It isn't just for manuals anymore

  • Article

Ed McKillop has been writing and editing technical and marketing content for over ten years. He has written catchy phrases and many manuals (some boring, some not so boring) for aircraft, servers, hardware, software, cell phones, and a machine that tested water and air for anthrax, back when no one knew what anthrax was. He lives quietly in Seattle, with his small dog Toby, and enjoys writing emails to his friends.

With any relationship you have, how you communicate is paramount. To make it work, you actively listen, ask good questions, and from that exchange you learn and grow. Last June, I started a new job, a new relationship, with Microsoft Office Online because this group puts significant work into listening to users of Word, Outlook, Excel, and the other Office products. What I especially appreciated was the focus on having that conversation in exciting ways: blogs such as this one, also videos, work scenarios, interviews; the list goes on.

As part of my job, I read through thousands of customer comments, perhaps one from you. Some customers are frustrated (where is the Office button…), many get the information they’re seeking, and there are moments when I laugh out loud — very creative and colorful language. Though I can’t share exactly what was said, the best comments go up on my whiteboard: I respect those willing and able to express themselves; I grew up where people shout out of car and living-room windows. The lesson I learned from that: it’s the message that matters.

For ten years I’ve been writing about technology and I can tell you that a great deal of that was incredibly boring. Don’t get me wrong, it was useful, clear and accurate, but not very interesting to the average person and not at all sexy. It was static. Lucky for me, times have changed. Much as Microsoft has evolved to become the company that listens to its customers, content has become a living, dynamic experience. It isn’t 200-page manuals any more. With e-mail, blogs, text and other technologies, we’re all real-time writers and that’s very powerful. Content is a conversation. We can know what’s happening with our loved ones right now, send a message across continents, mountains, and oceans in seconds; and an organization can hear and see what its customers think and feel. At Office Online we distill those thoughts and feelings and from that valued resource we create stories:

Crabby Office Lady: She tells it like it is, Office-program mysteries, and you can tell her what you think. Go ahead, she can take it.

Office Hours: Share in the joys and sorrows of our life with technology.

Top Hits of Office Online: Our greatest hits section – find out what zillions of Office Online customers downloaded in 2008.

At the end of each piece of content we produce, be it an article, Crabby, or Office Hours, you have the opportunity to express yourself. You’ll see the question, Was this information helpful? You can click Yes, No, or I don’t know. Tell us what you’re thinking and we will work to put those words into action.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    February 02, 2009
    I really enjoyed the piece you wrote. You made it sound exciting and human.  You have assisted me so many times when I came to a tech block on the computer.  You were able to walk me through step by step.  It must be rewarding to apply what you know and help people in a jam.  Thanks Eddy, keep up the great work.

  • Anonymous
    February 04, 2009
    I'm very grateful for the family member that has commented on this, my first blog post. One tries to be useful by creating good content and offering tech support for those in need.  E

  • Anonymous
    February 04, 2009
    You offered a tremendous and wholly different approach to online content and support...especially to one like me who is technologically clueless outside of basic daily needs.  I guess this living, breathing, relationship between person and computer, "us" and "them" is really evolving into "we."  I'm glad to know that there's a "you" who is tech-savvy for a "me" who is tech-clueless whenever there's a need to improve "our" experience.

  • Anonymous
    February 05, 2009
    Thank you for the kind words; you cite why I do what I do for a living. For you, I wouldn't say clueless, but probably presented with tools made with many many options, which can be sometimes confusing and overwhelming. What might be useful is the small pieces of information on Office Online, about specific functions you use in your job, or personal life, that make it easier to build up the knowledge set you need to be successful in your endeavors.

  • Anonymous
    February 05, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 05, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    I second that!  Concise, creative communication is a pure joy.  I'm just disappointed someone became the "Crabby Office Lady" before me.  Cheers to you Ed.

  • Anonymous
    February 17, 2009
    Andrea, you can always be my sidekick.