Practical Tips for Single-Sourcing to Mobile and EPUB
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Nicky Bleiel Lead Information Developer ComponentOne Doc-To-Help STC Mid-Atlantic Conference March 8, 2013
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Delivering content to mobile devices and eReaders is a new challenge, but one that can be managed in a single-sourcing workflow that also includes online Help and manuals. In this presentation, I discuss issues specific to mobile and EPUB outputs, best practices for how to adjust to them, and some testing tips.
Transcript of Practical Tips for Single-Sourcing to Mobile and EPUB
Nicky Bleiel
Lead Information Developer
ComponentOne Doc-To-Help
STC Mid-Atlantic Conference
March 8, 2013
Biography — Nicky Bleiel • 18+ years of experience as a technical
communicator.
• Vice President, STC
• Written and designed documentation for software products in the documentation, media, industrial automation, simulation, and pharmaceutical industries.
• Speaker at STC, WritersUA, tcworld, LavaCon, and CIDM on a variety of topics.
• Technical Writing Instructor, Community College of Allegheny County
• www.nickybleiel.com
We will discuss… Best practices for single-sourcing to Mobile Help and EPUB.
From One to Many
Co
nte
nt
Browser-based Help
Manual
Mobile Help
EPUB
Etc …
HTMLHelp (.chm)
Browser-based Help
EPUB Manuals
Mobile Help
Mobile Facts and Figures
Device Trends Growth rate of iOS and Android device adoption faster than any consumer technology in history
Mobile Device Adoption Explodes Internationally
Top Mobile OSs
http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_os-ww-monthly-201110-201209-bar
Top Mobile Browsers
http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_browser-ww-monthly-201110-201209-bar
Mobile Help Examples
Apps v. Mobile Help
from http://www.noupe.com/how-tos/mobile-web-design-tips-and-best-practices.html
EPUB v. Mobile Help
EPUBs can be read on Mobile devices, but Mobile Help is:
• Easier to navigate
• Easier/more robust search
• All-in-one pane design
• A “UA”/web experience, not a “book” experience
Mobile Help
Motorola Razr Mobile Help
Razr Manual
iPhone 4 Mobile Help
iPhone Manual
Tips and Best Practices
Generic Mobile Persona
Start here, make more specific with scenarios:
• Often distracted
• Using one hand
• “Fat finger”
• Using device in varying situations
• Want fast load times
General Best Practices
• Keep it simple and prioritize content
• Use vertical navigation
• Be concise
• Simplify navigation
• Be “thumb friendly”
From http://socialmedia.biz/2012/05/31/10-best-practices-for-your-mobile-website/
and http://googlemobileads.blogspot.com/2011/11/gomo-ten-mobile-site-best-practices.html
A Note About Navigation…
http://developer.android.com/design/patterns/navigation.html
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/userexperience/conceptual/mobilehig/UIElementGuidelines/UIElementGuidelines.html
Tables of Contents • For mobile, keep TOCs to no more than 2
levels (2 taps).
• Keep TOC entries short
Single source management:
• Output-specific TOCs or restructure TOCs for all outputs
• Use Conditional Text features
Tables • Avoid tables with dense text.
• Large tables make scrolling necessary. In EPUBs, there can be display issues.
Single source management:
• Use Conditional text features
• Use Collapsible Text features
• Consider reimagining tables
Terminology Desktop terminology – such as “Click” – does not apply.
Single source management:
• Manage with Variables
• Avoid using device-specific terminology when possible
Touch Gesture Reference Guide
Keep It Concise Content
– Some Topics or text may not be necessary for mobile.
– Consider a fresh edit of content.
Single source management:
• Review and revise content. (+1 for translation, usability)
• Use conditions and/or variables to manage content as needed.
Minimalism According to “The Nurnberg Funnel”
– Minimalizing the obstructiveness to the learner of the material itself.
– Allow learners to start immediately on meaningfully realistic tasks.
– Reducing the amount of reading and other passive activity.
Goals of minimalism:
• Helping to make errors and error recovery less traumatic and more pedagogically productive.
• Easy-to-scan
Images • Graphics should be used only as needed.
• Images need to work across platforms. Recommendations: PNG for screen captures, JPG for photos, GIF for simple graphics.
Single source management:
• Use Conditional text features.
Video
Approximately one billion YouTube videos are streamed on cell phones every day.
Different Oss/devices need different video formats.
Single source management:
• Link to videos rather than embed.
• Use Conditional text features.
Indexes
• Not necessarily needed in Mobile
– Users more likely to use Search
– “Fat Fingers” make them harder to use
Single source management:
• HAT should provide ability to hide the Index.
Accessibility
Features built into devices, plus 3rd party apps.
• We still need to do our part…
Accessibility requirements:
• Add Alternative Text for graphics and video
• Add table captions and summaries
• Avoid creating links that open in new windows.
Accessibility can also refer to bandwidth restrictions or availability of customer service.
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/06/10-tips-to-create-a-more-usable-web/
Other Mobile Tips • Progressive information
disclosure.
Single source management:
• Incorporate Collapsible text
Other Mobile Tips • Be creative with inline links.
• Don’t place links too close together.
Single source management:
• Display some links as buttons in Mobile outputs.
• Use conditions and/or variables.
Wrap-up
Remember • There are many options for the “Mobile
Experience”
• It is possible to single-source successfully to many devices — as well as desktops
References/Fur ther Reading Ten Best Practices for Your Mobile Website http://socialmedia.biz/2012/05/31/10-best-practices-for-your-mobile-website/
Ten Mobile Site Best Practices http://googlemobileads.blogspot.com/2011/11/gomo-ten-mobile-site-best-practices.html
Touch Gesture Reference Guide by Craig Villamor, Dan Willis, and Luke Wroblewski http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?1071
Mobile Help Best Practices: http://our.componentone.com/2012/01/24/mobile-help-best-practices-part-1/
“Mobilizing Your Content” by Nicky Bleiel tcworld magazine Feb 2013
Slides — Best Practices for Mobile Outputs, tekom 2012 http://conferences.tekom.de/fileadmin/tx_doccon/slides/170_Best_Practices_for_Mobile_Outputs.pdf
Progressive Disclosure on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_disclosure
How Many Formats Do I Need for HTML5 Video? http://blog.zencoder.com/2010/10/06/how-many-formats-do-i-need-for-html5-video/
References/Fur ther Reading Image Format Considerations http://windowsphone.interoperabilitybridges.com/articles/chapter-5-image-format-considerations-in-migration-of-iphone-applications-to-windows-phone-7
User Interface Guidelines for Mobile and Tablet Devices http://www.simonwhatley.co.uk/user-interface-guidelines-for-mobile-and-tablet-devices
Carroll, John M. The Nurnberg Funnel: Designing Minimalist Instruction for Practical Computer Skill, MIT Press, 1990
Welinske, Joe. Developing User Assistance for Mobile Apps, WritersUA, 2011
STC Intercom Magazine, November 2011 issue Tech Comm on the Move: Mobile Communication Technologies and Strategies http://intercom.stc.org/magazine/november-2011/
W3C Mobile Web Best Practices: http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/ http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/#bpgroupplayout
How Do Users Really Hold Mobile Devices? http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/02/how-do-users-really-hold-mobile-devices.php
Handy Stuff
List of emulators:
– http://www.mobilexweb.com/emulators
W3C mobileOK Checker:
– http://validator.w3.org/mobile/
Resize My Browser:
– http://www.resizemybrowser.com/
Questions?
Contact information:
Nicky Bleiel ComponentOne
Pittsburgh, PA
www.nickybleiel.com
www.doctohelp.com
@nickybleiel
