A4 Article in conference proceedings
Applying Minimalism in the Real World : Results From a Workshop (2020)
Suomivuori, T., Virtaluoto, J., & Suojanen, T. (2020). Applying Minimalism in the Real World : Results From a Workshop. In H. Hirsto, M. Enell-Nilsson, H. Kauppinen-Räisänen, & N. Keng (Eds.), Työelämän viestintä III, Arbetslivskommunikation III, Workplace Communication III, Kommunikation im Berufsleben III : VAKKI-symposiumi XL. Vaasa 6. – 7.2.2020 (pp. 238-251). Vaasan yliopisto. VAKKI publications, 12. https://vakki.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/VAKKI2020_SuomivuoriVirtaluotoSuojanen_uusipdf.pdf
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Suomivuori, Tiia; Virtaluoto, Jenni; Suojanen, Tytti
Parent publication: Työelämän viestintä III, Arbetslivskommunikation III, Workplace Communication III, Kommunikation im Berufsleben III : VAKKI-symposiumi XL. Vaasa 6. – 7.2.2020
Parent publication editors: Hirsto, Heidi; Enell-Nilsson, Mona; Kauppinen-Räisänen, Hannele; Keng, Nicole
Conference:
- VAKKI Symposium
Place and date of conference: Vaasa, 6.-7.2.2020
eISBN: 978-952-68538-9-5
Journal or series: VAKKI publications
ISSN: 2242-6841
eISSN: 2242-685X
Publication year: 2020
Number in series: 12
Pages range: 238-251
Number of pages in the book: 294
Publisher: Vaasan yliopisto
Place of Publication: Vaasa
Publication country: Finland
Publication language: English
Persistent website address: https://vakki.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/VAKKI2020_SuomivuoriVirtaluotoSuojanen_uusipdf.pdf
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Open Access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/73734
Abstract
focuses on the user’s needs, helps the user recover from error situations, and strengthens the user’s skills
in working with the system (Carroll & van der Meij 1995: 245). The challenge with minimalism has been
its practical application: although user-centeredness – the core of minimalism – is the key issue in technical
communication, the abstract nature of the approach and its focus on software documentation has made it
difficult to apply in industry settings (Virtaluoto, Suojanen & Isohella 2018; Virtaluoto, Suojanen & Isohella, forthcoming). Consequently, there is very little evidence on the suitability of minimalism for software
documentation and no evidence at all for hardware documentation. In this article, we explore the application of minimalism to heavy industry machinery end-user instructions through a workshop with technical
communication professionals. In the workshop, the participants reviewed heavy industry machinery enduser instructions using a revised set of minimalism heuristics as a practical review tool (Virtaluoto, Suojanen & Isohella, forthcoming). The results show that the revised minimalism heuristics were applicable
to heavy industry machinery end-user instructions, but further development ideas were also suggested.
Keywords: technical communication; machineries; instruction manuals; minimalism; user-centeredness; heuristic
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2020
JUFO rating: 1
