Basic writing skills are not something that should be taken for granted. Time and time again, I read poorly written manuals, instructions, and articles. Whether you write for a living or it is simply an annoying add-on to your...
It doesn’t matter what kind of writer you are, keeping your grammar skills sharp is important. To that end, let’s review the conjunction “as.” Conjunctions are simple words with a big role. They provide clarity and link ideas. However,...
Know your audience! This is drilled into our heads whether you are an instructional designer, technical writer, or content writer. However, we often forget about what our audience wants and needs because we get caught up in our...
In my post Ten Tips for Interviewing Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). I provided recommendations for writers when working with SMEs. On Larry Kunz’s blog, Leading Technical Communication, he posted a great article that takes a different but complimentary view....
All of us have customers. If you are a freelance writer or instructional design consultant, you know how important it is to keep the customers you have happy. If you are an in-house instructional designer or writer, you have customers...
consulting, customer satisfaction, documentation, instructional design, projects, technical writing, training
Today’s post is inspired by the above graphic. I’ve had this hanging on my bulletin board for years. I don’t recall where I came across it, but I found a copy of it on Cathy Moore’s Pinterest page. It...
consulting, documentation, instructional design, interviewing, projects, SME, subject matter experts, technical writing, training
Simplified Technical English has been in the making since the 1930’s when Basic English was developed and introduced in international trade within the British colonies. Basic English died out quickly, but then in the 1970’s Caterpillar, a manufacturer of...
Last week I promised to delve more into Accelerated Learning, so I am making good on that promise. I am currently reading the book The Accelerated Learning Handbook by Dave Meier. In the book it lists these five things...
accelerated learning, audience engagement, creativity, hand toys, instructional design, technical writing, training, Wake-up Bags
We’ve all watched science fiction movies and shows where people are surrounded by and interact with holograms. I never really expected to see it in the average person’s everyday life during my lifetime. However, it looks like it will...
hologram, HoloLens, instructional design, mixed reality, new technology, technical writing, technology in training and documentation
I promised a report on the Content Marketing World conference when it was done and here it is: I have a lot to learn! The conference was the largest I’ve ever attended and it was first-rate. They had celebrity...