Articles about Writing For The Web

• Words Drive Action: An Interview with Gerry McGovern 08/12/2002
  

  UIE's Christine Perfetti and Joshua Porter recently talked with Gerry about the importance of an editorial perspective in a web development process.

• Docs in the Real World 11/01/1998
  

  When we watched users in their native habitats, we learned a lot about how they use documentation and some of the reasons they don't use it. Many of the issues we saw had little to do with the docs.

• Six Slick Tests for Docs and Help 09/01/1998
  

  Usability testing isn't just for software and web sites. Testing documentation can ensure that it includes--and accurately conveys--all the information users expect and need.

• When to Develop a Wizard 09/01/1997
  

  Some wizards work really well, and others confuse users more than they help. Here are some guidelines to help you figure out when to develop one, and the traits we found that make one wizard better than another.

• Bridging Conceptual Gaps 07/01/1996
  

  In the late '80s, WordPerfect owned the word processing market, but users needed significant training to master its functionality. Their mental model of the application didn't match how the application actually worked. We call this a conceptual gap. Learn to spot and repair conceptual gaps in your product.

• Tabbed Dialogs: Semantic Minefields 03/01/1996
  

  Tabbed Dialogs are popping up everywhere. Since they're so popular, they must be easy to learn and use, right? Well, not so fast! Our observations suggest that they may be creating more usability problems than they solve. Here's why.