Let's Tech Communicate
June
Claire Nicholson shares the latest trends in technical communication from around the world.
In this issue we find out that accessibility is not what you might think, discover the latest from TCEurope, take a look at API documentation, and get some tools for auditing and user testing your content. This and a whole lot more from around the Net!
Insights
This month Edward Smyda-Homa provides us with highlights from the latest TCEurope Conference held in Brussels.
There has also been quite a bit of talk this month about the latest ICT employment trends in NZ. Garry Roberton from IITP also provides us with a summary of the MBIE ICT sector report findings for 2015. See how that might relate to what you do.
We also liked Guiseppe Getto’s article about why every digital agency should hire a technical communicator (or six).
The user experience
Apparently accessibility is not what you think and, while you’re thinking accessibility, check out Kevin Prince’s website where you’ll find some very useful tools to help you assess your work.
Writing for users is a real skill and Nick Kellingly provides five ideas for better UX writing.
Another gem we’ve discovered for quick, useful user testing of information architecture is Optimal Workshop. These handy tools have been developed in Wellington and are free to use for small user samples.
When it comes to the user experience, we also need to keep reminding ourselves about keeping things simple. As Simon Sinek said this month, ‘ Simple ideas are easier to understand. Ideas that are easier to understand are repeated. Ideas that are repeated change the world’.
TC toolbox
Learn about the Internet Explorer (IE) replacement browser and API documentation.
Have you got a presentation coming up or do you need to get your ideas across effectively? Pitching - the first four minutes from Vinish Garg is aimed at pitching ideas to investors but we think it’s useful advice for any presentation.
Sarah Maddox explains how you can now add events to the World Tech Comm on a map yourself. It’s an interesting tool to see what’s happening around the world.
And, perhaps, here's the best content audit template (you decide).
The newbie tech communicator’s toolbox
Author-it gives us some background on component content strategy and why you need one. Mike Pope asks, does every option need to be documented?
Sometimes it’s okay to break the rules but make sure you know what the rules are first.