RE: Modularization of Documentation

["Dan Goldstein" <DGoldstein -at- riverainmedical -dot- com>]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for your response. So you're saying that in_the_whole_world,
there's not a single book about documentation that requires the
following:

* Each section ("module," whatever) of documentation should describe a
specific task and be clearly labeled as such.
* Each section of printed documentation should be no more than one page
long. (What about onscreen Help? Varying page sizes?)
* Each section of documentation should have no more than five other
sections that either reference it or are referenced by it.

While I don't personally agree with all three requirements, I'll bet
*someone* has written a book that requires them.

If not, write it!

Thanks,

Dan

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tony Markos
> Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 7:57 PM
> To: Dan Goldstein; TECHWR-L
> Subject: RE: Modularization of Documentation
> 
> I measure documentation module cohesiveness by:
> 
> *  Evaluating a module's label (title).  Are strong
> noun/verb combo's used?  Calculate Sales Tax is
> strong.  Process Stuff is weak.
> 
> *  Evaluating a module's size.  A module of text
> should be a page or less.
> 
> I measure module coupling by:
> 
> *  Evaluating interface complexity between my modules.
>  Using a taboo diagramming technique, I count the
> number of inputs from and outputs to other modules. 
> These can be either data flows between modules or
> flows of control.  There should be no more that four
> or five interfaces.
> 

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