Figures in User Manuals

Subject: Figures in User Manuals
From: Claire Philpott <claire -dot- philpott -at- alphanova -dot- co -dot- uk>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 19:10:48 +0200

Dear All,

Please can you provide some advice about the use of figures in User Manuals.


I am writing a User Manual/Reference Guide. The proposed audience for this
guide is mainly business users covering a variety of job functions ranging
in seniority from Customer Service Representatives to Middle Managers. There
are potentially a few 'technical' personnel who will use the manual.

I have been 'asked' to include figures under every screen capture and to
create an index of these figures.

In principle I am against adding figures to a User Manual/Reference Guide. I
feel that Users locate relevant information through a list of task based
entries in an index than through a list of screen shoots.

Am I right in feeling this is more relevant for a technical publication
targeted at a technical audience? Is there a compelling reason why I should
or should not include the figures?

Regards


Claire Philpott

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Develop HTML-Based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver 4 ($100 STC Discount)
**New Dates!!** San Francisco (Apr 16-17), San Jose (Mar 29-30)
http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.

IPCC 01, the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference,
October 24-27, 2001 at historic La Fonda in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
CALL FOR PAPERS OPEN UNTIL MARCH 15. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Previous by Author: RE: How formal or informal
Next by Author: Figures Clarification
Previous by Thread: Palm uses for Tech writers
Next by Thread: RE: Figures in User Manuals


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads