usability

= usability =

a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use
//Whether you are new to the trade or have been practicing technical communication for years, here are some definitions to help you along the way.//


 * access key**: a key that is related to an underlined character on a menu, a command, or a dialog box
 * accessibility**: a measure of how accessible a product is
 * appendix**: text that is near the end of a book and usually contains information that helps some people
 * bibliography**: a list of books, articles, web pages, or other documents that are usually related to the content of the primary document
 * callout**: text and a line that points to an area on a graphic
 * caption**: a label for a graphic
 * context-sensitivity**: the ability of online documentation to respond dependent on a user's interaction with the software
 * copyright**: the legal right to publish a document
 * copywriter**: a professional writer who does copywriting
 * copywriting**: the art of creating content (or copy)
 * desktop publishing**: the work of organizing text and graphics using software to create a document
 * digital communication**: see "online documentation"
 * document management**: the management of electronic documents from their creation to their final disposal
 * documentation**: information that helps people to solve problems, to make decisions, and to do tasks efficiently
 * e-learning**: self-study training material that is supplied electronically, usually on the Internet
 * end matter**: supplementary information that comes after the primary text in a printed book
 * font**: an instance of a typeface (i.e. Times 12pt)
 * footer**: information that is repeated at the end of each page or online documentation topic
 * front matter**: information that comes before the primary text
 * ghost writer**: a professional writer who writes texts that are attributed to another person
 * glossary**: an alphabetic list of terms
 * graphic**: an item of art (i.e. a screen shot, a diagram, or a photograph)
 * hard copy**: printed documentation
 * header**: information that is repeated at the top of each page
 * hyperlink**: a link from one part of a document to another part of the document
 * information design**: another term for technical writing
 * information mapping**: a method for analyzing, organizing, and presenting information
 * international reader**: a person who reads English as a second language
 * keyword**: a word or phrase that is related to an online topic
 * litho printing**: the "traditional" method of producing printed documents
 * multimedia**: the collective term for text, graphics, animation, and interactive content
 * online documentation**: documentation that is designed to be read from a screen
 * PDF** (Portable Document Format): a file format that Adobe developed
 * preferred term**: a term that is used in preference to another equivalent term
 * reference manual**: a document that explains the parts of a product
 * sans serif**: a typeface that does not have projections (i.e. Tahoma)
 * screen shot**: a copy of the content of a screen
 * STC** (Society for Technical Communication): a professional organization for technical communicators
 * style guide**: a set of rules and guidelines that tell authors how to write documents
 * table of contents**: a list of chapters or section that are in a document
 * technical author**: an alternative term for technical writer
 * technical authoring**: an alternative term for technical writing
 * technical communication**: the communication of a technical message and includes all forms of technical instruction, including technical illustration, multimedia design, and e-learning
 * technical documentation**: see "documentation"
 * technical writer**: someone who does technical writing
 * technical writing**: the communication of a technical message, primarily using text-based information
 * typeface**: the name of a design for a set of fonts
 * usability**: a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use
 * user interface**: the parts of a system that a person sees and uses to interact with the system
 * white space**: an empty area on a page or on a screen

//All definitions are provided by [|TechScribe]//