The "plan" is a blueprint for a communication product, and a record of the
reasoning underlying the design choices.
| Activity |
Description |
Checklist |
| Research |
Analyzing the needs is a research phase. Before you can
knowledgeably consider the needs, you need a basic familiarity with the topic of the
communication product. As part of that research, you should learn about the subject and
the industry that surrounds it (for example, if you're researching a new product, you'll
want to learn about the technology underlying it and the competition). Don't solely rely
on internal information; it reflects the bias of the company. Also check outside
sources, such as design plans, market research, and trade publications.
You also need to interview key participants in the project. To have conducted a minimal
analysis, you should interview a minimum of 3 people, each representing a different point
of view:
- The executive sponsor (the person who can either authorize or stop payment for the
project)
- The subject matter expert
- Potential user
In most instances, you should interview a significantly larger number of people, but if
you have not interviewed at least one person from each of the three perspectives listed
above, you will not have a sufficiently complete foundation on which to base design
decisions. |
- Learn about the technology:
- Through interviews?
- Through outside and Internet-based texts?
- Through trade press?
- From interviews?
- Learn about the product or service that you will be writing about:
- From prototypes?
- From written specifications?
- From marketing dossiers?
- From other internal documents?
- By trying predecessor or competitive products?
- Learn about similar efforts from competitors? Earlier efforts from the sponsoring
organization:
- From the trade press (both in print and on the Internet)?
- By visiting retail outlets and trade shows?
- Interview:
- Executive sponsor?
- Subject matter expert?
- Potential users?
|
| Restate the Request |
Using the sponsor's own words, restate the request given to
you. Although, as a result of your needs analysis, you might later choose to suggest that
the sponsor reframe the request, restating the request allows you to "hear" the
sponsor now, and use this request as a springboard for proposing your solution. |
Restate the request as follows (replace words in bold-italic
type with the exact words stated by your sponsor):
I have been asked by sponsor name to write name of the project,
using the sponsor’s words. Sponsor name also requested list
of additional requests, such as a drop-dead deadline or a specific request for online
help.
|
| State the Business Need |
State why the business wants to invest resources in
developing this communication product. Ideally, the communication product would:
- Contribute to revenues (either directly--such as through sales, or indirectly--by
encouraging prospective customers to consider reading further)
- Contain expenses (that is, reduce the cost of supporting a product, or make users more
self sufficient or efficient)
- Comply with a corporate, industry, or government regulation (such as occupational safety
and health laws)
|
State only one business need.
Note: If you think you have two, prioritize them and only state the
one with the top priority.
|
| Describe Scenarios of Use |
Describe the most common situations that drive users to use
this product and the information supporting it. Specifically, describe the following:
- The real-world challenge driving users to seek additional information, such as an
immediate problem they cannot resolve or a new product they do not know how to use
- The type of user who would be in that situation
- The goal the user wants to achieve in this situation
- The user's state of mind in the situation (for example, users who seek information to
resolve an outstanding problem are most likely in a sour state, while users who seek
information about a new product are probably enthusiastic (or, at the least, in a more
positive frame of mind than the user with a problem)
- Environment of use (such as the availability of computers and the Internet to users,
work environment (noisy, full of interruptions, and other critical issues)
Because no single situation drives all users to the information, you might write write
several scenarios. |
For every scenario that you write, make sure that you have
included each of the following:
- Real world challenge
- Type of user
- Goal
- User's state of mind
- Environment of use
|
| Identify Tasks Users Must Perform to Achieve their Goals |
For each scenario:
- Describe one or more possible sequences of key tasks that users might perform to
accomplish the goal stated in the scenario (you'll probably have between 5 and 10 tasks
for each possible sequence)
- Begin each task with an observable action
- List only 1 item per task
- For each of the tasks listed in each sequence, list any supporting tasks needed to
successfully complete the main tasks.
- Continue doing this for each supporting task until you identify the tasks that users
should already know how to perform.
- Identify the one or two sequences of key tasks are most likely to result in success
quickly.
