Comments on: Rethinking the Term “Users” http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/ Technical Communication Blog / Technical Writing Blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:56:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: lernundenter » Netgeneration - 4 User-Typen http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/comment-page-1/#comment-129308 lernundenter » Netgeneration - 4 User-Typen Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:27:32 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/#comment-129308 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] findet die vier Bezeichnungen sympathischer als das Wort ‹User›. Dazu der Beitrag Rethinking the Term ‹Users› von ‹I'd Rather Be [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] findet die vier Bezeichnungen sympathischer als das Wort ‹User›. Dazu der Beitrag Rethinking the Term ‹Users› von ‹I’d Rather Be [...]

]]> By: Tech Writer: “Someone who writes as opposed to someone who rides something” | I'd Rather Be Writing http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/comment-page-1/#comment-64089 Tech Writer: “Someone who writes as opposed to someone who rides something” | I'd Rather Be Writing Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:43:01 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/#comment-64089 [...] not much clearer; plus I don’t think of myself as a designer. The term “user” is also problematic. Still, at least user help designer or something similar would allow us to more freely move outside [...] [...] not much clearer; plus I don’t think of myself as a designer. The term “user” is also problematic. Still, at least user help designer or something similar would allow us to more freely move outside [...]

]]> By: Janet http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/comment-page-1/#comment-38033 Janet Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:02:18 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/#comment-38033 I had a client whose style guide specifically discouraged the use of "user" for the reasons cited in the initial post. When readers of tech documents are IT people, though, you have to admit that "user" is useful. I had a client whose style guide specifically discouraged the use of “user” for the reasons cited in the initial post. When readers of tech documents are IT people, though, you have to admit that “user” is useful.

]]> By: Janet Swisher http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/comment-page-1/#comment-38030 Janet Swisher Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:49:14 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2007/07/27/rethinking-the-term-users/#comment-38030 I've been thinking along similar lines lately, and I totally agree. Nobody uses software because they want to use software. They use software because they want to do something that goes beyond software. Even game-players use software because they want to be engaged and entertained. "Users" describes people in terms of their relationship to the product. If we avoid that term, we have to talk about people in terms of their roles or goals that they are using the software for. In order to do that, we have to understand who these people are. So, in a way, calling people "users" reveals our failure or laziness in audience analysis. I'm taking this post as inspiration to avoid "user" as much as possible from here out. If all else fails, there is "person", which at least humanizes the discussion a bit more than "user". I’ve been thinking along similar lines lately, and I totally agree. Nobody uses software because they want to use software. They use software because they want to do something that goes beyond software. Even game-players use software because they want to be engaged and entertained.

“Users” describes people in terms of their relationship to the product. If we avoid that term, we have to talk about people in terms of their roles or goals that they are using the software for. In order to do that, we have to understand who these people are. So, in a way, calling people “users” reveals our failure or laziness in audience analysis.

I’m taking this post as inspiration to avoid “user” as much as possible from here out. If all else fails, there is “person”, which at least humanizes the discussion a bit more than “user”.

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