FW: Graphics in lines of text

[<Daniel_Hall -at- trendmicro -dot- com>]

As with all responses to techwr-l, (all together now... 1...2...3) It depends!

Try and hold your immediate reaction (for or against this suggestion) in abeyance and analyze this from the point of view of your users. Don't jump to a conclusion based totally on the difficulty of implementation (though you will have to take this into account, many here can make suggestions on ways to make it less onerous) or your personal preferences.

If you are documenting a product where many of the controls (onscreen or hardware) are iconic, without explanatory text, then in-line images may be needed. If you are documenting a consumer product that is likely to be used by novice users, the same thing applies. In the first case, you can't expect every user's mental picture of what the "paste" icon looks like (for example) to match the little clipboard image that Microsoft chose. In the second, a novice user will need all the help they can get, and then once they've internalized your conventions, they are less likely to need the manual and thus won't care about the graphics.

If, on the other hand, you are documenting a product that is used by system administrators, putting a little icon of the Enter key (or start button, or what-have-you) will definitely be off-putting. For this user group, anything that is seen as "talking down" to users, or pointing out the obvious, is going to be a Bad Thing®.

Once you've determined why this is a bad idea - for the users of your documentation - explain that to the marketing types. Don't expect to be able to rely on "this is too difficult" or anything along those lines. Make your case based on usability and the needs of customers... two things most marketing folks have a basic appreciation for.

HTH

Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-129804 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-129804 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of
patrick_a_brady -at- hotmail -dot- com
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 1:05 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Graphics in lines of text



We use FrameMaker 6.0 to create our user manuals and documentation. 
Recently, a marketing person suggested we insert a small thumbnail in the
text of the actual button that a user pushes.  So, instead of "Press
Enter," it would be "Press (then you'd see the graphic of the key)". He
wants this throughout our manuals. We're resisting this request.  First,
it plays havoc with line spacing; we don't think our users need it (the
marketing person is telling us about 'eye movement' studies, and saying
how much easier it is to comprehend); and, since many of our manuals are
translated, we fear major problems if we insert graphics within the text.

Does anyone have experience with this?  Can you give us any advice?