Because some tasks are extremely task, you might have several tiers of tasks. |
Use this format: Goal
- Main task
- Supporting task
- Supporting task
- Supporting task
- Supporting task
- Main task
- Supporting task
- Supporting task
- Main task
- Supporting task
- Supporting task
- Supporting task
|
| Users |
Describes the intended users of the proposed communication
product in these ways:
- Key user groups (if more than one)
- Demographics: job titles, experience, previous knowledge, and motivation for using the
information (must use it, should use it, or nice-to-know)
- Character sketches for 2 or 3 typical users in that category (narratives that describe
these people as individuals; choose at least one user who represents the
"average" user; one who represents the type of user who will have the easiest
time with the task (explain why); and another who represents the type of user who will
have the most difficulty (explain why)
|
- Key group of users
- Demographics
- Two or three character sketches
- Key group of users
- Demographics
- Two or three character sketches
- Repeat for each key group of users
|
| Project Constraints |
Identifies constraints on the project:
- Schedule (such as a "drop-dead" date that must be met and any key intermediate
deadlines)
- Budget (such as a "not to exceed" cost)
- Staff (people who must work on the project)
- Quality (quality standards and other issues that the proposed communication product must
conform to)
- Examples of communication products preferred (and not preferred) by the intended client
- Corporate culture
- Project history (such as previous experience of managing projects within scope and
budget)
|
Include:
- Schedule
- Budget
- Staff
- Quality
- Examples of communication products preferred (and not preferred)
- Corporate culture
- Project history
|
| Activity |
Description |
Checklist |
| State Objectives |
Stated in observable and measurable terms.
For more information about how to write objectives, read How
to Write Objectives.
|
Format of an objective:
| ____________ |
____________ |
____________ |
| Behavior (observable, and measurable) |
Conditions (what assistance is available when users perform
the task) |
Level of acceptable performance (unless stated otherwise,
assumed to be 100 percent) |
|
| |
Business objective: How the technical
communication product will contribute to revenue, contain expenses, or comply with
regulations.
For more information about business objectives, read Writing
Business Objectives: A Key Tool for Demonstrating the Value of Technical Communication
Products.
|
- Only write one business objective per communication product.
- To write the business objective:
- Copy the business need. It should already be written in observable and measurable terms.
- Add conditions of performance.
- List the level of acceptable performance (if possible).
|
| |
Content objectives: State the main and
supporting tasks (identified in the previous phase) in observable, measurable terms along
with the conditions of performance and levels of acceptable performance. |
To write content objectives:
-
- Copy the tasks. Each main task becomes a main objective and each supporting task becomes
a supporting objective. They should already be written in observable and measurable terms.
- Add conditions of performance.
- List the level of acceptable performance (if possible).
Note: The lists of tasks and objectives should be nearly identical. |
| Plan for Evaluation |
Explains how the project team will be able to recognize
whether the objectives have been achieved. Identifies one or more of the following:
- User satisfaction (include a sample of a user satisfaction survey)
- User performance (include usability scenarios or another form of evaluation for each of
the main content objectives)
- Client performance (identify the business measure that will be tracked to determine
whether the business objective has been achieved)
For more information about business objectives, read Demonstrating the
Effectiveness and Value of Technical Communication Products and Services: A Four-Level
Process.
|
- User satisfaction: survey (click here to
see a sample)
- User performance:
- Tutorial: a criterion-referenced test
- Otherwise: a usability scenario (click here to see a
sample)
- Client performance: identify the business measure
|
| Prepare an Interim Report for the Sponsor's Review |
Prepare a report for the sponsor's review. The report should
contain these sections:
- Cover letter that has 3 paragraphs: (1) re-state the request (as recorded earlier) and
stating that the report of the Needs Analysis follows, (2) describe the type of
information (but not the details) in the Report, and (3) tell the sponsor how to reach you
and thank the sponsor for this opportunity.
- Executive summary
- Needs Analysis (restate the request, describe the research that you performed, list
scenarios, list tasks, describe users and state project constraints)
- Goals (list the business and content objectives, provide a draft of a user satisfaction
form, drafts of usability scenarios for each main task, and measurements of client
performance)
For some thoughts about the importance of setting goals for you and your sponsor, click here
(opens a new window).
|
- Cover letter in proper format
- Executive summary
- Needs Analysis
- Restate the request
- Business need
- Scenarios
- Tasks
- Users
- Project constraints
- Goals
- Objectives (business, then content)
- Evaluation (draft of satisfaction form, usability scenario or test, and identification
of business measure to track)
|
| Activity |
Description |
Checklist |
| Identify the Nature of the Performance Problem |
Given the issues raised in the needs analysis, consider which
combination of issues you must address to successfully achieve the performance set forth
in the goals. Three issues underly performance:
- Skills and knowledge. That is, do users know -- or need to know -- how to perform the
task?
