Instructor: Vickidiane Muzika CM241: Foundations of Technical Communications I will turn on our audio in a few minutes. Take this opportunity to review your audio settings. Pre-Seminar Stretch Visit the Unit 7 Discussion Board and review your peers’ initial posts. Which document design elements did they use that you would like to adapt for your Final Project? Instructor: Vickidiane Muzika CM241: Foundations of Technical Communications Pre-Seminar Stretch Visit the Unit 7 Discussion Board and review your peers’ initial posts. Which document design elements did they use that you would like to adapt for your Final Project? Instructor: Vickidiane Muzika Unit 8: Usability Agenda Define usability Discuss features of usable technical communications Practice selecting appropriate users for usability testing Review the requirements of the Final Project What is usability? Usability is “the degree to which something…is easy to use and a good fit for the people who use it” (Usability Professionals’ Association, n.d.) Usable communications are: Martinez, D., Peterson, T., Wells, C., Hannigan, C., & Stevenson, C. (2011). Kaplan technical writing: a resource for technical writers at all levels. New York: Kaplan Publishing. EffectiveThey allow for accuracy, especially when completing tasksEfficientThey allow for relatively quick completionEngagingThey are appealing, primarily through visual designError tolerantThey are reliable, with reduced user-error potentialEasy to learnThey are intuitive, allowing for easy assimilation of skills and/or knowledge Selecting usability testersPossible usability testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceYour classmatesFriends or family members who have been helping you brainstorm throughout the termPeople with no knowledge of your topicExperts on your topic Selecting usability testersPossible usability testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complete this process later, the draft could lead to confusion or frustration at “double” workYour classmatesFriends or family members who have been helping you brainstorm throughout the termPeople with no knowledge of your topicExperts on your topic Selecting usability testersPossible usability testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complete this process later, the draft could lead to confusion or frustration at “double” workYour classmatesThey know the requirements of the assignment and are now practiced technical communicatorsThey may have too much background knowledge of your projectFriends or family members who have been helping you brainstorm throughout the termPeople with no knowledge of your topicExperts on your topic Selecting usability testersPossible usability testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complet.

1. Instructor: Vickidiane Muzika
CM241: Foundations of Technical Communications
I will turn on our audio in a few minutes. Take this opportunity
to review your audio settings.
Pre-Seminar Stretch
Visit the Unit 7 Discussion Board and review your peers’
initial posts. Which document design elements did they use that
you would like to adapt for your Final Project?
Instructor: Vickidiane Muzika
CM241: Foundations of Technical Communications
Pre-Seminar Stretch
Visit the Unit 7 Discussion Board and review your peers’
initial posts. Which document design elements did they use that
you would like to adapt for your Final Project?
Instructor: Vickidiane Muzika
Unit 8: Usability

2. Agenda
Define usability
Discuss features of usable technical communications
Practice selecting appropriate users for usability testing
Review the requirements of the Final Project
What is usability?
Usability is “the degree to which something…is easy to use and
a good fit for the people who use it” (Usability Professionals’
Association, n.d.)
Usable communications are:
Martinez, D., Peterson, T., Wells, C., Hannigan, C., &
Stevenson, C. (2011). Kaplan technical writing: a resource for
technical writers at all levels. New York: Kaplan Publishing.
EffectiveThey allow for accuracy, especially when completing
tasksEfficientThey allow for relatively quick
completionEngagingThey are appealing, primarily through
visual designError tolerantThey are reliable, with reduced user-
error potentialEasy to learnThey are intuitive, allowing for easy
assimilation of skills and/or knowledge

3. Selecting usability testersPossible usability
testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceYour
classmatesFriends or family members who have been helping
you brainstorm throughout the termPeople with no knowledge of
your topicExperts on your topic
Selecting usability testersPossible usability
testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey
have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complete
this process later, the draft could lead to confusion or
frustration at “double” workYour classmatesFriends or family
members who have been helping you brainstorm throughout the
termPeople with no knowledge of your topicExperts on your
topic
Selecting usability testersPossible usability
testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey
have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complete
this process later, the draft could lead to confusion or
frustration at “double” workYour classmatesThey know the
requirements of the assignment and are now practiced technical
communicatorsThey may have too much background knowledge
of your projectFriends or family members who have been
helping you brainstorm throughout the termPeople with no
knowledge of your topicExperts on your topic
Selecting usability testersPossible usability
testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey
have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complete
this process later, the draft could lead to confusion or
frustration at “double” workYour classmatesThey know the
requirements of the assignment and are now practiced technical
communicatorsThey may have too much background knowledge

