This week’s readings, chapter 12 from TCT as well as instructor’s blog 6, focus on the actual revision and editing process involved in the production of a professional technical document. This relates directly to our current project, in which we would like to create useful instructions based on a user-centered approach. From TCT, the editing process is broken down into several distinctive levels, namely revision, substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading. Each of these levels takes into regard a different aspect of the technical document. The author informs the audience that their usage is dependent on the writer’s time requirements and concerns.
For this project, I feel that I’ll have the appropriate time to examine my instructions at each of these levels, and thereby present my product in the most-polished, relevant manor possible. I think that I’ll spend the most time on the first level, involving the revision of the document as a whole. In completing this process, I’ll be able to make sure that my instructions are accomplishing exactly what I want them to accomplish, and in an overarching structure that I find suitable. This will involve really taking advantage of the user-centered approach, and asking myself questions based on my audience’s perspective. I really want to make sure, in tackling this “level”, that I’m meeting the user’s expectations.
In the instructor’s blog, the focus really shifts to the completion of a usability test. Such tests, completed after the initial editing process, will offer me the opportunity to obtain outside input. While I can guess what my audience is looking for, the completion of a usability test will allow me to actually get direct feedback, and without the dangers of actually releasing the document as a final draft. From the test options that are applicable, I think a survey usability test will work best for the analysis of the instructions. From this survey, I think I’ll be able to gather a good deal of important, related information that will assist me in farther editing (if need be). Hopefully if I miss anything during the initial editing process, these mistakes will be exposed here.
Overall, I plan on using the knowledge I’ve gained on document editing and revision to construct the best user-centered instructions possible. I think that this usability test will offer great feedback and that it will significantly improve my understanding of the user’s concerns and interests.
Specifics
Make sure you turn your discussion to specifics about how the readings can help us with our current project. The prompt requested making a case for why, in this case, the survey is the best bet and to describe in some detail the specifics of the usability test that will be produce. Jeremy and I focused the prompt in this direction so that students could use the reading response to begin drafting their usability tests.