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

▪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