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Re: Transitioning user expectations from feature to task-based information? (take II)
Subject:Re: Transitioning user expectations from feature to task-based information? (take II) From:David Neeley <dbneeley -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 2 Feb 2005 14:26:08 -0600
Geoff,
IIRC, the original comment dealt with "easily finding it by searching
the PDF" rather than through an index...
However, *WHY* is this an either/or situation?
In most of my projects, we have created a "reference manual" that was
feature based and a "user guide" that was task based.
If possible, that can be done in separate sections of a manual.
If no reference manual is possible through budgetary or other
requirements, than certainly a feature-based quick reference of some
sort is in order, cross-reffed to the manual pages where these
features are dealt with as they are used to perform tasks.
It seems especially in a case where people are being expected to deal
with a new kind of manual, some sort of transition document will be
helpful for cases such as the one mentioned.
I, too, fully agree that an oft-neglected element is an index.
However, I have also found that many tech writers aren't very good at
constructing useful ones, while others do not have the luxury of time
needed to do the job right. It is greatly aided, though, if the
writers are taught to insert index marks as they go for all the
significant terms.
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