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Document Version: 1.0

Copyright © 2015 by Sudhira Ranjan Subudhi

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Disclaimer: Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the organizations. Some images with usage rights as “Free to use, share or modify even commercially” have been used from Google Search and Bing Search.

Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 31

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About the author

Sudhir SubudhiLead Technical Writer

B.E in Information Technology

Certification in Management of Software Development

Sudhir Subudhi has an extensive experience in Technical Writing, Editing, Documentation Management, and Information Architecture. He is passionate about doing research in the fields of Agile Content, Information Experience, XML DITA, and Content through Social Media.

You can reach Sudhir Subudhi at:

Linkedin: http://in.linkedin.com/in/sudhirsubudhiSkype: sudhir.subudhiEmail: [email protected]: #SudhirSWritings


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Who should read this document Technical Writers

To learn what are the parameters to assess documentation deliveries for

delightful user experience, how to define these parameters, and how to

review the documentation deliveries by using UX Review Sheet and UX Score

Card.

Documentation Managers, Content Strategists, and other decision

makers

To learn how the use of UX Review Sheet and UX Score Card in projects can

help improve the user experience of documentation deliveries and bring

benefits to the company.

Companies and business stakeholders

To know how to adapt the UX assessment methods to documentation

services to remove the gap between the delivered content and the users’

wants. To know how to use UX Review Sheet and UX Score Card in companies

to align documentation deliveries with the requirements, preferences, and

desires of the users.


Low use of documentation deliveries by users

Product or service time span

Doc usage

ONLY EDITORIAL REVIEW IS NOT ENOUGH!

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ObjectiveTraditionally documentation departments across companies have adopted Editing as a process to evaluate and improve the documents they deliver. Through Editorial Review processes they ensure correct presentation, adherence to standards, simplicity, consistency, language and grammar, accessibility, and well organization of content.

Still, even after following these rules, organizations find their documentation is put aside by the users, and are increasingly achieving their objectives through alternative channels, thereby rendering the delivered documentation effectively useless. Although they understand the importance of documentation, they still struggle to achieve that goal.

While looking into this issue, scholars found that we deploy editorial review to enhance USABILITY of our documents. While we say Usability we try to produce documentation, so that the users CAN USE it. Although we apply all the means to fine-tune our online help and user guides to make these very effective, we don’t think whether the users are willing to use it at all! We don’t think whether they find it a trustworthy mean to follow! We don’t think whether they desire to use these as


What documentation we provide

What documentation the users really want

Gap

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a part of their lifestyle on their own! Thus creating a big gap between what we provide and what they really want.

To resolve this problem, we found, that if we deliver content, in right amount, at right time, in right way, and as per the desires and preferences of the user, then the users would like it, keep using it again and again, and experience it as awesome and cool! It’s a whole different world when we start thinking from users’ point of view.

Also, technical documentation is now not limited to user manuals and help files alone. It includes all forms of information or content delivered through all forms of delivery channels, to meet numerous business requirements. It’s time that we move from the normal Usability (USER CAN USE) approach to a futuristic Experience (USER WILL USE) approach to close the gap between the product or service and the user and to reap best return for our businesses.


System User

Usability User Experience

Product/Service/System/Solution

USERS CAN USE THE DOCUMENTS

USERS WILL USE THE DOCUMENTS

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We need to redefine the forms of content and deliver them as per the needs, desires and preferences of users so that they get a delightful experience. We need to devise additional tools, methods, dimensions and metrics to evaluate and improve our documents. These methods would ensure that the documents provide right content, in right amount, at right time, in right way, and as per the desires and preferences of the user.

So in addition to doing normal Editorial Review, we recommend performing UX Review of your documentation deliveries at certain time intervals.

Through this document, we bring forth a UX Score Card and UX Review Sheet that is well received by stakeholders, and which you can use in your organizations to evaluate and enhance the user experience of your documentation deliveries.


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Contents

What makes content amazing...................................................................9

dimensions of amazing content.............................................................11Spreading trust and brand perception.............................................................................11

Evaluate documentation by using UX Review Sheet....................13

Report review findings by using UX Score Card.............................15

Case Study: Evaluating documentation for a clinical diagnostic equipment................................................................................17

Background.................................................................................................................................. 17

Before and After.........................................................................................................................19


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What makes content amazing

Have you ever analyzed about how the users experience your content products or services? What’s their reaction or response after using the products? Let’s see some of the reactions of the users:

“You know what! This new video I saw on YouTube! Amazing! You got to see this! I will send you the link.”

