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Combining Social Media with Help Authoring Tom Johnson The Allure of Social Media Wikis Advantages of Wikis Wisdom of users Group collaboration Easy updates Visible writing process SME contributions Transform the tech writer role Integrate user's perspective
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Combining Social Media with Help Authoring Tom Johnson
Advantages of Wikis • Wisdom of users • Group collaboration • Easy updates • Visible writing process • SME contributions • Transform the tech writer role • Integrate user's perspective • Simple tools
Drawbacks of Wikis • Primitive formatting • Simple website • No single sourcing • Printed manuals difficult • Infrastructure limitations • Marginal user contributions • Requires a leader • Inaccuracies problematic • Resistant corporate culture
Advantages of Blogs • Communication venue • Convert users to power users • Feature requests/bugs • Connection with users • SEO Power • Personalized company face
Drawbacks of Blogs • Not integrated with online help • Requires a blogger • RSS ignorance • Comment spam • Getting the right tone is tough
Advantages of Social Networks • Visual pictures of users • Niche conversations • Another contact point
Drawbacks of Social Networks • No one goes there • Another login • Only web-based
Advantages of Podcasts/Videocasts • Engaging format • Users have rich media devices • Great blog content
Drawbacks of Podcasts/Videocasts • Time consuming • Lengthy to watch or listen to • Equipment costs
Advantages of Forums • Comfortable atmosphere • Empowers enthusiastic users • Increases your support resources • One-to-many communication
Drawbacks of Forums • Unanswered questions sour users • Not integrated with online help • Updating is a nightmare • Gives voice to frustration • Another hat to wear
Advantages of Interactive Help • Another point of interactivity • Topic ratings potentially useful
Drawbacks of Interactive Help • No one uses it
Transformations for Tech Writers • Less technical writing • Multiple hats • Expert knowledge about users • Product leader and influencer
Tom Johnsonwww.idratherbewriting.com801-822-2241tomjohnson1492@gmail.com