- Resources. That is, do users have the resources needed to perform the task when they try
to apply the skills and knowledge?
- Motivation. That is, will users want to apply the skills and knowledge? If not, why
not?
For more information on performance, take How Close
Are You to the Performance Zone? |
Identify the performance issues that must be addressed for
the sponsor to achieve the goals stated earlier. Consider all three components of
performance:
- Skills and knowledge
- Resources
- Motivation
|
| Choose a Type of Communication Product |
Given the performance you are trying to develop, and users'
motivation to check the information, what is the best means of getting the information to
them? In other words, should you merely provide step users through a procedure and
let the system handle the "hard" work (such as a wizard), should you provide
users with instructions to perform the task themselves (such as through help or a user's
guide), or should you provide them with instruction so they can master the task before
they perform it on their own (such as through a tutorial)? Different types of
communication products help you achieve different needs. Although your sponsor might
have suggested that you produce a particular type of product (most often, a users' guide
or help), take a few moments now to make sure that the type of communication product
recommended will really meet the sponsors' needs. If not, consider what type of
product will actually meet their needs.
For more information on this issue, read How to Choose a
"Type" of Communication Product.
For a summary of types of communication products available, seeTypes of Communication Products. |
| For explaining products, services, and policies |
For sharing "basic" scientific and technical
information |
- User’s guides
- Help
- Service guides
- References
- Policies and procedures
|
- Technical reports
- Articles
- Conferences (such as a live conference, teleconference, or an electronic chat)
|
| For marketing products and services |
For training users |
- Proposals
- Catalogs
- Brochures
- Newsletters
|
- Tutorials
- Job aids (quick references)
- Wizards
- Online
- Tips of the day
- Human coaches and support groups
|
|
| |
State the expectations that users bring to
that"type" of product. Just as movie goers have different expectations for
comedies, dramas, Westerns, and period movies, so readers bring different expectations to
user's guides, tutorials, references, and other communication products intended for the
workplace. Specifically, users have expectations about:
- The way that they will find information. For example, people expect to go directly to
information of interest in a reference but to be led through the information in a
tutorial.
- Types of information available. For example, people expect to find examples and
exercises in a tutorial, but just the bare instructions in online help.
- Format of information. For example, people expect step-by-step procedures in a
user's guide and product specifications and ordering options with catalog entries.
- Writing style. For example, people expect a direct writing style in references but
a more supportive and colorful style in tutorials.
So often, even though they cover information of interest, technical communication
products fail because they do not meet these expectations of users.
By taking a few minutes at the beginning of a project to consider these expectations
now, you are more likely to meet them. For more information on this issue, read How to Choose a "Type" of Communication Product. |
Describe the following expectations that users bring to the
type of communication product thatyou have chosen:
- How users will find topics of interest (such as through a table of contents)
- Types of information available within the communication product (and, if appropriate,
the order of that information)
- Format
- Writing style
- Other expectations
|
| Choose a Communication Medium |
How will you efficiently and effectively get information to
the intended users? Different media offer different options. The choice of
medium also affects the way that you structure a communication product. Although
the sponsor might have suggested a communications medium, take a few moments to make sure
that the choice is appropropriate given the users, their work environments, and the budget
and schedule constraints of the project.
For more information on selecting a medium, read How to
Choose a Communications Medium.
For a summary of issues associated with choosing a medium, read Choosing a Communications Media to Deliver Information.
|
- Choose one of the following and explain in one paragraph why you made the choice.
- Print
- Online
- Live
- Videotape
- Audiotape
- Explain your choice.
|
| Activity |
Description |
Checklist |
| Structure the Communication Product |
Choose the front matter. The front matter is the material
traditionally placed at the beginning of a communication product, such as the cover page
and the edition notice (in which you list the copyright and other notices).
For more information on the components of the front matter and how to develop them,
read How to Prepare the Front Matter, Back Matter, and Other
Book Elements.
|
- Cover page or title screen.
- Inside front cover
- Title page
- Edition notice
- Table of contents
- Preface
(or their equivalents in other media)
|
| |
Structure the core material. At this point, you consider how
you plan to structure the body of the communication product. Some guidance:
- Each main objective becomes a main section in the communication product.
- Add an overview in instructional and quasi-instructional communication products, like
user's guides and tutorials.