“I just gave five star rating to that blog! Awesome one!”

There was this topic. Helped me setup my email app. Cool.”

Well! That’s User Experience (UX)! The users desire for it, have it again and again, and share it with others. For content industry it’s known as Information Experience (IX).

Information Experience (IX) = Information (or content) + User Experience (UX).

Which means …

Right content, in right amount, at right time, in right way, with the user preferences in mind… DELIVERED!

That’s when the users will find the content as amazing.

Who would like to open a shop of millions of dollars, getting no business! Who would like to post hundreds of blogs with no visitors around for years! Who would like to publish a series of videos that has no viewers!


Running for content! Running away from content!

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As the owner of a specific content, you would like the users to:

Like it, not hate it.

Share it, not abandon it.

Take it, not dump it.

Run for it, not run away from it.

Have you ever heard a comment, “Nobody reads a User Manual!” Is it true? May be, to some extent! Technical communications services have vastly grown. It’s not limited to user manuals and help files alone. It includes all forms of information or content delivered through all forms of delivery channels, to meet numerous business requirements.

It’s time that we move from the normal Usability (USER CAN DO) approach to a futuristic Experience (USER WILL DO) approach to close the gap between the product/service and the user and to reap best return for our business.


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dimensions of amazing content

Spreading trust and brand perceptionThe look, feel, tone, style, of every page and every interaction of the document should be professional and increase credibility. The content should be trustworthy. The users should be assured that they will be taken care of. The users should feel safe while using the document and its contents. The users should cite the use of document by other people to get social proof. The users should feel that they are in trend by using the document.

Example 1:

26 people have liked this review. 12 people have recommended this review to others.

Example 2:


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Web reference: http://www.yatra.com/?redirect=no&origin=US

On the left pane of the browser window, the “Why Book With Yatra” section provides statistics on awards, recognition, operational scale, and so on, to build trust. On the bottom of the left pane, the number of likes in the Facebook fans section provides social proof for the website.


Rating Scale: 1: The metric is not met.2: The metric is met very poorly.3: The metric is partially met.4: The metric is met.5: The metric is fully met or exceeded.

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Evaluate documentation by using UX Review Sheet

# Review Dimensions and metrics

Rating Notes/Comments

Linked Design Principle

Recommended Solution

1. Aligning with users’ objectivesThe documentation should be designed as per the thinking and usage patterns of the users. It should align with and encourage the users to meet their objectives by using it. It should also provide guided flows and interactions to meet the objectives.

1.01 The users can clearly see the tasks and align their objectives to complete the tasks.

1.02 The document persuades the user to follow and complete their tasks.

1.03 The document presents a set of related tasks appropriately to


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extend the experience.1.04 The guided task flows

effectively guide the users to meet their objectives.

1.05 The users complete their goals by using the document.

1.06 The document motivates and guides the user to take decisions on the goals.

1.07 The users take measurable actions for example adopts a plan, enrolls for a service.

2. Working effortlesslyThe users should be able to work with the documents effortlessly. Navigations such as browse and search and finding of information should be easy and fast. All the content items should be quantified, configured, and accessible through the navigational utilities. The information architecture should be minimal and effective.


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Report review findings by using UX Score Card

Here is a sample of the UX Score Card template. It:

Details the subject under assessment.

Shows overall rating.

Shows detailed break-up of rating with dimensions.

Refers filled-in UX Review Sheet for feedback received against metrics.


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UX Score Card Details of subject under assessment:


Company name <> Received date <>Point of contact <> Target date <>Document name <> Status <>

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Overall Rating: 2/5

Detailed break-up

Review dimension Rating Raised concernsAligning with users’ objectives

2/5 <n> comments

Working effortlessly 3/5 <n> comments

Comprehending easily 1/5 <n> comments

Exercising control and authority

2/5 <n> comments

Driving users’ feelings 1/5 <n> comments

Spreading trust and brand perception

1/5 <n> comments

Note: See the UX Review Sheet for the detailed comments.


