Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for Translating Technical Documentation

partial
. Where entire sentences are semantically identical, both 
can be written using the same structures and formulations. Such sentences 
are semantic matches and represent examples of 
full Iconic Linkage
. Where 
several instances of full IL occur consecutively, they can represent 
matching 
paragraphs 
where the whole paragraph presents the same information in ex-
actly the same way as in another part of the text. Again, several matching 
paragraphs occurring in succession result in larger sections of Iconic Link-
age. As a translation strategy, IL represents a bridge between the various 
principles outlined in preceding chapters and the numerous technical writ-
ing rules. 
The following chapter has two primary aims: firstly, it will illustrate how 
Iconic Linkage can be implemented in user guides during the translation 
process. Secondly, it will discuss a variety of methods and approaches which 
can be used to evaluate the usability of user guides in general before devel-
oping a model for assessing the effect of Iconic Linkage on document us-
ability.
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Chapter 5 
Assessing Usability 
The preceding chapters
examined software user guides with a view to
improving their usability. Iconic Linkage was proposed as one method of 
improving the usability of user guides. However, a crucial part of usability
engineering is being able to assess the effects of any strategy aimed at 
improving usability. This chapter deals primarily with an empirical study 
conducted to test the effect of Iconic Linkage in a software user guide un-
der conditions representative of real-world usage. A crucial part of such an 
undertaking is examining the various methods and procedures commonly 
used in studies of this nature. The chapter begins by examining a range of 
data collection methods used in usability studies and proceeds to select 
those which are compatible with assessing the usability of a printed user 
guide. To gain a better insight into usability testing involving users, we will 
also look at a number of previous usability studies. 
We will look at how a model for conducting the empirical experiments 
was developed including hypothesis, evaluation criteria, methods, materials 
and data analysis models. To conclude, this chapter will discuss and evaluate 
the findings of the empirical study.