Conducting a Successful User Needs Analysis

    

Summary:
This workshop addresses the techniques used in conducting a documentation user needs analysis. Concepts such as task analysis and the relationship between document type and navigation habits are examined through case studies and discussion of the participants' own documentation challenges. The central theme in the program is the answer to this question: How are the techniques offered during the day likely to change your documentation?

Duration:
1 Day/Lecture & Lab

Audience:
This course is designed for technical writers and managers who produce technical documentation. Technical Editors, and leaders of documentation teams will also benefit.

Topics:

• Shattering the myth of the literary model for user habits
• Criteria for defining an audience
• Guidelines for surveys versus user interviews
• Strategies for interpreting user information never ask, "What would you like in the document?!"
• Translating user needs into document structure paper versus online
• Options for user navigation through a document
• Influence of media on design, based on user habits
• Functional categories of the audience as determined by task analysis
• User needs and document content ensuring the appropriate level of technical information
• Criteria for testing documents according to user habits

Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for this course.

Last Update: February 11, 2012