Author Archives: David Farbey

Don’t write about the “Cancel” button

Posted on 30 October 2011 by David Farbey

In my opinion, when you are creating task-based help topics for software users you don’t necessarily need to write about the Cancel button in a dialog box. Here’s why.

Posted in content strategy, technical writing | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Be a “pig” not a “chicken”!

Posted on 26 September 2011 by David Farbey

In agile software development team members often distinguish between two kinds of participants, ”pigs” and “chickens”. The allusion is to a meal of bacon-and-eggs, in which a chicken may have an interest but to which a pig is “fully commited”!

Posted in technical writing | Tagged | 3 Comments

Another Myth About Content

Posted on 11 September 2011 by David Farbey

It’s time for a few more comments from me on Myths About Content. (For myths 1 and 2 please see my earlier post.) Myth no. 3 – Content is easy to find One of the most pervasive myths about content is that … Continue reading →

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Myths About Content

Posted on 24 August 2011 by David Farbey

People who aren’t directly involved in creating content often hold a set of beliefs about what content is and how it is created that can only be described as myths. That may sound a little harsh, because believing in myths … Continue reading →

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Not quite a re-launch

Posted on 21 August 2011 by David Farbey

I have changed the title and the strap-line of my blog, and you may be wondering why. Let me explain. Conventional writing and publishing is about delivering messages from the writer to the reader: the reader’s only response is to … Continue reading →

Posted in content strategy, information design, technical writing | 4 Comments

Congility conference retrospective

Posted on 27 May 2011 by David Farbey

I spent the last two days at the Congility conference, held near London, and chaired by Noz Urbina of Mekon. This event is the successor to the X-Pubs conferences held in previous years, and was all about making your content … Continue reading →

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“Getting your message across” survey results

Posted on 1 March 2011 by David Farbey

At the beginning of February I ran a quick survey under the title “Getting your message across” in association with the UK launch of Adobe Technical Communication Suite 3. I’d like to summarise some of the results here.

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What is “user focus” really about?

Posted on 26 February 2011 by David Farbey

The best instructions are always written from the user’s point of view. But what does that mean? What is that point of view, and how do you reconcile that point of view with the widespread expectation amongst people who employ … Continue reading →

Posted in information design, technical writing | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments