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In the wake of recent discussions of both responsibility and indexing, I
find no little irony in my current indexing dilemma. Not just irony,
either.
So I turn to the experts for advice (and possibly moral support if you
have it to offer).
I am struggling to deal with an indexing project for which I do not have
adequate resources to complete properly (yes, this is a real-world
"responsiblity" situation). To be more precise, I have been charged with
completion of an index for a RoboHelp project that amounts to 1000+ dense
and complex topics for an MRP (Material Requirements Planning) app. There
is a somewhat haphazard index already in place. The original project plan
allotted 3 days for this project.
While management agrees that the original time allotment was unrealistic,
to say the least, this is water under the bridge. I now find myself having
to figure out how to create some kind of deliverable within the next week
and a half, which is insufficient time for a complete index given the
other constraints of my job description.
I have not done indexes for online apps before, although I have extensive
indexing experience for print. I've read all I can find of Lori Lathrop's
immensely helpful material on indexing in general and online indexing in
particular. But I now find myself having to make difficult choices, and
that's why I'm turning to y'll for advice.
I clearly have to pare back my original plans to index fully (at least for
the initial release of the app, which is still undergoing final interface
tweaks that will affect the index). I began by recreating from scratch a
list of index topics in an effort to create a consistent approach to
entries. But right now, as deadlines loom, I'm finding myself doing
little more than recreating the TOC with a few synonyms (although I've
done better by a few other parts of the app). This does NOT seem like a
satisfactory compromise, although it may be realistic.
Does anyone else have experience with a similar situation? Advice? After
recent animadversions about responsibility, I'm a little hesitant even to
ask, but hey, the worst that can happen is I learn another unanticipated
lesson.
Please reply off-list if you think this is not sufficiently of general
interest, and accept my heartiest thanks in advance --
Jennifer
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Order here: http://www.ehelp.com/products/robohelp/
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