Usability Testing of User Manuals

Many guidelines and several standards exist for the development of good user manuals. But even though technical writers comply with all guidelines, problems will typically arise when users apply the manual in practice. Therefore, it is useful to have real users test the manual before it is published. This article discusses user tests in the form of think-aloud tests, with examples from the research project ”User Manuals for older adults”

EDITORIAL: Communication and Language at Work (CLAW) – Bridging Theory and Practice, 3rd issue, 2014

Dear readers, We, the editors, are proud to bring you the 3rd edition of CLAW with a focus on Social Media and / in Business Communication

EDITORIAL

Editorial to the second issue of CLa

INTERVIEW: Knowledge and Terminology Management at the Danish National Board of Social Services

Margrethe H. Møller interviews David Rosendahl(translator/coauthor: Birthe Toft)“We need to do more than simply create classifications” The concept secretariat of the Danish National Board of Social Services carries out terminology and classification work in connection with IT projects, among others, in the field of social services. This work is interesting for several reasons. On the one hand, terminology work obviously contributes to enhanced efficiency and transparency from the points of view of all types of users. On the other hand, some social services professionals are skeptical vis-à-vis the terminology projects because they fear unification and standardization of their professionalism and working procedures in connection with the introduction of new IT systems. And finally, a number of ethical issues have to be taken into consideration when deciding on terminology in the social services field. All in all, target group and communicative aspects become central to the effort.David Rosendahl Terminology consultant at the Danish National Board of Social ServicesThe Danish National Board of Social Services(“Socialstyrelsen”) is an independent subdivision of The Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration. The Board aims to promote new development and initiatives in social services while also supporting and counselling local authorities in providing services to citizens, i.e. children, young people, socially marginalised groups, elderly and disabled

INTERVIEW: Quick, Social and Collaborative - wiki-based user documentation at APC by Schneider Electric

In the software documentation department at APC by Schneider Electric in Kolding, Denmark, Technical Writer Pernille Bagger Nielsen writes user documentation for the software developed by the company. In cooperation with Localization Manager Stanislav Kalianov she reorganised the user documentation for publication as wiki-based documentation on the internet. The new platform supports their strategy of using agile and iterative, topic-based, collaborative writing when developing user documentation. Their experience will interest readers who consider introducing a similar new strategy

INTERVIEW: Knowledge and Terminology Management at Crisplant

Margrethe H. Møller interviews Lisbeth Kjeldgaard Almsten(translator/coauthor: Birthe Toft)“If you think that terminology work is simply a matter of buying terminology management software and getting started, you are in for trouble” At Crisplant, we have been doing terminology management for the past 20 years. Today, term bases are used not just for terminology-oriented term management. Recording other types of master data needed by all kinds of professionals in the enterprise is equally important. Within the past year, Crisplant has been acquired by the German BEUMER group, which means that the terminological resources of the two enterprises are in the process of being integrated. The challenges presented by this process demonstrate the importance of adhering to terminological principles when recording terminology resources, while at the same time reminding us what an essential discipline terminology management really is, in enterprise practice as well as in education. Lisbeth Kjeldgaard AlmstenProject Manager & Linguistic Coordinator at Crisplant.Lisbeth Kjeldgaard Almsten is dedicated to language technology, and she plays the role of coordinator vis-à-vis her colleagues in the BEUMER Group, who use the same language technology tools as the ones she works with