Professional
Communication and Information Design
There
is a need for professional communicators to share their knowledge and skills,
but very few publications on this subject have been produced in the United
Kingdom. This book presents a range of topics, written by practitioners, managers
and academics. It provides not only an ideal reference for those entering
the profession, including students in formal technical communication courses,
but also for those who will refer to it for guidance in their everyday work.
Prepared by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators, this
informative handbook may now be purchased online.
Design for usability - by Dave Griffiths MISTC
A discussion of factors to be considered in designing a publication - structure,
navigation aids, maintenance, the choice between paper and on-line and more.
Technical editing in ten easy steps - by Dr Ronald Brown FISTC and Kathy Lawrence
Outlines the basic features of editing and provides examples and tips on
how to structure and lay out material and how to check it. Draws on experience
from different backgrounds in editing, technical authoring, publishing and
copywriting, combined to provide a general guide for editors.
Design of an open learning course - by Kate Cooper MISTC
The background to designing and developing a unique, paper-based open learning
course? Writing Scientific English. This chapter tells how the course design
was effective in shaping the learning of its users and the lessons to be learned
for the technical communicator.
Cross-cultural communication - by Sandra Harrison MISTC
Some of the issues in writing for non-British audiences - use of language,
humour, metaphor, tone, style, structure, use of graphics, etc. Solutions
offered include localisation and use of controlled English.
Choosing language for effective technical writing - by John Kirkman FISTC
How to choose the right words and how to blend them into phrases, clauses
and sentences to make our texts readily comprehensible to the reader. Detail
includes writing for international audiences, avoiding noun clusters, use
of prepositional phrases, choosing style for different types of writing, and
more.
Creating a style guide - by Colin Battson FISTC
Definition of a style guide, why one is needed, elements to be included,
pitfalls to avoid, and so on. Detail includes examples of document structures,
use of graphics, special considerations for online documents and the necessary
issue and distribution control aspects.
Illustration (information-graphics) for technical publications - by Peter Lightfoot FISTC
The author of this chapter places the use of visual renderings into the context
of technical documentation. Advice is given on the choice of styles and techniques,
the use of colour, when to use either line drawings or photographs and the
use of charts and graphs. A glossary of terms is also featured.
Indexing - by Richard Raper
This chapter outlines why indexes are necessary as retrieval tools for both
paper and electronic-based information. Automatic indexing, computer-assisted
indexing and other methods are discussed. Planning, some dos and don'ts, presentation
styles and editing requirements are also included.
Document distribution - by Pete Greenfield FISTC
Following the generation of paper or online documents, setting up and maintaining
a controlled distribution system are important issues. The model for examining
the solutions to the many factors involved is a system set up within Abbey
National plc - one of the top six banks in the UK.
How to grow a web site - by Clyde Hatter MISTC
This chapter is aimed at technical communicators involved in the area of
web site development, especially those moving from small-scale projects onto
more ambitious sites. Particular emphasis is placed on designing the site
so it can grow over time. Topics covered include establishing priorities,
site testing, using software to automate processes, documenting procedures.
Help system design - by Matthew Ellison
Matthew addresses the many important features in good Help file design and
explains why the approach to writing Help files has to be different to writing
a paper manual. In conclusion, he expects to see ever-increasing co-operation
between Help authors, application developers and human factor engineers to
produce first class online Help.
PDF - Pretty Darned Flash - by Bryan Little
The many advantages of the PDF (Portable Document Format) technology are
reviewed in this chapter. These include smaller file sizes, documentation
exchange, document review and cross-platform proofing, setting up an electronic
library and web distribution. The conclusion to the chapter reminds readers
how these add up to savings in time and money.
Managing documentation projects - by Paul Warren FISTC
Project management techniques applied to documentation project management,
especially the successful and efficient management of resources within the
business environment. The chapter is structured around a typical scenario
for a new project, from the starting point to bringing the project to a successful
conclusion.
How to write a synopsis - by Roy Handley MISTC
This chapter describes how to prepare a synopsis, giving examples of different
types and how to vary the content to suit the specific brief for the project
in hand.
The challenges of new media - by Brian Gillett MISTC
Whilst the technical communicator's core skill of taking complex technical
information and presenting it in comprehensible for to the end user is unchanged,
there is an increasing variety of media on which to present this information.
This chapter discusses various types of media and how to approach them, and
advises readers to have an open mind when considering any new media for use
in a project.
Determining your audience - Colin Battson FISTC
This chapter describes why it is important to determine the intended audience
for a publication, and to do this as early as possible when planning a new
project. The chapter concludes with some warnings of possible consequences
of failing to properly determine the audience for your projects.
Appendix 1
Some useful British Standards
Appendix 2
The ISTC web site
Appendix 3
Proofreading marks
Available from Amazon.co.uk
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