JoAnn T. Hackos Pořadí knih (chronologicky)

Every complex product needs to be explained to its users, and technical writers, also known as technical communicators, are the ones who do that job. A growing field, technical writing requires multiple skills, including an understanding of technology, writing ability, and great people skills. Whether you're thinking of becoming a technical writer, just starting out, or you've been working for a while and feel the need to take your skills to the next level, <i>The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing</i> can help you be a successful technical writer and build a satisfying career. <b>Inside the Book</b> <b>Is This Job for Me?</b> What does it take to be a technical writer? <b>Building the Foundation: </b> What skills and tools do you need to get started? <b>The Best Laid Plans: </b> How do you create a schedule that won't make you go crazy? How do you manage different development processes, including Agile methodologies? <b>On the Job: </b> What does it take to walk into a job and be productive right away? <b>The Tech Writer's Toolkit: </b> How do you create style guides, indexes, templates and layouts? How do you manage localization and translation and all the other non-writing parts of the job? <b>I Love My Job: </b> How do you handle the ups and downs of being a technical writer? <b>Appendixes: </b> References to websites, books, and other resources to keep you learning. <i>The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing</i> builds on Van Laan's previous book, <i>The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing, </i> but is significantly rewritten, extended, and brought up to date. <b>About the Author</b> Krista Van Laan has worked in, managed, and built from the ground up multi-level Technical Publications and User Experience departments in telecommunications, consumer software and hardware, enterprise software and services, and Internet companies, both in the United States and internationally. She is co-author of <i>The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing.</i> Krista is currently the Director of User Experience at a Silicon Valley enterprise.

Hackos and Redish provide essential insights into user and task analysis, emphasizing practical advice throughout. The authors guide you in designing effective user interfaces by focusing on the critical initial step: understanding your users. Instead of simply asking users what they want, you’ll learn to observe their actual work processes, gaining insights into their true needs. JoAnn Hackos and Janice (Ginny) Redish, renowned experts in usable design, present a detailed, step-by-step approach to conducting user and task analysis. Key learnings include how interface designers leverage this analysis for successful designs, the importance of understanding users, their tasks, and environments, and strategies for effective site visits. You will discover how to select and train your analysis team, what observations to make, and which questions to ask or avoid. The book also covers how to document your findings for your development team, transform gathered information into design concepts, create paper prototypes, and conduct usability tests to validate your designs. Filled with examples of both successful and challenging designs across various products, this resource equips you with the tools to enhance user experience through informed design decisions.

This practical and authoritative guide is the first comprehensive resource dedicated to managing every phase of publication projects. It offers proven strategies and techniques for producing high-quality, user-friendly documentation while reducing costs and time-to-market. Dr. JoAnn T. Hackos, a leading consultant in documentation design and project management, shares insights from over 15 years of experience with major corporations like IBM and Hewlett-Packard. Readers will find clear guidelines for managing projects from planning and development through production, distribution, and evaluation. The book includes numerous templates, checklists, summaries, and forms, along with real-life case studies drawn from the author's extensive work in top companies. The techniques presented are applicable across various fields of documentation. This guide serves as a comprehensive resource for new managers and a practical tool for seasoned professionals. It is also invaluable for technical writers, editors, graphic designers, consultants, and anyone tasked with producing high-quality technical documentation on time and within budget. Dr. Hackos is the President of Comtech Services, Inc., and JoAnn Hackos & Associates, Inc., and has held leadership roles in professional organizations, frequently speaking on quality, usability, customer needs, and project management.