 | Hello to all of you wonderful tekom members! Mom is taking a break, so I volunteered to step in and write the tcunplugged column. I’ve been hanging out with Mom for 16 years, so I have a pretty good idea of what she does. (It seems to involve staring at the computer screen, some bursts of rapid-fire typing, and occasionally shouting rude things or pulling faces, especially when reading email.) Recently, Mom tried to explain AI to me. I can’t say that I was impressed. Why rely on software algorithms when the average doggo could help solve most of your content problems? I call this CI (Canine Intelligence), even though Mom says that intelligence is not my strongest suit. Canine Intelligence relies on the wisdom and experience of millions of dogs who share their lives with humans. It is universal for all breeds, sizes, and nationalities and will never accidentally launch a missile strike. Here are my favorite CI tips to help you write better user-pleasing content. |
Be consistent
The CI concept: Anyone who has tried to train a dog knows that consistency is critical. You can’t respond inconsistently to any behavior if you want us to learn a trick or master a new skill. Toto, the neurotic toy poodle who lives upstairs, gets mixed messages from his family all the time. His Mommy wants him to walk next to her as they come down the steps, but his Daddy lets him run ahead (and even encourages him to do so). No wonder he is such a hot mess. Sometimes they yell at him for barking, sometimes they laugh, and sometimes they even give him a treat!
We want and need consistency. If you comfort us one time but scold us another time for leaving a puddle on the kitchen floor, we become anxious, confused, and stressed.
The TechComm concept: Your users trust you to provide a consistent response to a similar behavior. This is important in the UI, of course, but we sometimes forget how important it is in the content. Do some of your procedures list prerequisites, but others don’t even have that heading? Do some graphics have annotations but others none? Do you provide rich layered content of tips and help in some topics but not others? Consistency in content structure, presentation, and information helps strengthen trust between the company and your users.
Be generous with treats
The CI concept: Dog food is fine, but we also need treats! Treats aren’t just for rewards, either. They are little mouthfuls of joy that brighten our day. And guess what? We definitely notice when you break a treat in half or try other sneaky tricks to save money. Whatever your current budget is for treats, double it! Chewy treats, crunchy treats, soft and squishy treats – they are our birthright and we demand more!
The TechComm concept: Yes, your users can survive on a bland diet of dry content, but imagine how much joy you could add by sprinkling a few treats onto your documentation. Value-added content, including tips, tutorials, cool workarounds, and use case examples can improve the overall UI. “Treat” content gives your users new ideas, helps them use the product better, and counteracts the daily drudgery of bland content.
Respect our favorite spots
The CI concept: I once found a half-eaten falafel in a shrub near our home. (I managed to gobble it before Mom could react.) Now, whenever we pass that shrub, I must stop and sniff carefully, because maybe it will have grown another falafel. There is also a gap under a fence that I must sniff. The jackals squeeze under it and leave the most intriguing aromas. I may sniff, move on, and then double back to sniff again.
Mom always lets me sniff. I feel sorry for the dogs who are dragged away from their favorite spots. Being able to return to these favorite smells is a comfort to us. It provides emotional support and the assurance of stability, as well as the stimulation of one of our most powerful senses.
The TechComm concept: Make it easy for your users to mark their favorite bits of content. There may be a reference table, a high-level workflow, or even a complex procedure that they return to over and over. Allow your users to label or save cherished topics rather than forcing them to search each time they need them.
Provide variety
 | The CI concept: Yes, consistency is important, but variety (when not in response to behavior) is great! This includes getting some human food or dressing up for holidays or special events. I pretend that I hate it when Mom dresses me up for Purim, but the neighbors always make a big fuss over me, and I end up getting extra love, treats, and attention. And don’t tell Mom, but I do think that I am a very pretty unicorn. Variety also means giving us choices. Sometimes I like to nap on my bed next to Mom’s desk, and sometimes I like to sit by the windows and watch the wild boars. Some dogs like riding in cars, and some like being carried. Some like swimming, and some prefer digging in the sand. |
The TechComm concept: Some companies build variety into the UI without compromising on consistency; consider, for example, the Google Doodle. Could you release push content on holidays or for special events? Could you offer your users a choice by providing content in various formats? Some users like videos, while others prefer to read. Having a variety of deliverables and ways of getting information means that more of your users can find the best content style for their preferences.
Save us when we struggle
| The CI concept: We’re just furry kids. We get into accidents, get sick, do stupid things, and sometimes we need help. Back in April, I was out in the yard, and I became entranced by an interesting smell. Following my nose, I stepped off the edge of the yard and into the wadi (a dry riverbed). I ended up rolling down the steep ravine and getting completely tangled in vines. I was really scared, but Mom found me. One of our neighbors helped her; actually, the whole building got involved, with neighbors hanging out the windows and trying to orient Mom based on my cries. I was so relieved and happy when Mom finally crawled through all the underbrush and untangled me from those nasty vines. She told me that she was getting too old for this nonsense. But Mom always helps me when I am in trouble. |  |
The TechComm concept: Help your users! Don’t let them flounder! Do you make it easy for them to ask for help, with clear links to support lines, chat options, or other resources, or do you just dump them into a monolithic PDF and let them drown? They may already be feeling foolish (I know I did as soon as I rolled down into the wadi). But if you can help them when they are really in trouble, they will be loyal users for many years.
Cherish your old dogs
The CI concept: Some people abandon elderly dogs. They take them to dog shelters, have a vet put them to sleep, or even leave them by the side of the road. This makes Mom really, really mad. We old dogs are still Good Boys and Good Girls! We still have love to give. We may need help getting up the stairs, we may have a few pills to take every day, and we may have fading vision and hearing, but we are the same dog with thoughts and feelings and a lifetime of memories. I still have a wonderful appetite and love seeing my friends on our walks. Even though I am old and wobbly, I am still enjoying life. And while I do need some extra help from Mom these days, it isn’t too much. It doesn’t take a lot to keep an old dog comfortable and feeling cherished.
The TechComm concept: Don’t abandon your old users! They don’t necessarily want to learn a completely new paradigm for content or deal with a chatbot. Yes, your new users are younger and more energetic, and it is fun to create all kinds of sexy new content deliverables for them. But your old users have loyally stuck with you for years. Give them that little extra boost they need or the extra cushioning they want. Don’t dump them on the side of the data highway.
Conclusion
In the cold, impersonal world of technical content, there is a lot you can learn from your furry friends.
Do you have a Good Boy or Good Girl? We want to hear from you!