Might We Become Walking Computers?
What do an article in Wired magazine about attaching a sensor to your running shoe and uploading it via iPod for data analysis, a camping trip, an article about wearing video screens, a scientist husband, a discussion about wildlife parks, office work, and work by a W3C working group have in common? If you can bear with me for a moment, I’ll tell you.
We’re going to turn into walking computers. That’s what I think. This will enable us to leave cubicles and exist in our natural habitats – sans clunky laptops and the like. Crazy idea? Perhaps. Now for an explanation: here is how all this fits together (in my mind, at least).
First, a short while back I found the article on Technology Review about video screens on clothes (There’s a post about it on this blog: Use of Flexible Screens in Documentation.) Development is underway for video screens that can be “worn on wrists, and plastered on clothes.” Ok. So that’s the computer-on-clothes aspect of this.
Second, the Wired article is about how Nike and Apple have developed a sensor that you can hook on your sneaker and which uploads information about your run to the iPod you’re wearing, and you can access the data via iTunes and Nike. That’s more of the computer-on-clothes aspect, but which goes one step further: uploading data.
Third, on our recent camping trip at a lake, there was a duck family that swam around each day right by our campsite. They were in their natural habitat. My husband, in his work and in the group with which he works, focus on natural habitats. We had a family discussion at dinner the other night about wildlife parks and zoos, and I said I preferred to see creatures in their natural habitat. That made me think about office work and cubicles. Nobody likes cubicles. We would all prefer to be in our natural habitat – and an office doesn’t fit that description. Our lake campground was close to a resort town, so we saw many people in town in their natural habitat – one where they could have fun. Everyone was in casual clothes. Not a suit in sight.
Fourth, just yesterday I came across information about a W3C VoiceXML working group. I didn’t know that there was such a thing. Is there a future where one will be able to talk and have some data somehow uploaded somewhere? I haven’t read it in detail, but just the thought of it has my imagination running wild.
So here it is, all wrapped up: maybe we’ll be able to leave offices and work in our natural habitats (whatever or wherever that may be) and wear computers on our clothes, sneakers, and who knows what else, upload data via devices such as the sensor/iPod scenario, use VoiceXML for processing, and download videos and info onto our sleeves. Perhaps this could all be powered by using Velcro to strap a solar-panel strip on said sleeves. Who knows? Who needs a laptop when you just need a shirt, some sneakers and an iPod, and a mobile phone gizmo in your ear?
Think Mobile When You Write
Always keep the small screen in mind when you’re preparing your docs. There are some W3C “mobileOK” guidelines to consider to ensure that your content meets requirements. Here are some highlights:
Tables
- No nested tables
- Tables must have more than one row and more than one cell per row
Page Titles
- There must be a Title element in the Head section, and it must not be blank.
Frames
- No frames. These don’t work well for search engines anyway, so it’s best to avoid them.
Images
- No image maps
- Images must have height and weight measurements, and they must be in pixels
- Images must use alt tags, and there must be text in the tag (not blank)
- Transparent graphics for spacing: no large ones
These are just a few items. There’s enough, though, to consider. When you plan your content, think mobile.
Use of Flexible Screens in Documentation
Lately, I’ve come across two articles about flexible screens. One is for small touch screens, the other is about video.
What’s particularly interesting about the video flexible screens is that the article in Technology Review states that there is a possibility that such screens could be “worn on wrists, and plastered on clothes.” Now imagine this for docs: what if, perhaps, you are working in a manufacturing facility and need some instructions on how to run a machine or something. What if you could just push a button on your sleeve and see a video about how to complete that task. Or who knows what else there might be? Could we really have video docs on our sleeves? The article doesn’t give much detail about types of information, but imagine the possibilities…(http://beta.technologyreview.com/computing/22758)
The other article, also from Technology Review, is about small, flexible touch screens. Perhaps you could have a device that fits in your back pocket that maybe could have an online quick reference guide on it? Or other instructions? Docs have to be designed with small devices in mind. (See link in the “A New Doc Strategy” post.)
A New Doc Strategy
In years past, a doc strategy was fairly straightforward: prepare print documents that were either in binders or printed into a book. Then came online help, so both were used. Then PDF was added as an option. For many, that’s as far as capabilities have progressed.
The new reality is that technology is rapidly changing and different methods of access are popping up all the time. Print and PDF, to some degree, are going to fade away. Some sort of online version will endure, but it won’t be what we’re accustomed to.
To wit, here’s yet another example of new technology: bendable, paper-thin screens and mobile device screens that “roll out” to a larger size.
http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22232/?a=f
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9891347-7.html
How cool is that? And how will it affect or impact overall documentation strategy? If you’re developing for mobile access, but the screen can enlarge, but is likely still smaller than a desktop screen, how do you design your docs for all?
These are the sorts of questions that will continue to arise. The simple days of print, online help, and PDF are gone. The idea of a “document” may even fade away.
If I were developing a doc strategy today, I would have the following elements, at the very least:
- Use xml and databases to produce content that can be accessed over intranets and the Internet, including portals such as SharePoint
- Design for mobile devices
- Use online forms to set up docs so that they can be directly input to a database
- Use content management strategies to review, design, and write content accordingly
- Set up video libraries (such as YouTube)
- Use Twitter for tech support and to push information and updates to users