Designing Field Research in Technical Communication: Usability Testing for In-House User Documentati...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Beteiligte: Mirel, Barbara
In: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 17, 1987, 4, S. 347-354
veröffentlicht:
SAGE Publications
Medientyp: Artikel, E-Artikel

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Umfang: 347-354
ISSN: 0047-2816
1541-3780
DOI: 10.2190/3g4g-c1n7-75yk-7a6n
veröffentlicht in: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Sprache: Englisch
Schlagwörter:
Kollektion: SAGE Publications (CrossRef)
Inhaltsangabe

<jats:p> A current assumption is that “one best system” can be devised to develop and test user documentation. In-house documentation, however, demands approaches that do not fit into a generic system. Specifically, an in-house manual needs a special type of usability testing, one that measures if and how a manual is used to meet the goals of its organization. Along with quality testing, in-house writers must also run studies on how their manuals actually function in the workplace. This article describes a three-pronged design for actual use testing: user logs; observations; and surveys. In my case study, this testing revealed that users did not use their manuals for reasons other than quality — for instance, reliance on social interactions for acquiring information. My findings show that writing an effective manual requires more than composing skills; it demands writers' involvement in the organizational dynamics that motivate workers to use or not use their manuals. </jats:p>