Carolyn K Patterson
Professional & Technical Writer, Editor, Instructor
Editorial
Pre-writing accounts for a large part of successful writing projects. With experience in story boarding, project planning, and user testing, I have developed a process that incorporates audience analysis into the design phase. The result is a streamlined development phase with product deliverables created early in the process. This allows for high quality finished products that have been shown to meet user needs.
Rhetorical Analysis
Press Coverage Analysis
Survey of Rhetorical Landscape
I wrote a research report about the phenomenon of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch at the height of its popularity in mainstream media several years ago. Later, when I decided to return to the project in order to create a more interactive model, I conducted a rhetorical analysis of recent press coverage to help identify where public interst lies.
It became clear that the focus had shifted from environmental damage to wildlife harm in recent years. One video of a sea turtle with a blocked nasal passage has even inspired Starbucks to eliminate plastic straws, a major step for a corporate entity. With this rhetorical analysis, I was able to identify other major areas of shifting focus. These findings could be used to plan a series of blog posts or informative articles for social media.
Protocol Study
Second Chance Website User Test
Protocol Study
From the time I began volunteering for the local nonprofit, Second Chance Wildlife Rescue Association, I perceived a need to update their obsolete website. The person who had designed the site was still part of the organization, so suggesting a revision required tact.
As a solution, I organized a two-part user test of the old structure and then presented my findings to the organization. Based on the results from the focus group and protocol studies, Second Chance was compelled to accept an offer from UC graduate students to redesign the site.