- In some instances, a recap might also be appropriate.
|
- Overview (if needed)
- Main objectives become main sections.
- Each supporting objective becomes a sub-section under its main objective.
Note:
- Make sure that each main and supporting objective is represented in the outline.
- Other than book elements, overviews and recaps, the only content to be included should
emerge directly from the objectives.
- Recap (if needed)
|
| |
Choose the back matter. The back matter is material
traditionally placed at the end of a communication product, such as the appendixes.
For more information on the components of the front matter and how to develop them,
read How to Prepare the Front Matter, Back Matter, and Other
Book Elements.
|
- Appendixes
- Index
- User Feedback Form (also called Reader Comment Form)
- Inside back cover
- Back cover
(or their equivalents in other media)
|
| |
Prepare an information map. An information map is a
"map" of the information in your communication product. It is an
alternative to an outline. |
Map |
| Prepare a Sample Section |
Provide a sample section, such as a topic of an online
document or a chapter of a printed document. When you prepare the sample section, fuse the
verbal and the visual: use both vocabularies to communicate information to users. Working
within the expectations for the type of communication product you are developing, consider
how to communicate ideas visually as well as verbally, and how to use page or screen
design as a key component of communicating your message. In fact, start by developing a
visual look, then work back to the content.
As part of the sample section, you might present two or three alternative
approaches(unless your organization has a standard display design already).
For ideas and inspiration on creating a visual look for a website (ideas that can be
transferred to other types of communication products (even if the author claims
otherwise), click here (opens a new
window).
|
Either one of the following:
- A working sample (produced in an authoring tool or with a desktop publishing program)
- Storyboards of each page or screen, with draft of the text and visuals used on each.
|
| Prepare Storyboards for the Rest of the Content |
To make sure that the presentation plans are complete,
identify opportunities for re-use, issues of consistency, and similar design challenges,
prepare a storyboard for every page or display in the communication product, other than
those in the sample section. A storyboard includes:
- Page or screen identifier
- Objective to be covered on the page or screen (no formula exists for estimating this;
one objective might take several pages or screens, or one page or screen might address
several objectives) Content and how it will be presented
- Description of how you plan to present the content, either through words, pictures or a
combination of both
- Production instructions (for graphics, photography, audio, video, animation, and
special printing needs)
- Programming instructions (links, calls to databases, and similar programming actions)
|
For each display, include:
- Page or screen identifier
- Objectives
- Description of how you plan to present the content
- Production instructions (for graphics, audio, and video)
- Online displays only: programming instructions (links, calls to databases, and similar
programming actions)
Sample storyboard form. |
Using the sample section as a guide, as well as issues that arose when developing the
storyboards for other parts of the communication product, prepare the editorial and
production guidelines for the communication product, as well as templates that might
simplify the guidelines for contributors to the project.
| Activity |
Description |
Checklist |
| Set Editorial Guidelines |
Choose a style guide, which helps ensure consistency in areas
such as the following:
- Capitalization
- Formatting and structure of headings
- Design of displays
- Use of mathematical symbols
|
- Choose a general style guide.
Note: Check with your corporate communications staff to determine if your
organization has already chosen a style guide. If not, use the following chart to guide
you in selecting an appropriate style guide, based on the type of material you are
developing:
| Scientific and Technical |
Medical |
- Chicago
- Other: ___________
|
|
| Social Science |
Marketing communications |
|
|
- Associated Press
- New York Times
- Other: ___________
|
- If your corporation has one, become familiar with the corporate style guide, which
records special style conventions used within your organization, such as the logo mark (if
your organization has one), and names of products and services.
- For any conventions unique to this project, documen them in a project style sheet.
|
| Choose a Dictionary |
To ensure consistency in usage and spelling --
especially when you have several contributors for a project -- choose a single set
of dictionaries to guide decision making. You'll want to choose two types of
dictionaries:
- Primary dictionary, which guides choices regarding most words used in your project. You
can choose among two types of dictionaries:
- Prescriptive, which offers guidance based on the way people should use language (for
example, the word ain't would not be included because it is not considered to be a proper
word) (an example is The American Heritage Dictionary)
- Descriptive, which offers guidance based on the way that people actually do use language
(for example, it would include the word ain't) (an example is Webster's Dictionary)
- Project dictionary or glossary, which defines terms unique to your project (or whose
definitions and usage will not be described in a commercially available dictionary).
