A hierarchy of content needs
Some thoughts on how to evaluate a hierarchy of content needs as a foundation for content strategy.
Content management
Content management and localization – finding the right fit
A CMS can be a powerful addition to your content authoring and delivery workflow or your worst enemy in translation. Or both.
Strange bedfellows: InDesign and DITA
or, What you need to know before you start working on a DITA to InDesign project.
Will it blend? Content management software and localization companies
Vasont, TransPerfect, and Astoria. Really??
Are you ready to rumble for your content strategy?
If you can’t handle some rough-and-tumble adversity, you are not ready to manage the implementation of a new content strategy.
Light-weight authoring tools are taking over
The basic idea of structured content—separate storage of content and formatting—is changing production workflows and, increasingly, content creation tools. In FrameMaker 12, Adobe joins the party on the tech comm side.
How the “we-meeting” kills good tech comm
Does this sound familiar?
One reason for lack of accountability is the we-meeting. You know the one: “We need a new process for handling customer service issues.” Lots of discussion follows, but no clear direction is given, nor is any responsibility taken.
Bruce Clarke (The View from HR column) referencing consultant Kathleen Kelly
Avoiding buyer’s remorse: techcomm tools edition
Yes, you can call me overly cautious.
Before making a purchase, I will research the you-know-what out of the item. If it’s a big purchase, I’ll hire a professional to help me make my decision (particularly when it comes to real estate). I’d rather part with a bit more cash than get angry with myself later for a bad purchase.
The treachery of images: Top 10 tips for SVGs
Every image format has its promises, foibles, and shortcomings. We make up for those foibles and shortcomings by understanding how best to work with each format.
“No PDF for you!” The destructive power of arrogant thinking
I love it when an offhand remark on Twitter turns into a smart conversation.
The future of computer book publishing
Computer book publishers have always struggled to keep up with software releases. The rise of cloud-based software with incremental releases requires new thinking.
From toilets to techcomm: tallying tool risks
I’m about to replace an old toilet, not-so-affectionately nicknamed the Lazy River.
Webcast: The realities of ebook distribution
In this webcast recording, Alan Pringle discusses the challenges of ebook distribution and how Scriptorium has addressed them when selling EPUB and Kindle editions. Topics covered include:
- Formatting differences in ereader devices and apps
- Pricing
- Other lessons learned through painful experience
Five questions to ask before distributing content as HTML
HTML5! Mobile! Responsive design!
It’s easy to get distracted by sparkly buzzwords when you investigate distributing your technical content as HTML. Instead, focus on a few basic but essential questions:
Webcast: Ensuring success with your CCMS
In this webcast, guest presenter Chip Gettinger of SDL discusses key success factors for component content management systems.
Adapt or die: style guide edition
Being cognizant of your environment and adapting accordingly is a good survival technique for any being (as Darwin recognized), and it’s particularly true in the professional world. And that’s why I’m puzzled by how much time tech writers spend agonizing over style and word choices in tech comm forums, on Twitter, and elsewhere.
Counterfactual ExtendScript history
In the late ’50s, my mom worked for the library at a large Canadian university. One day the library received an official letter from the U.S.S.R. asking the library to please return the Soviet Union’s encyclopedia for “revisions.”
Mission: Impossible? Consistently good ebook formatting across devices
Your mission, should you decide to accept it: distribute content as ebooks.
The power of complexity in visual communication
One of the axioms of technical communication is to keep things simple. But sometimes, complex communication is the better alternative.
DITA for presentations, aka how to avoid PowerPoint
After a number of years using PowerPoint and OpenOffice/LibreOffice Impress to create slide decks, I’ve grown frustrated with the enforced separation of information in PowerPoint-like products.
Gone with the width: what’s the optimal length for a line of text?
When it comes to a line of text, how long is too long? And do the rules for text column width change when content is rendered on different devices?
Perils of DITA publishing, part 7: the displeasures of distributing ebooks
In which we uncover some unpleasant realities about distributing ebook editions.
Perils of DITA publishing, part 4: PDF acrobatics
In which we bend PDF publishing to our will. Eventually.
Stairway to Həll
We’ve been in our “new” offices in Durham for about a year now. Overall, I’m quite happy to be here, nice building, good restaurants for lunch, lock on the door to keep sales people out…all those things.
