Linda Ikechukwu

Technology's aim is to innovate solutions that address human problems and enhance the quality of life. Psychology, meanwhile, provides insight into our human nature. Technology without psychology would be like a high-tech GPS system with no knowledge of the terrain, or a tailored meal prepared without considering the diner's allergies.

Across various fields of technology, psychology is being integrated to achieve optimal results. Marketers employ psychological techniques such as the scarcity principle to encourage potential customers to click on links, sign up for trials, and convert to paying customers. UX designers use psychological principles like the principle of least effort to design user experiences that appeal to your users and prompt them to take the desired actions. Why aren't more technical writers doing same?

In this talk, I'll explore ten psychological principles that technical writers can apply to help users have better content experience documentation. I'll cover principles like Fogg's Behavior Model, the Ambiguity Aversion Bias, the Law of Pragnanz, and much more. It's time to start writing documentation for people as they truly are, not as we wish they were or as we think they are?