Online Certificate Courses
Pricing
To obtain the certificate, participants must log in for each of the sessions. A discount is available for additional attendees from the same company. For these special prices please contact Lloyd Tucker.
- $595 Member / $995 Not Yet Member / $295 Student Member
- Note: Cost is transferable but is not refundable
Date
23 April-28 May
Writing Effective User Documentation
Presented by Sharon Burton
Overview
Developing user documentation is not simply documenting everything on the interface, nor is it documenting every task the user can possibly do with the product. And whatever we develop must ship on time and fit in the budget for the project.
Our users need content that supports them in their tasks and helps them understand, regardless of their level of experience with this product. Our management needs something that meets the deadlines, is within budget, and reduces customer support calls.
How do you develop good user documentation that meets all these (seemingly) conflicting needs? How do you make your boss happy and meet the information needs of your users? How can you do it and not go crazy? Can this even be done?
This six-week online class with Sharon Burton provides specific ways to meet all these needs and not make you crazy in the process. Learn what “good” user documentation is and how to create it, how to plan meeting deadlines and deliverables, and how to meet the cost requirements of your company.
Session Descriptions
Session 1
Tuesday, 23 April
10:30 AM-Noon EDT (GMT-4)
Good writing guidelines—what are they and how do we know?
Session 2
Tuesday, 30 April
10:30 AM-Noon EDT (GMT-4)
Identifying our audience—who are we developing content for and how do we know?
Session 3
Tuesday, 7 May
10:30 AM-Noon EDT (GMT-4)
Planning—what are we delivering, when and how? What will it cost? When should we bring in contractors?
Session 4
Tuesday, 14 May
10:30 AM-Noon EDT (GMT-4)
Writing for multiple audiences—when and how can we layer information for different audiences?
Session 5
Tuesday, 21 May
10:30 AM-Noon EDT (GMT-4)
Reviewing and delivering content—how to best manage reviews and deliver on time?
Session 6
Tuesday, 29 May
10:30 AM-Noon EDT (GMT-4)
Additional topics, including planning for localization and social media in tech comm.
Presenter Biography
Sharon Burton is a nationally recognized practitioner, business expert, teacher, and speaker in the field of technical communication. With almost 20 years of experience in the field, she has consulted with large and small companies to improve their product documentation and/or their documentation processes. Sharon has received many awards from organizations such as the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and Apex, including the designation of Associate Fellow from STC.
Before becoming product manager/product evangelist with Author-it, she held the same position at MadCap Software; prior to that she was technical publication manager at a large company in Southern California where she built a team of 13 writers. Prior to that position, Sharon owned and ran Anthrobytes Consulting for 10 years.
Sharon is also a PhD candidate in Cultural Anthropology and an adjunct professor in the engineering department at the University of California, Riverside, where she teaches technical communications to young engineers.. An occasional newspaper columnist, her articles on life in Southern California have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and the Inland Empire Weekly.
