STC Summit 2017

The focus of usability is obtaining measurable results in different settings. Mechanisms that can help technical communicators quickly and effectively engage in such practices can provide them with the edge needed to display the value they can add to organizations and how they can do so in a variety of contexts. By focusing on introducing attendees to a method that can help technical communicators engage in usability quickly and effectively, this proposed presentation both provides technical communicators with a mechanism to gain an edge in the modern workplace (as well as help their company gain an edge -- via more effective/usable products in today's marketplace) and do so via approaches that can readily and easily be tested to reveal how they produce results (e.g., comparative user testing to show improvement of design). In these ways, this proposed presentation addresses the theme of this year's Summit.