making a job for myself in usability

[inabox]

Ok, so I'm registered as self employed and wanting to do something useful, that keeps my brain busy, and that I'm interested in and good at.

Did you ever have something that you wanted to do / needed to do, but didn't know how, so you looked up some kind of instructions or a guide and found that it explained nothing and just confused you more. I have experienced this myself.

When I was studying for my computer science degree, in the Usability module, I got 100%, which I was told was unheard of but the person marking just couldn't find any fault. And I like the usability and user experience side of computing. It just seems like common sense to me.

So I thought I could maybe write a user guide for something computer-related and I thought it would make sense if my audience was ASD people since, being an aspie myself, know what things are ambiguous or confusing. But I only have my opinon on that, and my view will differ slightly from other aspies.

Could you tell me
1. What (in computers/technology) you want/need to know about
2. Is there anything that seems to often cause confusion when reading instructions or guides

I thank you very much for helping me out here

Mods: If this is better placed in the education/employment section, I'm sorry and I'm guessing you'd have to move it not me.

 

[Progster]

It's a good idea. I would certainly find it useful

1. I would want to know everything. How it works, how the components work, how to write a programme, some basic coding or the basic principles at least.

2. When I want to know how to do something new with my computer and I look it up I often have problems because:

- I get different answers to the same question
- When a question is answered, they give you the instructions in stages, and I don't know how to do one of the stages so I end up having to learn how to do each stage separately in order to complete the task.
- Instructions are too vague and I don't know what they mean
- They use jargon, abbreviations and acronyms, assuming that I already know what they are, but I don't.
- They use diagrams and pictures which help, but sometimes what I see is different to what the picture shows, then I don't know what to do.

I've learnt how to use my PC and I know how to do a lot of things, but I have only the basic training and no expert knowledge, so I don't understand jargon and specific terminology. However, I learn quickly when I put my mind to it.

A reference section at the end explaining terminology and acronyms would be useful, as well as clearly set out contents page. Pictures and diagrams can help visual thinkers like me a lot.

 

[inabox]

Thank you Progster
I should probably say what ideas I have so far. Some of which it seems you would agree with.
If a word or term is not used in common English, it would be explained and if it is usually an acronym , I'd include the acronym, making sure it is defined too.
I'd write it so everything is explained, because even if one thing is not clear in a sentence, giving up is then made easy. With a picture / diagram, I have the same issue as you, Progster. So if there's a chance that something in the picture isn't exactly the same for everyone, I'd explain what could be different, and things that could look similar but are actually a totally different thing.
Step by step instructions, but explaining whether panic is appropriate if the order is not followed exactly (one of my main issues).
Do other people think these things are important too, or unnecessary?

Thanks guys

 

[Progster]

Thank you Progster
I should probably say what ideas I have so far. Some of which it seems you would agree with.
If a word or term is not used in common English, it would be explained and if it is usually an acronym , I'd include the acronym, making sure it is defined too.
I'd write it so everything is explained, because even if one thing is not clear in a sentence, giving up is then made easy. With a picture / diagram, I have the same issue as you, Progster. So if there's a chance that something in the picture isn't exactly the same for everyone, I'd explain what could be different, and things that could look similar but are actually a totally different thing.
Step by step instructions, but explaining whether panic is appropriate if the order is not followed exactly (one of my main issues).
Do other people think these things are important too, or unnecessary?

Thanks guys

You have some good ideas already

I find a step by step approach easier to follow, with a picture next to each step. If I'm presented with a wall of text, or too many instructions in one paragraph, I might be overwhelmed and put off.

If you are explaining how to fix something, then a list of tools needed will be useful.