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Re: Quick Reference Material in User Guide?

Subject: Re: Quick Reference Material in User Guide?
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 13:34:12 -0700


Jim Hager wrote:

I'm contemplating adding some quick reference material inside the user
guide. These blocks of material would be like a quick summary of the tasks
that are rather compex. These would interspersed throughout a chapter as
need and would be in adition to the chapter summaries.

I haven't used this technique, but I don't think I would.I suppose that I could design so that the quick references were highly visible, but, on the whole, I wouldn't go to the effort.

My reasoning: a quick reference is supposed to be quick. Having to flip through the chapter to find the summaries probably ensures that finding the information won't be quick.

Besides, the introduction to a procedure generally summarizes it anyway.

A quick reference and a complete reference have two different purposes, so you probably shouldn't try to mix them. Trying to do so only complicates things for you while doing little for the users.

--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

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- Tom Holt, "Little People"



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References:
Quick Reference Material in User Guide?: From: Jim Hager

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