web 2.0
and its impact on technical
communication
presented by Scott Abel, The Content Wrangler, Inc.

scott abel
nightclub dj, investigative reporter, technical
writer, trouble-maker, entrepreneur, evangelist
Tampa, Amsterdam, Indianapolis, New York City, San Diego, Key West

advocate for change
technical writing skills are easy to duplicate;
user expectations are changing faster than we are
blogs, user-generated content, handhelds, virtual worlds, podcasts, geospatial positioning

what’s your difference?
Microsoft Word mastery does not adequately differentiate;
neither do good grammar, correct punctuation, nor smooth segues

future-proof career
highly sought after skills, easily transferable to other areas of business;
skills must provide positive impact throughout your organization

in demand skills
information architecture, interaction design, modular content creation,
localization and translation, document design, standards knowledge

document engineer
documents were only interfaces for people;
documents are now interfaces to business services and processes

changing expectations
look outside of technical communication for examples;
user expectations are changing MUCH faster than we are

mobile devices
portable, powerful, and personalized;
handheld devices have changed user expectations

web 2.0
leverages the internet as an operating system to
deliver service; helps users “do stuff”

playable search
allows users to find and play multimedia
content from within a web browser

seeqpod
helps you find and listen to music almost
instantaneously; it also works for videos

jott
helps you remember what you don’t want to forget;
audio in, text out

tape failure
no more guessing what website users like;
watch them use your site and make
changes based on real user experiences

tagging
tagging helps us stay organized;
sharing tags helps us help others quickly;
what we tag can help improve documentation

QuickTimeﾪ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
mashups
looking at content from all angles helps us make
meaningful decisions; combining content makes
content accessible in meaningful ways

Exhibit
mashup that allows users to sort, filter, and visualize
content in various ways without a database

web 2.0
syndication allows users to remix content;
structured content makes it possible

yahoo! pipes
syndication allows users to remix content;
structured content makes it possible

really simple syndication
an XML standard;
provides structure and semantic value to content

publish/subscribe
extends the reach of content;
users reuse content in unlimited ways

publish
write it once and let go of control;
content is both human and machine readable

subscribe
services provide relevant information,
delivered how, when, and where users want it

hosted software
online office applications are exploding in
popularity; open standards and ease of use drive
adoption; offline access now available

XML word processors
97% of the world uses MS Word;
XML word processors provide familiar interface

blogs
two new blogs are created
every second of every day

wikis
web-based collaboration tools that support user-
generated content; users can consume, create, correct,
corrupt, and cut content

wiki tools
there are many available (free to expensive)

wikis for
documentation?
wikis are being used to create documentation;
there’s even a wiki based on DITA

podcasts
anyone can create bad audio faster than ever!

user-generated
content
users are creating their own documentation
whether you want them to or not; they don’t
need or seek your permission

video documentation
user expectations are changing; are you?
QuickTimeﾪ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

they’re doing it, now
video jug, expert village, sclipo, 5min, viewdo,
teacher tube, youtube howto

social networks
network effects; users share with one another
in uncensored online communities

for additional information
contact Scott Abel at TheContentWrangler.com
317.466.1840 scottabel [at] mac [dot] com

Web 2.0 sites of interest
Save time. Arrange meetings in a snap --> www.meetingwizard.com
Create “to do” lists with your cell phone --> www.jott.com
Provide differing views of your content --> www.simile.mit.edu
www.pandora.com
Create/share personalized radio station -->
www.slideshare.net
Find/rate/reuse slide show presentations -->
www.confabb.com
Find a conference; rate events/speakers -->
www.del.icio.us
Tag content so you/others can find it later -->
www.structuredblogging.org
Create structured content using a blog --> www.microformats.org
Standards for popular content types --> www.edgio.com
Syndicate classifieds from your blog --> www.pipes.yahoo.com
Mashup RSS feeds and create new ones --> www.docs.google.com
Collaborate on spreadsheets/documents --> www.plazes.com
Tell others where you are/find others --> www.twitter.com
Tell others what you’re doing right now --> www.tapefailure.com
Watch videos of how users use your site -->