Instructions

How to Create a Blog Using Wordpress and a Personal Domain Name

Brendan O'Connell English Major Student Oregon State University

Writing 327: Technical Writing Sara Jameson Friday, May 14, 2010

O'Connell | 1

Table of Contents Instructions ......................................................................... 3 Creating a Wordpress blog ............................................ 3 Lab Report .......................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................... 5 Purpose .................................................................. 5 Reasoning .............................................................. 5 Methodology .................................................................. 5 Creation of Plans .................................................... 5 Testing .................................................................... 5 Summary ....................................................................... 6 Recommendations for future testing ............................. 6 Revisions ....................................................................... 6 References .................................................................... 7 Test logs ............................................................................. 8 Original draft ....................................................................... 11 Original 13 proposal ..............................................................................

O'Connell | 2

How to create a Wordpress blog with your own domain name and hosting
These instructions have been made to show the simplest way to set up and maintain a Wordpress blog on independent hosting with a personal domain name. These instructions assume that you have you own domain name and account with a hosting service. Some prior knowledge with the internet will be necessary. For these instructions, the host service 1and1 was used. The host does not have to be used for these instructions to work, but the reader must know their own hosting service navigation. 1. Download wordpress.zip file from wordpress.org -Go to http://wordpress.org -Click on Download WordPress X.X.X (version number) -Choose to save file and select place to save it to -Using an archive tool, unzip the zip file to its own folder. By double clicking the file it should open an archive tool, choose extract and then select where to put the file.)

Fig 1.1 Site adress

Fig 1.2 Download button

2.Download Filezilla for your Operating System (Windows, Mac, Linux) -Download the installer needed -Install filezilla by following given Fig 2.1 Download adress instructions 3. Set up MySQL -Go to host homepage and log in to your account Fig 3.1(above) Navigation Bar -Navigate to mysql administration on Fig 3.2 (left) create database button your control page -Create new database by clicking on the button in the middle shown in Fig 3.2 -Type in any description(ex. Wordpress) and a password that you can remember -Save and it will return to a list of your databases, click edit on the one that created. Fig 3.3 The edit button you click 4. Edit WP-config-sample.php -Open wp-config-sample.php with a text editor (notepad(win), gedit(lin), TextEdit(mac) -Change the file to match the example(fig 4.1) Do not change anything else other than what is shown, or the site may not work. -Save the file as wp-config.php
Fig 4.1 Database change sample

O'Connell | 3

5. Set up FTP connection -Go to your host manager -Find FTP account -Create a new username and password -Access username and Password -Set up a new connection in Filezilla -Click on site manager button -Click on New Site -Follow the sample in fig 5.1
Fig 5.1 New Connection settings

6. Move Wordpress files to site -In your new connection have the server side (blank at the moment) on the right and the my computer side on the left -Navigate to where you unzipped the wordpress folder -Drag the entire contents of the wordpress folder onto the blank site by hitting ctrl(command)

Fig 6.1 Transfering files in Filezilla

7.In a web browser, go to http://yoursite.---/wp-admin/install.php -follow the on-screen instructions

O'Connell | 4

Lab Report
Introduction
Purpose
The idea behind these instructions was to enable anyone with a little computer knowledge to create there own blog that they could maintain and host easily using the wordpress system. Although there are instructions that do this, they are too difficult for most people to understand and force the reader to research more to understand the instructions. Something simple, fast and easy to read was needed, and that is why these instructions were created. There are many people out there that want to blog but simply don't know how to.

Reasoning
To make these instructions it was necessary to use all operating systems and find software that was easy to use and worked on every platform. Because these instructions are meant for a very wide audience and variety of people, they need to work no matter who they are given to.

Methodology
Creation of Plans
Making these plans was not an arduous task, but it did take time. These steps can be mixed around with the same outcome, and it was necessary to find out what the best method was for creating a blog. Unnecessary words and phrases were cut out for simplicity of the reader. Testing showed that wordiness is bad for comprehension and makes the follower look at the instructions more instead of getting the task accomplished.

Testing
Because of the inability to install programs on the computers at the University, it was necessary to do the testing on my own computer using the hosting that I pay for and creating a sub-domain that my testers could use. I had to delete their actions in between each test which was simply but time consuming. Each test took 20-30 minutes but the software was pre-installed to save time. On my laptop, the linux operating systems was tested once. Windows tests took place in testers home after emailing them the instruction and conversing with them through Skype. The final two testers used a friend's Macbook to test the compatibility of the instructions with the Mac OS X operating system.

