- Embedded assistance
- The technical writer's role today
- Redefining quality technical information
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Redefining quality technical information
Quality is ultimately determined by users. When users have questions and quickly find the exact information they need, they perceive the product (and the information, though they don’t distinguish between the two) as being of high quality. In fact, an overwhelming majority of customers report that information quality both affects their view of the product quality and their overall product satisfaction. Information quality also has a significant impact on customers’ buying decisions.
Almost always, users seek answers to specific questions and don’t want to read a book from beginning to end to find those answers. Quality information addresses users where they are, for example, in the user interface. That quality helps them accomplish real goals rather than forcing them to figure out how to accomplish their goals in the product.
Content that focuses on domain expertise, provided by experts in the field based on their experience and judgement, is the most highly valued content today. We can already see the beginning of another technical communication transition toward artificial intelligence, and our role in gathering real domain expertise for users becomes critical. Think of voice-driven assistance that provides real-world information about proximity to gas stations with the lowest prices or guidance for how to choose the right app from an online store. In these situations, the writer is the trusted colleague or the concierge, directing users to exactly what they need at that moment. Domain expertise is described in more detail in the concreteness guideline, “Consider the skill level and needs of users” on page 220.
Technical writers must be the users’ advocate throughout the product development process. Ideally, writers have access to users throughout that process, but user engagement alone cannot ensure information quality. Writers must apply their own skills and expertise based on solid research and proven methods.
Quality characteristics for technical information must reflect what users expect and want from the information. Based on comments from users and on experience in writing and editing technical information, the authors of this book have found that quality technical information has these characteristics:
|
Easy to use |
|
|
Task orientation |
In the context of a product, a focus on helping users do tasks that support their goals |
|
Accuracy |
Freedom from mistake or error; adherence to fact or truth |
|
Completeness |
The inclusion of all necessary parts—and only those parts |
|
Easy to understand |
|
|
Clarity |
Freedom from ambiguity or obscurity; using language in such a way that users understand it the first time that they read it |
|
Concreteness |
The inclusion of appropriate examples, scenarios, similes, analogies, specific language, and graphics |
|
Style |
Correctness and appropriateness of writing conventions and of words and phrases |
|
Easy to find |
|
|
Organization |
A coherent arrangement of parts that makes sense to the user |
|
Retrievability |
The presentation of information in a way that enables users to find specific items quickly and easily |
|
Visual effectiveness |
Attractiveness and enhanced meaning of information through the use of layout, illustrations, color, typography, icons, and other graphical devices |
You can apply the quality characteristics whether you’re writing a book, a page, a paragraph, a sentence, or a single word in an interface. The quality technical information model of nine characteristics is flexible enough to support you as you develop ever smaller chunks of information to address the changing needs of users.