Communication of Complex Information: User Goals and Information Needs for Dynamic Web Information

Technical communicators and information designers are increasingly being called upon to address information needs which go beyond providing step-by-step instructions and involve assistance in addressing open-ended situations and problems. Situationsand problems that can only be addressed by providing information specific to a situation and presenting it in a way that supports various users' information needs and cognitive processing strategies. Designs that answer these needs require understanding the complexity of the entire contextual situation and providing answers to users real-world questions. The design must assist users in resolving ambiguities inherent in the incomplete information found in complex real-world situations.