Understanding Usability Testing

Welcome to episode 144 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a video entitled "Google’s Sundar Pichai Reveals Future of AI in Candid Talk with Marc Benioff" that was published on YouTube on October 17 by DWS News.Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack this informative 45-minute video in only 14 minutes (you just got 30 more minutes today; you're welcome). The interview primarily centers on Pichai's personal background and journey, tracing his life from growing up in South India and his early fascination with technology to his education at Stanford and eventually joining Google.A major focus of the discussion is the evolution of technology at Google, particularly the company's shift to an "AI first" strategy. This was driven by the development of foundational models like the Transformer and the subsequent creation of Gemini, emphasizing the potential for AI to act as a digital super intelligence and collaborator in the future. Benioff and Pichai also discuss their companies' shared values, the importance of long-term research investments, and the need for responsible stewardship of powerful new technologies like quantum computing and AI._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt_________________________>> Watch the original video: https://tinyurl.com/336jshpe>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 143 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews an article by this show's producer Curt Robbins, a senior technical writer, entitled "Understanding Usability Testing."Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack this informative article from Robbins that was published on LinkedIn on October 17.The article defines usability testing as a structured observation process to determine if a product or document is truly consumable by its audience, emphasizing that its goal is to uncover points of confusion rather than merely finding bugs. Robbins discusses the pros and cons of usability testing, highlighting cost reduction and risk mitigation as major benefits, while noting the high cost and time commitment as drawbacks. Finally, the article explains how usability testing's value proposition differs for large enterprises, small companies, and individual consultants, arguing it is critical for compliance and risk management across all scales._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt_________________________>> Read the original article: https://tinyurl.com/399ypfyu>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 142 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews an article by Victoria Oluchi Lazarus, a technical writer and software programmer from Nigeria, entitled "Information Architecture: What Does This Mean in Technical Writing?"Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack this informative article from Lazarus that was published on LinkedIn on February 27.Lazarus explains Information Architecture (IA) as the essential process of strategically organizing content to ensure clarity and usability for end-users, using the example of a poorly structured TV manual to illustrate its importance. To help technical writers improve their documentation, Lazarus outlines seven key strategies for excelling at IA, including understanding the audience, defining a clear structure, and testing and iterating on the content. _________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt>> Read the original Lazarus article: https://tinyurl.com/3jsjfmwh>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 141 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a new article from this show's producer, senior technical writer Curt Robbins, entitled "The Role of AI & Discipline in Achieving Efficiency & Productivity."Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack this informative article from Robbins that was published on LinkedIn on October 10.Robbins addresses the highly competitive job market for technical writers and content creators, asserting that success requires more than just proficiency with software. He focuses on the essential combination of artificial intelligence (AI) skills and personal discipline and rigor. Robbins strongly advises professionals to master AI tools to avoid being replaced by others who have, citing Accenture's recent layoffs as a potent example. He also stresses the critical role of discipline, strategic execution, and maintaining a positive attitude as key differentiators for career success._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt>> Read the original article: https://tinyurl.com/4ntd2c7v>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 140 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a new article from CJ Walker in France entitled "Unlocking New Career Paths: How Data Transforms into Knowledge." Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack the informative article from Walker that was published on the Firehead blog which discusses how technical communicators transform raw data into knowledge and insight. The article outlines an eight-stage knowledge transformation journey, progressing from Raw Data to Insight, detailing how each stage adds value and meaning to information. Furthermore, the source emphasizes the evolving and strategic role of technical communicators within this process, arguing that modern practitioners act as knowledge architects and system designers rather than just writers. Finally, the text explores emerging specialized career paths in knowledge transformation, such as Knowledge Systems Architect and Content Intelligence Manager, demonstrating the growing demand for these sophisticated skill sets._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt>> Read the original Walker article: https://tinyurl.com/2t2n6a6w>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 139 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a new article from show producer Robbins entitled "Is Bigfoot Real? An Exercise in Critical Thinking."Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack the informative article to better understand the dynamics of critical thinking within the world of documentation and technical writing. Although the article begins by discussing the topic of Bigfoot, Robbins quickly reveals that the true purpose is to instruct technical writers and IT professionals on the vital importance of employing critical thinking and demanding empirical evidence rather than relying on opinions or emotional beliefs. Robbins structures his argument with several lessons that differentiate between fact and opinion, stressing that scientific proof, such as a body, bones, or DNA, is necessary to validate a claim like Bigfoot's existence, as noted by figures like Neil deGrasse Tyson. Furthermore, he highlights the correlation between Bigfoot sightings and black bear populations as well as the lack of recent, clear video evidence, concluding that for professionals, objectivity and logic must supersede groupthink and bias._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt>> Read the original article: https://tinyurl.com/mry5px72>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 138 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a new article from show producer Robbins entitled "Tool Review: MadCap Flare."Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack the informative article to better understand the pros and cons of this popular enterprise application for documentation and technical writing. They explain that MadCap Flare is a comprehensive help authoring tool (HAT) for professional technical communicators. The review highlights the tool’s significant pros, such as its robust single-sourcing capabilities, granular control features like conditional text, and its all-in-one environment for managing complex documentation. However, the article also addresses major cons, including the product's high cost, steep learning curve, platform limitation (Windows-only), and the difficulty of proprietary platform lock-in. Finally, the author assesses whether Flare is suitable for different user segments, concluding that the tool is generally ideal for large enterprise companies due to its scalability and ROI on complex projects._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt>> Read the original article: https://tinyurl.com/4dz7srnn>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 137 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a new study from the Stanford Social Media Lab that was covered in a CNBC Make It entitled "A New Buzzword is Hanging Over Businesses as They Rush into AI."Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack the CNBC article to better understand the Stanford study about the negative impact of what researchers call "workslop." This refers to AI-generated content that seems adequate, but in actuality lacks the substance necessary to advance a task. Drawing on research from BetterUp and the Stanford Social Media Lab, the article explains that this phenomenon is potentially eroding teamwork and costing organizations millions in lost productivity. Jeff Hancock and Kate Niederhoffer, the researchers behind the term, explain that this low-effort, confusing content shifts the burden onto recipients, leading to frustration and a decrease in trust among colleagues. The article suggests that organizations must provide clear guidelines and foster a team commitment to quality to mitigate the negative effects of this pervasive issue. ._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt>> Read the original CNBC article: https://tinyurl.com/3jbucbnr>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 136 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a new article by Kelly Jones, Chief People Officer at Cisco, entitled "The AI Era Demands a New Kind of Leader." Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack the Jones article to understand why Jones advocates for a new kind of executive called the "Super Leader" to manage the era of Artificial Intelligence. This leadership model requires a combination of emotional intelligence and technological fluency to navigate the widespread disruption AI is causing in the workforce. The article outlines four key personas of this Super Leader: The Technologist, the Empath, the Philosopher, and the Change Agent. All of which, she claims, are necessary to drive innovation while supporting employees through uncertainty. Furthermore, the text details how Cisco is internally developing these capabilities through training, AI-assisted tools, and wellness programs to ensure that leaders can maintain clarity, empathy, and ethical grounding as technology evolves._________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt>> Read the original Jones article: "The AI Era Demands a New Kind of Leader": https://tinyurl.com/mw34k4w4>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn

Welcome to episode 135 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!Today’s episode reviews a new article by senior technical writer Curt Robbins entitled "AI: Not Taking Over the World Anytime Soon."Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack the Robbins article and describe an episode where he became frustrated with the AI image generator Ideogram, which repeatedly misspelled the brand name "Midjourney" (even after repeated prompting). Robbins argues that artificial intelligence is currently limited and serves only as a supplement or assistant. He suggests that those who claim AI is on the verge of world domination should be dismissed, emphasizing that the technology still has significant shortcomings, such as spelling errors and Gemini's inability to produce a correct aspect ratio. _________________________I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround.>> Read the original article: "AI: Not Taking Over the World Anytime Soon": https://tinyurl.com/ye29v3yc>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn