Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for Translating Technical Documentation

Survey Methods 
In the previous sections detailing the various observational methods, we ex-
amined evaluation methods which provide us with objective data about 
how users work with an interface. From this data we can see exactly how 
well users perform tasks using the system and also where any problems are. 
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Survey Methods
This information is, without doubt, of enormous value but it is not enough 
on its own. To really understand whether an interface meets users’ re-
quirements, we need to elicit subjective information from users to illustrate 
their attitudes to and perceptions of the system (Dix 1998:431). Indeed, as 
Preece (1994:628) points out, users’ opinions can affect the design of an in-
terface while their attitudes affect the acceptance of the interface in the 
workplace. In short, if users do not like an interface, they will not use it 
unless they absolutely have to. 
User survey methods - also known as query techniques or subjective as-
sessment – make it possible to target large numbers of users to obtain their 
opinions directly and to highlight problems which may not have been an-
ticipated by designers or evaluators (Dix 
ibid.
). There are two main types of 
survey technique: 
interviews
and 
questionnaires
. 
Interviews 
The process of interviewing users regarding their experiences with an inter-
face is a direct and structured way of gathering subjective information (Dix 
1998:432). Interviews can generally take one of three forms: 
structured in-
terviews
, 
flexible interviews 
and 
semi-structured interviews
.
Structured Interviews 
In a 
structured interview
, the interviewer uses a fixed and predetermined 
series of questions which are asked in strict order. This approach allows for 
close control of the type of data gathered and makes it easier to analyse. By 
limiting the possibilities for tangential discussions and comments, structured 
interviews ensure that interviewers are not distracted from the true aim of 
the evaluation and that the desired information is obtained. This type of in-
terview is generally easier to conduct and it is easier to analyse the results 
(Hill 1995:130).
mation. Nevertheless, the nature of this study means that the information 
with user attitudes and opinions than with their observations and sugges-
tions as to how to improve the interface. 
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allow interviewers to follow up new lines of enquiry or discover new infor-
However, due to their lack of flexibility, structured interviews do not 
gathered from structured interviews, while of potential interest, is not ess-
ential for the purposes of the evaluation. Here we are more concerned 

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Assessing Usability