{14th STC India Annual Conference: Session} Minimalist Writing by Indumathi Sandirane

[STC India Conference]

Topic Details

Overview of the presentation/ workshop

Information is overloaded. All a user needs is a quick and efficient tool to do job quickly. Users read documentation when they want to know how to do something  or when something goes wrong.

Research shows people get disinterested with large texts. Hence, they generally skip large portions of texts, procedural steps, and sometimes notes too.

Hence derived is the concept of minimalist writing. Minimalist writing is a goal-based approach for technical documentation. The presentation answers the following aspects:

• What is minimalism?
• Why minimalism?
• How can we apply minimalism in technical documents?

Main aspects that will be discussed during the presentation/ workshop:

Minimalism: the concept
Minimalism is not just deleting content, it is writing few words with lot of value for the end-user. Minimalist writing focuses on user goals.

Benefits:
Minimalism enhances usability, content structure, content management, review, technical accuracy, consistency, and eases localization. Minimalism can be applied on textual content, illustration styles, and number of deliverables.

Implementation:

1. Analyze user goals. Understand user’s agenda and why they use the document.
2. Use task-oriented approach. Modular writing based on user goals, not by system interface.
3. Provide quick access to information. References, search functions, illustration styles using screen shots, videos, and workflows.
4. Write simple sentences. Simplified language, consistent, clear and concise. That is, read once and understand.
5. Test for usability.

Audience takeaway:

• Focus user goals
• Benefits of minimalist writing
• Introduce minimalism in the documents; case scenarios and examples

Speaker Details

I am an information developer in Alcatel-Lucent. I have an overall experience of four and half years in business analysis, human resources, and technical communication. I am also certified from The Writers Block.

Registrations

Registrations are now open for the 14th STC India Annual Conference. To register, please visit http://bit.ly/stcinconfreg

Thanks and Regards,

Program Committee