Publications and presentations
The following is a list of my publications (books, articles, presentations) on technical documentation, especially software documentation, software user assistance, information design, and single source publishing.
Books
- Rich Documentation Design Concept:
Methods for Creating Concise Technical Documentation of Maximum Value
(English Edition) - Technical Documentation Short and Sweet:
The Best Best Practices for Creating Clear and Useful Manuals, Help Systems, and Other Forms of User Assistance
(English Edition) - Technical Documentation Best Practices:
Planning and Structuring Helpful User Assistance – Contents, Structure, User Navigation
(English Edition) - Technical Documentation Best Practices:
Visually Designing Modern Help Systems and Manuals – Layout, Formatting, Templates
(English Edition) - Technical Documentation Best Practices:
Writing Clear and Helpful User Assistance – Writing Rules, Tips, FAQ
(English Edition) - Technical Documentation Best Practices:
Creating Effective Visualizations for Technical Communication – Images, Videos, Interactive Content
(English Edition) - Translating Technical Documentation Successfully
Things That You Should Preserve When Translating User Manuals and Online Help Systems (for translators)
(English Edition) - Technical Documentation Tool and Web Guide
(English Edition)
Articles and presentations
- Finally an End to CHM – Today’s Better Alternatives
Presentation, tekom conference 2024 - Rich Documentation Design Concept
Presentation, tekom chapter Sachsen, April 2024 - Simplify your Life: A compilation of tools and methods that simplify day-to-day work in technical writing
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2024 - Rich Documentation Design with the Impulse Method
Presentation, tekom conference 2023 - A New Concept Adds New Momentum: Rich Documentation Design
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 3/2023 - Things That Can Facilitate Work for Technical Writers
Presentation, tekom chapter Berlin-Brandenburg, May 2023 - New Ways of Translation
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 5/2022 - Creating Animated Content Quickly
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2020 - Screenshots
Presentation, tekom chapter Sachsen, April 2019 - Column “Web Links for Technical Communicators”
tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, all issues 6/2005 through 1/2019 - Pimp up Your Help
Tutorial, tekom conference 2018 - Screenshot Best Practices
Presentation, tekom conference 2018 - The Best of Both Worlds
Review of the software Document! X
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 4/2018 - Tools and Techniques of Technical Documentation
Seminar at Zwickau University of Applied Sciences, April 2017 - Software Documentation
Full-day tutorial for tekom chapters Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thüringen, Leipzig, November 2016 - Creating Help without Bells and Whistles
Review of the software Help+Manual
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2016 - Ways to Hell(p)
Tools and processes for generating online help
Presentation, tekom conference 2015 - Technical Documentation and Software Documentation
Lecture at Zwickau University of Applied Sciences, October 2015 - Translating Technical Docs without Losing Quality
Article, “MultiLingual Magazine”, issue July/August 2015 - Help with Additional Functions
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2015
Article on “tcworld.info”, March 2015 - How to Explain Technical Products Clearly
Article, magazine “Konstruktion”, issue 5-2014 - Online Help, Quo Vadis? The Future of Online User Assistance
Presentation and discussion, TECOM Switzerland, April 2014 - Dynamic Help: Where You Need It When You Need It
“tcworld, magazine for international information development”, February 2014 - Module “Online Documentation”
University of Applied Sciences Karlsruhe, Communication and Media Management, fall semester 2013/2014 - Dynamic Help
How? Where? When?
Presentation, tekom conference 2013 - There Is No Nobel Prize in User Manuals
Article, “Magazin Wirtschaft”, issue 11/2013 - Operating Instructions
Article, “WiM Magazin”, issue 10/2013 - Original or Translation?
When to translate terms quoted from a user interface and when not to translate them
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 3/2013 - Adding Social Media Features to Help
Integrating social media features quickly, easily, and at little cost
Presentation, tekom conference 2012 - Do You Speak Deutsch?
How to document products in German that have an English user interface
Presentation, tekom conference 2012 - Continuous Improvements Instead of a Revolution
New version of Help+Manual
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2012
Article, “tcworld.info”, March 2012 - Comments Welcome
Setting up a comments function for online help
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 6/2011 - Do You Choose, Select, Activate, or Click?
Recommendations for terminology in software user assistance
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 4/2011 - Help Authoring Tools
Market overview and decision support
Presentation, tekom chapter Nord, March 2010 - How to Minimize Documentation Costs without Costs
Adapting business management methods to maximize efficiency
Presentation, “tcworld Roadshow”, 2009 - Instant Solution for Creating Online and Printed Documentation
Working with Help+Manual version 5
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2009 - Demos and Interactive Components in Online Help
Tools, tips, examples
Presentation, tekom conference 2008 - Search or Find?
What makes online documentation user-friendly
Presentation, tekom chapter Rhein-Main, October 2008 - AutoHotkey
Automation for free
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 3/2008 - Creating Software Demos the Easy Way
Recommended tools for screencasting
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2008 - Creating Screen Captures Efficiently
Recommended tools for taking screenshots
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 5/2007 - Help Authoring Tools
Has RoboHelp regained its old strength?
Expert interview, magazine “Produkt Global”, issue 2/2007 - The HAT Show
10 help authoring tools live and in color
Presentation, tekom conference 2006 - Creativity Methods for Technical Communicators
2 Workshops, tekom conference 2006 - From Author-it to XDK
An overview of 20 help authoring tools
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 5/2006 - Change of Perspective
Business management solutions for reducing technical documentation costs
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 6/2005 - Management in Technical Communication
How to make your documentation process more efficient
Presentation, tekom chapter Süd-Niedersachsen, July 2005
Presentation, tekom chapter Mitte, September 2005 - (Don’t) Click Me
Creating user-friendly links
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 3/2005 - Re-designing Rusty Help Texts
Presentation, tekom conference 2004 - Management Methods for Technical Communicators
Presentation, tekom conference 2004
Presentation, tekom chapter Munich, March 2005
Presentation, tekom chapter Rhein-Main, October 2005
Presentation, tekom chapter Baden, November 2005 - Information Layering
Providing need-based information
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 4/2004 - The Fairy Tale of Hänsel and Gretel
Why navigation shouldn’t rely on breadcrumbs
Presentation, Online Help Forum, tekom 2003 - Built-in Software Assistants
Embedded help
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 1/2003 - Embedded Help
Presentation, Online Help Forum, tekom 2002 - Paper Goodbye?
Article, tekom magazine “technische kommunikation”, issue 4/2002 - Why We Love or Hate Help
Presentation, tekom spring conference 2002 - Innovative Information Design with Microsoft Help 2.0
Presentation, Online Help Forum, tekom 2001 - Help Makeover Panel 2001
Expert on the Help Makeover Panel, Online Help Forum, tekom conference 2001 - Innovative Information Design
Presentation, tekom chapter Mitte, April 2001 - Why Help Sometimes Doesn’t Help
Presentation, CeBIT 2001 - Translation-Friendly Writing for a Single Source
Tutorial at tekom conference 2000 - Single Sourcing with SmartDoc
Why single sourcing takes more than good tools
Presentation, Forum 2000 - Single Source Writing for Manuals and Online Help
Half-day tutorial, tekom conference 1999 - Single Source Writing
Presentation, tekom conference 1998