O'Connell | 5

With my first test I had someone that knew about computers and went through the steps very quickly and correctly. Their site worked correctly and they had no problems with the instructions. This apparent success lifted my hopes up and I it looked like it would be very easy. The second and third test did not go so well. After realizing that my instructions were generally created for people that know their way around a comp+uter, I began to see that I included jargon like unzip and OS, and forgot to include instructions on how to install a program. These minor inconveniences were not a big deal, so I left them in the original instructions.

Summary
In short, the instructions were successful 100 percent with only slight jargon errors and misunderstanding of the words. In the final instructions proved, these were altered and a brief introduction was included to say that these were created for people that know a little bit about computers. It should be said that these are instructions people would actively look for on the internet, not something that comes in a box with software. In attempting to create very simple instructions, important parts were missed in the draft and it made the instructions confusing to people that didn't know words that I use every day. Using my own hosting and domain name made my testers less wary about doing this test and also made it so they didn't have to buy anything. Because each test was successful and every tester created a blog at the end of following the instructions, I was happy with my work, but I am sure that there are people that would be confused by very simply tasks or would complain because the instructions never say to have the computer turned on, though it is implied in the introduction to the instructions.

Recommendations
These are simply instructions by in testing more, I would suggest adding even more and go into more detail about downloading and installing because I left it out of my testing. It's essential that there is a test host site and domain that people can use without fear or cost. Also, more information needs to be studied into whether these instructions will work with different host companies.

Revisions
Changes to the original instructions were necessary after discovering that sections were difficult to understand or used words and phrases that my testers didn't understand. Changes to the page layout, font and image placement were also made to make the instructions easier to read on a screen.

O'Connell | 6

Image Sources
All images screen captured by the author

O'Connell | 7

TEST LOGS
transcribed from spoken word and notes
***** Instructions for what product/process: _Creating a Wordpress blog website_ Test subjects name ___Andrew Shartle_____________________________________ Observer(s) name(s) __Brendan O'Connell_________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Date of test: _May 11 2010__ Location of test : __Andrews Room in house___ Start time of test: ___2:30 PM____________________ End time of test: ____2:55 PM____________________ Results: Tester fills out: Describe your attempt and degree of success: Any advice on the instructions? Really easy on the Mac, went faster/easier than expected. Results: Observer fills out: Notes and observations from this test.

Mac test, normal speed, successful

***** Instructions for what product/process: _Creating a Wordpress blog website_ Test subjects name ___Julie O'Connell______________________________________ Observer(s) name(s) __Brendan O'Connell_________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Date of test: _May 10 2010__ Location of test:_O'Connell home, dining room Start time of test: ____7:35 PM___________________ End time of test: _____8:00 PM___________________ Results: Tester fills out: Describe your attempt and degree of success: Any advice on the instructions? Had trouble with wording, explained and succeeded. Some more explanation or a glossary would be nice. Results: Observer fills out: Notes and observations from this test. Windows test. Took time, didn't know words in instructions, was able to finish and post though

O'Connell | 8

***** Instructions for what product/process: _Creating a Wordpress blog website_ Test subjects name ___Tyler Kabe___________________________________________ Observer(s) name(s) __Brendan O'Connell_________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Date of test: _May 8 2010__ Location of test:_Authors house, living room Start time of test: ___12:00____________________________ End time of test: ____12:22____________________________ Results: Tester fills out: Describe your attempt and degree of success: Any advice on the instructions? Successfully made the site and posted on it. Very easy to understand instructions. Graphics helped. Similar size images would look better. Results: Observer fills out: Notes and observations from this test.

Linux test, has computer exp, went very fast, success.

***** Instructions for what product/process: _Creating a Wordpress blog website_ Test subjects name ___Mary Flanigan_____________________________________ Observer(s) name(s) __Brendan O'Connell_________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Date of test: _May 9 2010__ Location of test _London flat, England__ Start time of test: ___6:45 AM PST _______________ End time of test: ____7:30 AM PST________________ Results: Tester fills out: Describe your attempt and degree of success: Any advice on the instructions? Instructions were difficult to understand, pictures made it better. Use more images. Results: Observer fills out: Notes and observations from this test.

Windows test, very slow, not good with computers. Didn't understand basics like install and unzip (make simpler)

O'Connell | 9

***** Instructions for what product/process: _Creating a Wordpress blog website_ Test subjects name __Charlie Chambers____________________________________ Observer(s) name(s) __Brendan O'Connell_________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Date of test: _May 11 2010__ Location of test _Shartle's room____ Start time of test: _______3:00 PM________________ End time of test: ________3:15 PM________________ Results: Tester fills out: Describe your attempt and degree of success: Any advice on the instructions? Simple easy instructions with images helped ensure I was doing the right action. Some people might not understand unzip or OS Results: Observer fills out: Notes and observations from this test.

Mac test, very fast, had internet connection issues but still succeeded

O'Connell | 10