Tech writing is changing, has changed, and the old ways won’t work any longer. Many of my posts over the past year address those considerations. Here they are.
Writing Styles
Smaller screens. Smaller devices. Smaller word counts, don’t you think?
Think Mobile When You Write
Cut, Cut, Cut Your Content and Procedures
Video and Touchscreens
Well, keyboards and Flash are perhaps [...]
(1-Yr Archive) New Writing Methodologies
May 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Let’s Reinvent Technical Writing
June 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment
More and more, I think it’s time to discard main approaches to tech writing and come up with new methodologies. The world and technology is changing so much that I think it’s time to start fresh. Just as sometimes when you’re working on a sentence and you tweak it and change it, but it’s still [...]
A New Doc Strategy
March 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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 [...]
XML – XSL Programming Features
October 13, 2008 By Leave a Comment
In case you’re pondering whether or not to shift your docs to XML, here is another reason to do so.
One great feature of XML is the ability to incorporate some programming functionality into your docs. For instance, you can set up your XSL file to include some if..then and loop processing. You can set up [...]
Why Tech Writers Should Know Database Design
September 13, 2008 By Leave a Comment
IMO, all tech writers should know the basics of relational database design. Colleges should incorporate it into tech writing programs. I’m convinced of it. Why? I had worked for many years as a tech writer before taking a database design class, and have continued to work in that capacity for a number of years (and [...]