UserAid

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Is It Time for a New Tool?

Every so often in the past, teams have moved from one publishing tool to another. Tools like WordPerfect, PageMaker, Ventura Publisher, and Interleaf lost popularity and were replaced by tools like FrameMaker and Word. Is it time for a new tool to replace both Word and FrameMaker?

With the move to XML, DITA, and other new standards, the entry cost for new tools is lower relative to established tools like Word and FrameMaker, since all tools need to invest to implement these new standards. New workflows are emerging in some cases, such as topic-based authoring and shared content, which give new tools a distinct advantage. The new tools can start with the new paradigm, rather than trying to migrate existing content and provide “backward” compatibility.

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Tools and Web Services for Consultants and Writing Teams

We often consider only the top marquee names when we select tools. Open-source tools and Web services provide valuable alternatives to many of the tools we use today. At the WritersUA conference in March 2009, I will be presenting with Mike McCallister about various tools you may not have considered.

Mike will review several open source tools, such as OpenOffice, LyX document processor, Scribus desktop publisher, lnkscape vector graphics, and The GIMP raster graphics. Then, I will discuss various tools and Web services that provide consultants and small writing teams with the capabilities of many larger corporations.

In this article, I thought I would summarize some of my favorite tools and how I use them. I’ve avoided the standard tools that most of us use, such as FrameMaker, Word, our favorite graphics tool, and our help authoring tool (HAT) of choice. Instead, I’ve focused on several cost-effective solutions that provide other services, such as version control, data backup, remote access, Webinar services, online collaboration, email aliases, email forwarding, and conference calling.

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Consolidating Content Delivers More with Less

Software products have found ways to share content and reuse content to deliver more value with limited resources. For example, fantasy football web sites share player news, injury reports, and game statistics. Security products often reuse security announcements and warnings from trusted sources, and present them as rebranded content. We are also seeing software vendors using Twitter and RSS feeds to distribute information and announcements. The next step is when these information feeds are integrated into the product user interface itself, making it the one stop resource for all the information needs of its users. No more need to use google when your product itself delivers the answers to all your questions from the sources you trust.

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Getting Stuck on the Words

Technical Communication focuses on developing and delivering clear, concise messages. These skills become second nature for many of us, but sometimes these skills lead to actions that cause us to be pigeon-holed and hinder our ability to expand our role and future.

A common complaint I hear from technical communicators is the lack of respect they receive from other teams and professions. As technical communicators, we need to work to improve our image and reputation. We have many valuable skills to contribute that can improve the bottom line for our products and services. Unfortunately, some of us get stuck on the words during a discussion rather than focusing on the overall message and goal.

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