A presentation about what we look for from documentation to help us in support to help customers.

1. What do Technical Support want from Technical
Communicators
Lee Mullin
Premium Support Specialist - Autodesk
© 2011 Autodesk

2. About Me – Lee Mullin
 Autodesk support for over 7 years
© 2011 Autodesk

3. About Me – Lee Mullin
 Autodesk support for over 7 years
 Autodesk blogger
© 2011 Autodesk

4. About Me – Lee Mullin
 Autodesk support for over 7 years
 Autodesk blogger
 Live in Sheffield, UK
© 2011 Autodesk

5. About Me – Lee Mullin
 Autodesk support for over 7 years
 Autodesk blogger
 Live in Sheffield, UK
 Hobbies
 Walking
© 2011 Autodesk

6. About Me – Lee Mullin
 Autodesk support for over 7 years
 Autodesk blogger
 Live in Sheffield, UK
 Hobbies
 Walking
 Watching sports
© 2011 Autodesk

7. About Me – Lee Mullin
 Autodesk support for over 7 years
 Autodesk blogger
 Live in Sheffield, UK
 Hobbies
 Walking
 Watching sports
 Live music
© 2011 Autodesk

8. Who do we speak to in support?
© 2011 Autodesk

9. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
© 2011 Autodesk

10. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
 Angry customers
© 2011 Autodesk

11. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
 Angry customers
 Big customers
© 2011 Autodesk

12. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
 Angry customers
 Big customers
 Small customers
© 2011 Autodesk

13. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
 Angry customers
 Big customers
 Small customers
 Internal customers
© 2011 Autodesk

14. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
 Angry customers
 Big customers
 Small customers
 Internal customers
 External customers
© 2011 Autodesk

15. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
 Angry customers
 Big customers
 Small customers
 Internal customers
 External customers
 Intelligent customers
© 2011 Autodesk

16. Who do we speak to?
 Calm customers
 Angry customers
 Big customers
 Small customers
 Internal customers
 External customers
 Intelligent customers
 And less intelligent
© 2011 Autodesk

17. What do customers want?
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18. What do customers want?
 Answers
 Fixes
 FAST
© 2011 Autodesk

19. Why do they want answers?
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20. Why do they want answers?
 They can’t find the answer easily
© 2011 Autodesk

21. Why do they want answers?
 They can’t be bothered looking for an answer
© 2011 Autodesk

22. Why do they want answers?
The answer isn’t available
© 2011 Autodesk

23. How do we get answers?
© 2011 Autodesk

24. How do we get answers?
 Use a variety of resources
 Using the product
© 2011 Autodesk

25. How do we get answers?
 Use a variety of resources
 Using the product
 Help documentation
© 2011 Autodesk

26. How do we get answers?
 Use a variety of resources
 Using the product
 Help documentation
 Bug tracking systems
© 2011 Autodesk

27. How do we get answers?
 Use a variety of resources
 Using the product
 Help documentation
 Bug tracking systems
 White papers
© 2011 Autodesk

28. How do we get answers?
 Use a variety of resources
 Using the product
 Help documentation
 Bug tracking systems
 White papers
 Google!
© 2011 Autodesk

29. What do we want from Help Files?
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30. What do we want from Help Files?
 Reliable
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31. What do we want from Help Files?
 Reliable
 Up to Date
© 2011 Autodesk

32. What do we want from Help Files?
 Reliable
 Up to Date
 Searchable
 Lots of keywords, across geo’s
© 2011 Autodesk

33. What do we want from Help Files?
 Reliable
 Up to Date
 Searchable
 Lots of keywords, across geo’s
 Reusable
 For blogs, technical solutions…
© 2011 Autodesk

34. What do we want from Help Files?
 Reliable
 Up to Date
 Searchable
 Lots of keywords, across geo’s
 Reusable
 For blogs, technical solutions…
 Simple linking
© 2011 Autodesk

35. What do we want from Help Files?
 Reliable
 Up to Date
 Searchable
 Lots of keywords, across geo’s
 Reusable
 For blogs, technical solutions…
 Simple linking
 Helping the customer to fish
© 2011 Autodesk

36. Be aware of the range of environments
Terminology Varies
Buildings
Factory
Ships
machinery
NAVISWORKS
Cars Planes
Oil Rigs
© 2011 Autodesk

37. What do we want from wikis?
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38. What do we want from wikis?
 Ability to change or correct it
 You’re not alone!
© 2011 Autodesk

39. What do we want from wikis?
 Ability to change or correct it
 You’re not alone!
 Feed back into the product
© 2011 Autodesk

40. What do we want from wikis?
 Ability to change or correct it
 You’re not alone!
 Feed back into the product
 Check statistics
 Search results
 Page hits
 Where from?
© 2011 Autodesk

41. What do we want from wikis?
 Ability to change or correct it
 You’re not alone!
 Feed back into the product
 Check statistics
 Search results
 Page hits
 Where from?
 Get meaningful feedback
 Add comment forms
 Add surveys
© 2011 Autodesk

42. What do we want for international users?
© 2011 Autodesk

43. What do we want for international users?
 Translated help files, technical translation
© 2011 Autodesk

44. What do we want for international users?
 Translated help files, technical translation
 Access to translations
 Include regional issues
© 2011 Autodesk

45. What do we want from tooltips?
© 2011 Autodesk

46. What do we want from tooltips?
 The how to rather than why
 Images
 Videos
 Internationally understandable
 Symbols or translations
© 2011 Autodesk

47. What do we want from videos?
© 2011 Autodesk

48. What do we want from videos?
 We want to use them!
 We want to explain concepts
 We want to put things in context
© 2011 Autodesk

49. What do we want from videos?
 We want to use them!
 We want to explain concepts
 We want to put things in context
 Need to be accessible to all
© 2011 Autodesk

50. What do we want from videos?
 We want to use them!
 We want to explain concepts
 We want to put things in context
 Need to be accessible to all
 Create playlists for workflows
 Perfect for installation and setup!
 Most popular page in support!
© 2011 Autodesk

51. What do we want from your extra knowledge?
© 2011 Autodesk

52. What do we want from your extra knowledge?
 You have lots of information
 Doesn’t have to be formally presented or perfect…
just accessible!
 Wikis
 Specifications
 Tech notes
 Known Issues
 Searchable
© 2011 Autodesk

53. What do we want to do?
© 2011 Autodesk

54. What do we want to do?
 Do we have the answer?
 Can they find the answer?
 Can we find the answer?
 Can we send them the answer?
 We want to avoid this
 And more of this
© 2011 Autodesk

55. Me!
Personal Twitter ramblings @leeroyb
Work Twitter ramblings @navisworks
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/lrmullin
blogs.autodesk.com/beyonddesign
lee.mullin@autodesk.com
© 2011 Autodesk

56. The end!
© 2011 Autodesk