|
- Primary: ___________________________
- Prescriptive
or
- Descriptive
- Project: ___________________________
|
| Identify Authoring Platform |
Describe the hardware and software used to develop the
communication product, so that you can duplicate this platform if needed. |
- Authoring software
- Word processing: _________________
- Graphics: _______________________
- Audiovisual production: _____________
- Presentation: _____________________
- Programming language: _____________
- Browser: ________________________
- Other: __________________________
- Hardware platform
- Processor: _______________________
- Memory: ________________________
- Hard drive: ______________________
- Graphics adapter: _________________
- Diskette drive: ____________________
- ZIP drive: _______________________
- CD-ROM or DVD drive: ___________
- Operating system (indicate one)
|
| Find or Prepare Templates |
To avoid unnecessary visual and editorial inconsistencies on
similar types of screens or pages, prepare templates for them. In some instances,
organizations maintain templates for displays that recur in most of its publications. The
template typically records:
Exact placement of information on a screen or page
Location of key design elements, such as navigation bars or running headers and
footers, and margin notes (if any)
Wording that should be consistent throughout a communication product, such as the
wording of section titles. |
Types of displays for which templates are often prepared:
- Title page or screen, or home page (an organizational template might exist)
- Edition notice (an organizational template might exist)
- First page of a topic
- Cases and examples
- Summary
- Reader's comment form (an organizational template might exist)
|
| Identify Viewing Platform |
For online communication products only: Describe the minimum
hardware, software, and Internet connection needed to successfully view the program.
(If you do not specify these, people will probably try to view this material on
equipment that does not meet these requirements.) |
- Viewing software
- Verions of Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator (suggestion: support the most recent
version that's in wide release, and the most previous version)
- Plug-ins (not recommended) (list all):
- Hardware platform (especially necessary for communication products distributed on CD,
DVD, or some other medium)
- Processor: _______________________
- Memory: ________________________
- Hard drive: ______________________
- Graphics adapter: _________________
- Diskette drive: ____________________
- ZIP drive: _______________________
- CD-ROM or DVD drive: ___________
- Operating system (indicate one and the level)
|
| Set Production Guidelines |
These describe what the finished product should physically
look like. For online communication products, in addition to considering the
distribution medium, also consider any packaging required. For example, a CD or DVD
is often distributed in a jewel box or some similar type of packaging, which usually has
information printed on it. |
Print
- Paper: Weight: ____________________ Finish: o matte o glossy
- Inks: Number: ______ Colors: _________________
- Special instructions (such as die cuts orprinting tracking codes on the communication
product): ___________________
- Print quantity: ______________________________
Online
- Distributed by:
- Web
- Lotus Notes
- Other type of server
- DVD
- CD
- Diskette
- Packaging
- Content on the packaging
- Installation instructions
- Labels
- Liner notes
|
Now that you have detailed plans for each page or display, and the guidelines that must
be followed to develop them, you can accurately estimate the project. When preparing the
estimates, do the following:
| Activity |
Description |
Checklist |
| Set the Schedule |
The schedule states the completion date, and identifies
intermediate points at which drafts will be ready for review and testing, as well as when
those reviews and tests must be complete for the project to meet the stated deadline.
For more information about setting schedules, read Set the Proposed
Schedule.
|
For assistance in scheduling a project, click
here. |
| Set the Budget |
The budget identifies the financial resources (money) needed
to complete a project. Not only does it identify the total amount of funds needed,
but it also identifies how the money will be spent. It identifies the key
expenditures and the amount likely to be spent on each.
For more information about setting budgets, read Set the Proposed
Budget.
|
For assistance in scheduling a project, click here. |
| Choose the Staff |
Although some people can perform all of the tasks involved in
designing and developing a technical communication product, more often, several people are
needed. Each one brings unique expertise to the project.
At this point, you identify the different skills needed on the project and who will
perform each. For more information about setting budgets, read Name the Project
Team and their Responsibilities.
|
For assistance in scheduling a project, click
here. |
| Determine How Frequently to Publish Status Reports |
Status reports share information about the status of the
project and problems that have arisen during its development. When determining how
frequently to publish reports, you want to balance the need to keep the entire project
team informed and the possibility of confusing and slowing team members down by
over-communicating with them. |
For more information about status reports and a sample
report, read How
to Report the Status of a Project. |
(c) Copyright. 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. Saul Carliner. All rights reserved.
