RE: How much do people need to be told in documentation.

["Michele Marques" <marquesm -at- autros -dot- com>]

What I sometimes do when there is a mixed audience is to include a chapter
towards the front or as an appendix that explains data entry conventions,
general navigation principles, basic procedures that appear in many places
(e.g., search or deletion conventions that apply to many areas of the
system), and other conventions of the system. This chapter is also a good
place to mention alternatives (e.g., menu options vs. keyboard shortcuts).

This makes it easy for someone who is not sure about data entry or
navigation to locate the information, but also easy for someone who does not
need that information to skip over it.

Also, even the novice user does not need to be told repeatedly the same bits
of information.

You might think that your audience is too advanced for this chapter - but
check with Support and Training - perhaps they have to deal with users who
don't know what you consider the basics.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michele Marques, Technical Writer
AUTROS Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
marquesm -at- autros -dot- com <mailto:marquesm -at- autros -dot- com>

This material is intended for the use of the individual
to whom it is addressed and may contain information that
is privileged, proprietary, confidential and exempt from
disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient or the
person responsible for delivering the material to the
intended recipient, you are notified that dissemination,
distribution or copying of this communication is strictly
prohibited.
If you have received this communication in error,
please contact the sender immediately via e-mail and destroy this message
accordingly.





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

A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and 
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe.  http://ieeepcs.org/2001/

  +++  Miramo -- Database/XML publishing automation.  See us at  +++
  +++  Seybold SFO, Sept. 25-27, in the Adobe Partners Pavilion  +++
  +++ More info: http://www.axialinfo.com  http://www.miramo.com +++

---
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.