Barker, Chapter 2 Summary (Haupt)
This chapter, on tutorial design, is an excellent resource for both new and experienced technical writers on the art of instructional design techniques. I especially liked the emphasis on user actions as it relates to writing procedures.
As my career has not been focused on writing tutorials for end users (rather, a focus on writing documentation for technical professionals in the disciplines of network engineering, operating systems engineering, and software engineering) I am not as well versed in this topic as I should be.
Barker rightly focuses on the essential document design principles for educational and instructional documentation. It is evident that a comprehensive process must be followed in order to produce effective tutorials - both in the planning stage and the production phase of a project. Barker points out a number of user "traits" that writers have to take into account in writing tutorials, including the fact that users like to feel as if they are in charge, that users tend to "jump the gun". users will skip information (just like in a reference manual), and that users will tend to read the tutorial once, at best, and then refer back to it infrequently.
I've gained a greater appreciation for technical writers specializing in instructional design. An impressive skill set is required to create professional tutorials. The very first work I ever did in instructional design was as a high school sophomore in 1971. My father, a professor of mathematics, was co-authoring an Algebra text book with another mathematics professor. They hired me to edit the grammar and type the manuscript. I did the job using an old SCM long-carriage typewriter that had special mathematical symbols added to the key set. While producing the proof for the printer, I was actually forced to look very closely at the way the book had been logically assembled. Looking back 36 years, I can identify techniques the authors used in the book that Barker now clearly identifies for me. These techniques include: 1) Identifying Skills to Teach, 2) Identifying Objectives, 3) Choosing the Right Type of Tutorial, 4), Presenting Skills in a Logical, Cumulative Structure, 5) Specificity of Instructions, 6) Practice and Feedback, 7) Testing, 8) Elaborative Tutorials, and 9) Minimalist Tutorials.
This chapter is a great resource that I will refer to in the future if I am called upon to create tutorials.
As my career has not been focused on writing tutorials for end users (rather, a focus on writing documentation for technical professionals in the disciplines of network engineering, operating systems engineering, and software engineering) I am not as well versed in this topic as I should be.
Barker rightly focuses on the essential document design principles for educational and instructional documentation. It is evident that a comprehensive process must be followed in order to produce effective tutorials - both in the planning stage and the production phase of a project. Barker points out a number of user "traits" that writers have to take into account in writing tutorials, including the fact that users like to feel as if they are in charge, that users tend to "jump the gun". users will skip information (just like in a reference manual), and that users will tend to read the tutorial once, at best, and then refer back to it infrequently.
I've gained a greater appreciation for technical writers specializing in instructional design. An impressive skill set is required to create professional tutorials. The very first work I ever did in instructional design was as a high school sophomore in 1971. My father, a professor of mathematics, was co-authoring an Algebra text book with another mathematics professor. They hired me to edit the grammar and type the manuscript. I did the job using an old SCM long-carriage typewriter that had special mathematical symbols added to the key set. While producing the proof for the printer, I was actually forced to look very closely at the way the book had been logically assembled. Looking back 36 years, I can identify techniques the authors used in the book that Barker now clearly identifies for me. These techniques include: 1) Identifying Skills to Teach, 2) Identifying Objectives, 3) Choosing the Right Type of Tutorial, 4), Presenting Skills in a Logical, Cumulative Structure, 5) Specificity of Instructions, 6) Practice and Feedback, 7) Testing, 8) Elaborative Tutorials, and 9) Minimalist Tutorials.
This chapter is a great resource that I will refer to in the future if I am called upon to create tutorials.
posted by Carl Haupt | 6:44 AM
2 Comments:
I agree Carl. I think this chapter will continue to be an important one now and in the future. I think it's also relevant because someone like you, who is experienced in document writing, finds it important. I've mentioned this before but maybe I'm putting all my eggs in one basket by saying that I rely more on someone who has experience in the area to show and tell me what's important and what is not. No pressure, I just look forward to hearing your comments on any given reading to see how it relates to the real world of technical writing. Just in case I decide that I want to follow in your footsteps. Nice work.
This chapter is greatly effective because it reinforces and expands on what was learned in earlier classes on how to write and design documents.
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