Great guidelines for user interface design do not change overnight. They withstand the test of time. In an industry like ours, that is a rare thing. However, if you plunk down the pesos for a book on user interface guidelines, your investment will not go<br> <br> Great guidelines for user interface design do not change overnight. They withstand the test of time. In an industry like ours, that is a rare thing. However, if you plunk down the pesos for a book on user interface guidelines, your investment will not go out-of-date in three months. <br> <br> Follow guidelines from companies who have already invested millions in usability testing. The list includes books and web links.<br> <br> <b>Windows</b><br> <br> The Windows Interface Guidelines for Software Design [Microsoft, 1995]. <br> <br> <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnanchor/html/anch_uidesigndev.asp">Microsoft user interface guidelines</a><br> <br> <b>Macintosh</b><br> <br> Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines [Apple Computer, Inc. 1993]<br> <br> <a href="http://developer.apple.com/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/OSXHIGuidelines/index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20000957">Macintosh user interface guidelines</a><br> <br> <b>Other platforms, cross-platform</b><br> <br> Java Look and Feel Design Guidelines [Sun Microsystems, 1999].<br> <br> DSF/Motif Style Guide: Rev 1.2 [OSF, 1993].<br> <br> Design Guide for Multiplatform Graphical User Interfaces [McFarland and Dayton, 1995].<p><div class="blogdisclaim"><a href="http://www.epictrends.com//usability-technical-writing-copywriting-multimedia/200505.shtml#0502">This post originally appeared on an external website</a></div>
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What to think about before you hire a technical writer . . .
Hiring a technical writer or proofreader can save you time before a product release. Good product documentation has many benefits, the most important being that you will have fewer support calls and better sales.<br> <br> Your least expensive option is to write your documents yourself and hire a proofreader. Cheap online proofreading services do not produce consistent quality. If you hire a writer with a background in hardware and software, you will spend more money and wait a little longer, but you will get better quality service and documentation.<br> <br> <a href="http://www.epictrends.com/resources/technical-writing/hiringtechnicalwriter.shtml">Outsourcing your documentation</a><p><div class="blogdisclaim"><a href="http://www.epictrends.com//usability-technical-writing-copywriting-multimedia/200505.shtml#0504">This post originally appeared on an external website</a></div>
Quadralay Launches WebWorks ePublisher Pro<br> <br> Quadralay Corporation announces the launch of WebWorks ePublisher Pro. <br> The new desktop ePublishing software leverages XML and allows users to <br> create customized content for the Web, intranets, professional online <br> Help systems, portable devices, enterprise-ready XML, or PDFs. WebWorks <br> ePublisher Pro provides greater flexibility and ease of use for Help <br> authors, technical writers, documentation professionals, and other <br> content providers wanting to produce content for common online formats <br> directly from Microsoft Word or Adobe FrameMaker files. Authors can use Microsoft Word to write, maintain, <br> and update content, then use ePublisher Pro to manage and deliver <br> multiple online formats such as HTML, XHTML, DHTML, or the <br> cross-browser, cross-platform information system WebWorks Help. WebWorks <br> ePublisher Pro includes support for more than 45 languages, including <br> out-of-the-box support for double-byte languages. WebWorks ePublisher <br> Pro for Word ships in June 2005, and is available for purchase by <br> authors for US$1,000, and internationally for US$1,100. WebWorks <br> ePublisher Pro for FrameMaker ships in July 2005, and is available for <br> purchase by authors for US$1,395, and internationally for US$1,515. <br> <br> <a href="http://www.webworks.com">http://www.webworks.com</a><p><div class="blogdisclaim"><a href="http://www.epictrends.com//usability-technical-writing-copywriting-multimedia/200505.shtml#0512a">This post originally appeared on an external website</a></div>
If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem. Also please exercise your best judgment when posting in the forums--revealing personal information such as your e-mail address, telephone number, and address is not recommended.
Ace your user assistance for software: technical writing, copywriting, HTML Help, usability, and multimedia - by Epic Trends