RE: paper documentation vs. online help

Subject: RE: paper documentation vs. online help
From: Kim Wallace <KWallace -at- stewart -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 14:55:28 -0500


Jennifer:

In my prior job, I wrote for the same group of users at an energy company
whose name has since become mud.

We decided to focus on getting a manual out the door first, BUT we also
supplied field-level (What's This) help.

The paper manual was used as a reference for classroom training, and
occasionally as a trader discipline tool (;-), but it also gave visibility
to the product within the organization. The field-level help, which our
users also wanted, provided clarification to them about what to do (or not
do) with a field.

We were able to supply both at the same time because the first thing we were
able to get out of the programming staff was a screen & field list, with
appropriate values/lengths/uses.

Energy traders and risk analysts are a smart bunch of folks who deal with a
lot of information all at once. You will find that they want information any
way they can get their hands on it.

Don't depend on a paper manual being able to survive on their desks for
long. Provide PDF, HTML, HTML Help, or whatever you can get online to them,
with some sort of search mechanism.

We were also able to meet demands by delivering small portions of the
documentation at a time. Breaking down the task helped us by scaling down
the scope of each deliverable, and made the users happy because they
received a steady stream of new information with each release.

Good luck! Please contact me offlist if you want to chat some more about
this user group and its rather unique needs.

Kim Wallace
Landata Systems
kwallace -at- stewart -dot- com

-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Maitland [mailto:jlm -at- kwi -dot- com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 11:22 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: paper documentation vs. online help


=============================================================
Jennifer Maitland wrote:

Hi there,

Up until last year, I normally created paper-based documenation using
Framemaker. Then, I moved to a new company where I got the opportunity to
begin creating online help with Robohelp. Now, thanks to the unstable job
market, I have just begun work at a different company.

One of the great things about this role is that I have gotten to start my
own technical writing department and get to make a lot of the decisions. The
first task I need to accomplish is to create documentation for our product,
which is a vast piece of software used by energy traders and risk analysis
people. To date, I don't think I've ever seen software this complex!

Upon my joining, it was assumed I would create a paper-based user manual. I
can see the value in having such a manual, but I've also begun to see value
in having a help system. The system does not currently have a help system.

My question is: when is one more appropriate than the other? Has anyone out
there ever found themselves writing a manual and realised it might have been
better to create a help system (perhaps even a context sensitive one)
instead? I realise the ideal would be to have both, but I don't have that
luxury in this situation. What I'm really wanting to know is, based on what
you are trying to document, are any clear cut guidelines for the form of
documentation you should create?

Does that make sense, or am I being wholly ambiguous here? My apologies if
it's the latter - I'm extremely overwhelmed and do not have any other
professional writers to consult with on this one! Your input is appreciated,
thanks!

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