4. of your projectFriends or family members who have been
helping you brainstorm throughout the termThey can offer
“tough love” criticismThey may have too much background
knowledge of your projectPeople with no knowledge of your
topicExperts on your topic
Selecting usability testersPossible usability
testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey
have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complete
this process later, the draft could lead to confusion or
frustration at “double” workYour classmatesThey know the
requirements of the assignment and are now practiced technical
communicatorsThey may have too much background knowledge
of your projectFriends or family members who have been
helping you brainstorm throughout the termThey can offer
“tough love” criticismThey may have too much background
knowledge of your projectPeople with no knowledge of your
topicThey can be a fresh set of eyesThey lack the base
knowledge of your audienceExperts on your topic
Selecting usability testersPossible usability
testersBenefitsDrawbacksMembers of your target audienceThey
have the same knowledge as your usersIf they have to complete
this process later, the draft could lead to confusion or
frustration at “double” workYour classmatesThey know the
requirements of the assignment and are now practiced technical
communicatorsThey may have too much background knowledge
of your projectFriends or family members who have been
helping you brainstorm throughout the termThey can offer
“tough love” criticismThey may have too much background
knowledge of your projectPeople with no knowledge of your
topicThey can be a fresh set of eyesThey lack the base
knowledge of your audienceExperts on your topicThey may
identify areas you overlookedThey may not have time to

5. respond
Selecting usability testersTutorial topicPossible testersTurning
a walk-in closet into a baby nurseryCreating and maintaining a
sourdough cultureRunning from couch to 5K in 4
weeksConducting a teaching session for medical students on
rounds
Selecting usability testersTutorial topicPossible testersTurning
a walk-in closet into a baby nurseryPregnant women/expectant
couples, people who have recently had children, interior
decorators, landlordsCreating and maintaining a sourdough
cultureRunning from couch to 5K in 4 weeksConducting a
teaching session for medical students on rounds
Selecting usability testersTutorial topicPossible testersTurning
a walk-in closet into a baby nurseryPregnant women/expectant
couples, people who have recently had children, interior
decorators, landlordsCreating and maintaining a sourdough
cultureExperienced bakers, novice bakers, cooking instructors,
chemistsRunning from couch to 5K in 4 weeksConducting a
teaching session for medical students on rounds
Selecting usability testersTutorial topicPossible testersTurning
a walk-in closet into a baby nurseryPregnant women/expectant
couples, people who have recently had children, interior
decorators, landlordsCreating and maintaining a sourdough
cultureExperienced bakers, novice bakers, cooking instructors,
chemistsRunning from couch to 5K in 4 weeksExperienced
runners, novice runners, running coaches, physical trainers,
nutritionists, sports-medicine physicians, orthopedic
surgeonsConducting a teaching session for medical students on

6. rounds
Selecting usability testersTutorial topicPossible testersTurning
a walk-in closet into a baby nurseryPregnant women/expectant
couples, people who have recently had children, interior
decorators, landlordsCreating and maintaining a sourdough
cultureExperienced bakers, novice bakers, cooking instructors,
chemistsRunning from couch to 5K in 4 weeksExperienced
runners, novice runners, running coaches, physical trainers,
nutritionists, sports-medicine physicians, orthopedic
surgeonsConducting a teaching session for medical students on
roundsNew medical students, 3rd and 4th year medical students,
residents, attendings, director of residency program, patients at
teaching hospitals
When can/should you conduct usability testing?
When can/should you conduct usability testing?
Before you write
Halfway through writing
Prior to release
Unit 9 Final Project
Create a tutorial describing how to complete a task or process
Identify a specific audience requiring in-depth instruction in the
topic of the tutorial and address your tutorial to that audience
Follow this superstructure:
Title
Introduction: 1-2 paragraphs providing background and context
Necessary Tools and Materials
Process
Conclusion

7. References (if tutorial includes words, ideas, or graphics from
outside sources)
Requirements
Unit 9 Final Project
Use a formal tone reflecting a professional perspective
Use consistent and thoughtful document design principles
(fonts, colors, headings, white-space, etc.)
Incorporate at least two visuals to support the text of your
tutorial (screenshots, photos, charts, diagrams, tables, etc.)
Either include or mark the point at which you would include the
digital media component of your project
Requirements
Questions?
Stick around after seminar
Post your Questions to “Course Questions”
E-mail me at [email protected]