Time to perfom a procedure

Subject: Time to perfom a procedure
From: John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 14:30:03 -0700 (PDT)


I'm working on a document describing how to perform a process. The
process is completed in about 6 phases. While the phases don't have
to be performed in a single sitting, it is strongly advised that they
are since the process doesn't work until all phases are complete and
must definitely be followed in sequence.

Because the whole process (all phases) comes out to about 50 steps, I
can imaging that users are going to 1) feel intimidated, and 2) not
have any idea of how long it is going to take if they try to perform
it in one sitting. What makes me more concerned is that the audience
is executives and we know how much patience THEY have.

I've addressed my first concern by using very small steps with lots
of pictures; before's and after's of most of the screens. This may
or may not work, we'll see. My boss (a senior manager...typical of
the targeted audience) will be my test subject.

What I would like to know is if anyone has ever included in the
document the amount of time that an average user from the targeted
audience should be able to perform the process. Even though we've got
maybe 50 steps, I don't think the process start to end should take no
more than 20/30 minutes and once they do, they never have to do it
again.

How have you addressed this concept?

Tangent....The last time I used timing in a document was for an end
of month accounting process that took 6 days end to end, where a
single step in the process could result in the computer being tied up
in a process for 6 hours or more with no visible activity...not even
an hourglass...you can guess how many people thought the machine was
frozen...at least with the timing in the document, they knew it was
normal.

=====
John Posada, Senior Technical Writer
Current gig ending 4/30
Resume: http://www.tdandw.com/Resume_Posada_022202.doc
mailto:john -at- tdandw -dot- com, 732-259-2874

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Free copy of ARTS PDF Tools when you register for the PDF
Conference by April 30. Leading-Edge Practices for Enterprise
& Government, June 3-5, Bethesda,MD. www.PDFConference.com

Are you using Doc-to-Help or ForeHelp? Switch to RoboHelp for Word for $249
or to RoboHelp Office for only $499. Get the PC Magazine five-star rated
Help authoring tool for less! Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr

---
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.



Follow-Ups:

References:
RE: Centralized document management and decentralized document cr eation: From: Erika Yanovich

Previous by Author: Re: Poll suggestion: Lurkers
Next by Author: Re: Time to perfom a procedure
Previous by Thread: RE: Centralized document management and decentralized document cr eation
Next by Thread: Re: Time to perform a procedure


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


Sponsored Ads