other Feedback


8.4 Archiving

Part III: Techniques

Chapter 9. Managing Terminology


9.1 General Principles for Managing Terminology


9.2 Translation and Terminology


9.3 Developing Style Sheets and Word Lists


9.4 Developing Glossaries

Chapter 10. Indexing


10.1 Characteristics of a Good Index


10.2 Parts of an Index Entry


10.3 Steps in the Indexing Process


10.4 Master Indexes


10.5 Editing an Index

Chapter 11. Online Information


11.1 Online Books


11.2 Online Help


11.3 Hypermedia

Chapter 12. Using Navigational Cues


12.1 Structural Cues


12.2 Design Cues

Chapter 13. Overview of Usability Studies


13.1 Deciding What to Test


13.2 Writing a Testing Plan


13.3 Working with Participants


13.4 General Process for Conducting Usability Studies


13.5 Questionnaires


13.6 Structured Telephone Interviews


13.7 Formal and Informal Usability Edits


13.8 Summary Tests


13.9 Read and Locate Tests


13.10 Contextual Inquiry


13.11 Other Usability Study Methods


13.12 Summary: Selecting a Usability Method

Chapter 14. Conducting Trademark Searches

Part IV: Appendixes

A: Quality Assurance Checklists

A.1 Researching Checklist

A.2 Information Plan Checklist

A.3 Online Book Checklist

A.4 Questionnaire Checklist

A.5 Telephone Interview Checklist

A.6 Reproduction Package Checklist

B: Publications Bookshelf

B.1 Standard Reference Works

B.2 Writing and Style

B.3 Computer Dictionaries and Glossaries

B.4 Multiplatform Information

B.5 Internationalization

B.6 Indexing

B.7 Editing

B.8 Usability

B.9 Online Information

B.10 Production and Manufacturing

B.11 Industry Standards

B.12 Engineering Process

Glossary

List of Trademarks

Index