Technical Writer Intern
User-End Research
August 2023 — December 2023 (15 weeks)
Role —
Technical Writer
Team —
Individual + App Development Team
Client: Michelle Rome
Overview —
A look into my semester-long internship at UIUC, my research on User-Interface (UI) design and User Experience (UX) to help improve university applications, and my ability to present technical research to a non-technical audience.
Research Presentations
Here are links to the presentations I created to showcase my research to fellow interns and client
My Main Research on App Dev
Application I Improved Using Research
My Research on PM & CRM Tools
Overview & Goal
Overview of Research —
User-Interface (UI), User-End (UX) - Good and Poor design practices
Web/App Accessibility - How to make interface straightforward for all users
Best Project Management & CRM Tools for Internship Coordinator
Goals —
Present my technical research to a non-technical audience in a clear and detailed manner
Improve UI design of university data web application and launch it for university use
Read technical documentation to improve application features such as style and layout
Test and Improve search bar of data services website to present more accurate results
Pitch best Project Management and CRM tools to showcase detailed research of benefits
Tools, Software, & Skills —
UI/UX Design, Web/App Research, Technical Documentation, CRM Tools, PM Tools
Microsoft (Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook), Google (Slides, Docs)
Execution
Steps I Took to Reach Goal
Step 1:
User-End Research
UI/UX Design & Search Bar Improvements
In my initial research I was able to learn more about the best User-interface design practices in the graphic design industry. I looked into website and application accessibility and learned how to keep navigations simple for optimal user-experience.
I was able to apply the research by testing out a website and documenting the search bar results. I advised my team on what design implementations could be made, such as the addition of better font styles and more clear directions to guide users.
Step 2:
Application & Docs
Web App Style & Layout + App Launch
I was able to improve the university application using the documentation guide. I added more detailed instructions such as: "Enter First Name" / "Enter UIN"
I also needed to add directions to inform the user about what to write in the text-box. I added:
"Please write any additional notes here"
After the improvement I made, we were able to launch the web/app for students to fill out using the improved layout and instructions.
Step 3:
PM & CRM Tools
Pitching the Best Tool
For this mini-project I researched different Project Management tools and Customer-Relation Management tools to pitch to my internship coordinator and help improve their work efficiency.
I was able to present my research of the tools in a clear way by bullet pointing the main pros and cons of each tool, which helped my internship coordinator decide on a tool to use more easily.
Step 4:
Simplify Research
Present Technical Info in Non-Technical Form
I was able to present conceptual ideas more plainly and directly by reducing the content to bullet points.
I defined words using simplified definitions and examples. I elaborated on concepts during live presentation. I used visuals with my explanations and had live walkthroughs to make things easier to follow.
I also asked for feedback and questions from my audience to see if anything needed more clarification.
Obstacles
Simplifying My Research
One of the key goals I had to keep in mind was my audience. Making sure I simplified my research and added enough detail for everyone to be able to follow along and learn from the concepts.
Making my research easy-to-follow did become tricky at times when discussing more technical concepts from the application and documentation.
I decided to add visuals to help aid my explanations and links to my projects to walkthrough during live presentations. I also kept my presentations short and focused to streamline the main points of my research.
Outcome
What I Learned
Although there were a lot of technical aspects to this internship, I was able to focus on the importance of making icons and layouts less cluttered, how to write clear instructional guides, and acknowledge the user-experience when developing a web/app.
Make icons and layouts less cluttered
Write clear instructional guides for the user to follow
Project Management and CRM tools - pros & cons
Present complex technical research concepts more simply
I would like to thank the App Development team, who inspired me and helped me improve where I lacked.
I would especially like to thank my client Michelle Rome, who assigned these creative projects and was a great mentor whom I learned a lot from throughout the internship.