Rating Scale:

1: No UX | 2: Poor UX | 3: Partial UX | 4: Meets UX | 5: Exceeds UX

Case Study: Evaluating documentation for a clinical diagnostic equipment

BackgroundClinical-Bio produces Clinical Diagnostic Equipment N2 (name changed). Clinical-Bio N2 is used in Remote Health Clinics, Small laboratories, Doctor’s offices, Field hospitals, Diagnostic clinics, and Emergency care centers.

N2 can do the chemical analysis or test of blood, serum, and plasma with high accuracy and report the findings.

Clinical-Bio N2 comes with a printed user manual and a CD containing training videos.

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Clinical Bio N2 is used by clinics and small laboratories in rural areas and small towns. The lab assistants operating the machine are pharmacists having low educational background and low learning curve. They prefer easy comprehensible documentation. They are motivated by trustworthy content. They have little social media presence.


Static user guide; no provision of personal discussions with experts

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Before and AfterBefore

UX Review comment on “Aligning with objectives” dimension:





1.06 The users complete their goals by using the document.

1/5 The user has some unresolved issues and wants to get it resolved through discussion with an expert.

Arrange a “Forum” session at the clinic on request or in a certain time interval. The Clinical Bio experts can moderate the sessions.


Can’t resolve an issue? Let us know in the “Forum at your clinic” session. You can also learn stories of similar issues raised by others earlier and how we resolved those.

Request for a forum at your clinic: +91-7894***305

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After


Hectic and cumbersome

repetitive process to access information

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Before


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UX Review comment on “Working effortlessly” dimension:





2.01 It's easy to find the content that I am looking for. It’s easy to follow the flows in the document.

1/5 The user finds it cumbersome to open “Sign-off” duties page in the User Manual every day to check the tasks at hand.

Create a wall print illustration “Sign-off duties at the end of each shift”, and paste it to the room wall.


1. Wipe off the work surfaces with 10% bleach solution, and then rinse the surfaces with water.

Sign-off duties at the end of each shift

2. Clean the lab and dispose all waste in sealed containers and put it for pick-up by the cleaning staff.

3. Check the records for availability of necessary items. Get the shortages from the supply department if required.

4. Inform all relevant information to the next-shift staff.

5. Exit the operations by dully signing out the attendance register.

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After


CAUTION: Blood is used as a measurement sample in Clinical Bio. Take note that it may be contaminated with pathogenic microbes and cause contagious diseases. Wear protective gloves whenever handling blood.

Takes time to comprehend

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Before

UX Review comment on “Comprehending easily” dimension:





3.06 The content can be easily read, understood, and followed.

2/5 It’s difficult to comprehend and remember all the caution messages. The messages appear as technical jargon.

Add a clear title to the messages. Simplify the message description. In the body of the message include images to show what should be done and what should not.


Wear protective globes

Caution Bare hands can cause blood contamination through pathogenic microbes. Wear protective gloves while handling blood.

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After


Single monolithic user guide with less

options, control, and information

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Before

UX Review comment on “Exercising control and authority” dimension:





4.01 The document is equipped with all the required content and utilities.

1/5 The critical information requirement areas are not evident upfront. Some information such as quality control procedures is not available at all. The user feels lost browsing the document.

Divide the monolithic user guide into small user guides each targeted for specific critical information requirement area. This would give a feeling that the users have the information at hand at the time of need.


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After


Doesn’t excite the user to browse the information

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Before

UX Review comment on “Driving users’ feelings” dimension:





5.01 The document design or layout is aesthetically pleasing.

1/5 The document and the content don’t excite the users to browse these further.

Create stories of incorrect actions performed by staff by use of an additional document rich in color and graphic.


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After


Preparing a whole blood sample

1. -----------------------------------------------------------------2. -------------------------------------

3. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------4. -------------------------

Appears automated

without personal touch

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Before

UX Review comment on “Spreading trust and brand perception” dimension:





6.10 The information is accurate and trust worthy. The users feel safe while using the document and its contents.

3/5 The procedure appears automated; without personal touch it makes hard to trust.

Add an opinion or advice from an expert with the procedure. It would reveal that the procedure is validated and entrusted by the expert.

After


Preparing a whole blood sample

1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2. -------------------------------------

3. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------4. -------------------------

Opinion/Advice: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Dr. Alex Foreman, Lab Administrator

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documentation management

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importance of documentation

use of ux review sheet

ux score card

information experience