The 2005 WritersUA Skills and Technologies Survey Form

** This survey is closed and the survey results are posted **.

To All User Assistance Developers,

Joe Welinske, President of WritersUAWritersUA is pleased to announce the launch of our fifth annual Skills and Technologies Survey. This popular survey is designed to provide our community with a snapshot of the skills and technologies we most value in our software development work.

The survey only works with input from you. If you specialize in the area of software user assistance, please take a few moments to contribute. As always, the results will be publicly posted on this very same web site for your free reference. (Our 2004 survey results are still available.)

This is a one-page survey—you do not have to provide an answer for every item below.

Results will be posted mid-August.

Thank you for participating in the 2005 WritersUA Skills and Technologies survey!

Joe Welinske
President, WritersUA


 DELIVERY TECHNOLOGIES
  

Delivery technologies play a large role in software user assistance. They provide us with ways of presenting our content and, to a certain extent, contribute to our unique identity among technical communication professionals.

For each of the following technologies, rank its importance to your current development efforts.

Delivery Technology Importance to Your Current
Development Efforts
Display the Technology keyClick the key to display the answer legend in a separate window. 5—Invaluable
4—Very valuable
3—Moderate value
2—Minimal value
1—No Value
NA—No answer
WinHelp
(Microsoft)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
HTML Help
(Microsoft)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Browser-based Help
(WebHelp, WebWorks Help, or any HTML-based Help content displayed in a browser)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
World Wide Web or intranet content
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Technology key PDF
(Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Embedded user assistance
(Help information coded directly into the application user interface)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Interactive helpers/Tutorials
(wizards, training, troubleshooters)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Apple Help or Apple Guide
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Technology key JavaHelp
(Sun)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Oracle Help (for Java or for the Web)
(Oracle)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Knowledge bases
(web-based repositories for reference information)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Product demonstration
(CD-ROM, kiosk demos, or web-based demos)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Printed manuals
(user, installation, or reference guides)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Technology key Quick reference or getting started materials
(Reference cards, quick start guides, release notes, job aids, etc.)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Other delivery technology (specify one)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
  


 SKILLS
  

We employ a variety of skills to create and deliver effective user assistance. Some of these skills are learned through formal educational programs while many others are developed on the job.

For each of the following skills, rank its importance in your daily work.

Skills Importance in Your Daily Work
Display the Skills keyClick the key to display the answer legend in a separate window. 5—Invaluable
4—Very valuable
3—Moderate value
2—Minimal value
1—No Value
NA—No answer
Writing procedures
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Writing reference information
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Copy editing
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Developmental editing
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Skills keyManagement and supervision
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Project planning
(without management or supervisory responsibilities)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Indexing
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Interviewing subject-matter experts/customers/users
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Quality assurance and testing
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Skills key Graphics development
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Instructional design
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Information architecture
(structured authoring design, content management, taxonomies)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Usability testing
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Task analysis
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Skills key Localization
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
User interface design
(embedded UA, field labels, UI Help text)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Expertise with authoring tool(s)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Code-level expertise with the following technologies:
(select among the choices below)
  
HTML or XHTML
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Skills key XML
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
JavaScript
(or other client-side scripts)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Server-side scripts
(ASP, JSP, PHP, Perl, etc.)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Programming
(C++, C#, Java, J#, VB, etc.)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Skills key Other skill (specify one)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
  


 OPERATING SYSTEMS AND PLATFORMS
  

On which operating systems and platforms do the products that you support run? (You may select more than one.)

 Windows     .NET     World Wide Web/Internet     intranet/extranet   
 UNIX     Linux     Macintosh     Java     PDA (Windows CE or Palm OS)

Other operating systems and platforms:



 AUTHORING TOOLS AND UTILITIES
  

For each of the following authoring tools and utilities that you currently use, rank your satisfaction with the product.

Authoring Tools and Utilities Satisfaction with the Product
Display the Authoring Tools and Utilities keyClick the key to display the answer legend in a separate window. 5—Extremely satisfied
4—Satisfied
3—Disappointed
2—Extremely disappointed
1—No opinion
NU—Not used
Acrobat
(Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
Display the Authoring Tools and Utilities key Arbortext
(Arbortext)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
AuthorIT
(AuthorIT Software)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
Captivate (formerly RoboDemo)
(Macromedia/Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
Doc-To-Help
(ComponentOne)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
Dreamweaver MX
(Macromedia/Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
FAR HTML
(The HelpWare Group)
 5    4    3    2    1    NA
Display the Authoring Tools and Utilities key Flash MX
(Macromedia/Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
FrameMaker
(Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
FrontPage
(Microsoft)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
FullShot
(Inbit)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
HTML Help Workshop
(Microsoft)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
Display the Authoring Tools and Utilities key Paint Shop Pro
(JASC Software)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
PhotoShop
(Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
RoboHelp (any version)
(Macromedia/Adobe)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
SnagIt
(TechSmith)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
WebWorks Publisher
(Quadralay)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU
Other tool/utility (specify one)
 5    4    3    2    1    NU