Re: Rant... please let me help you fix the user interface

["Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>]

I don't intend to give up... I know the guys I'm working with are pretty 
much on my side as far as these things go. I suspect in the long run, most 
of the changes I'm suggesting will eventually be implemented. It's just that 
it may not follow the path I'd choose. I've definitely used screen captures 
to my advantage in this process. I'll take a screen capture, then tweak it 
myself to show the flaws in the existing version and the reasoning behind 
what I'm suggesting.

I think one of the things on their mind might be "He's spending time on this 
stuff and we want him to focus on writing the docs". In order to address 
that concern (even though I don't believe I'm actually diverting much time 
from writing the documentation) I'll take that aspect of what I'm doing 
offline... I'll work on it at home during off hours. I believe in it enough 
that I'm willing to do it on my own time, without pay.

Best regards,

Mike
--
Mike Starr                            WriteStarr Information Services
Technical Writer   -   Online Help Developer   -    Website developer
Graphic Designer    -    Desktop Publisher   -       MS Office Expert
Phone: (262) 694-1028 - Tollfree: (877) 892-1028 - Fax:(262) 697-6334
Email: mike -at- writestarr -dot- com      -      Web: http://www.writestarr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Simon North" <sintac -at- home -dot- nl>
To: "Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
Cc: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 1:20 PM
Subject: Re: Rant... please let me help you fix the user interface

> Hooooo boy!
>
> My heart bleeds for you Mike.
>
> I followed a simple path at my current gig; except that our software
> has non-Windows, proprietary interface and the original docs were
> written by the QA manager - so they are/were totally software-oriented
> and read more like specs than user docs (except we don't have specs).
> Can you imagine a Dreamweaver help project where every single file is
> in a separate directory and they are ALL called 'index.htm'?
>
> The major difference is that I was lucky enough to be given the chance to
> 'put my money where my mouth was' and come up with some suggestions. I
> put a lot of effort into making a full-scale presentation to my boss, who 
> was
> fortunately impressed enough to make me repeat it to all of R&D, and I now
> get to help with the development of the GUI and do a formal usability
> evaluation of all products and projects. Of course, it sounds simple put 
> like
> this, but the process took nearly 2 years and we have an awful long way to
> go yet.
>
> The only suggestions I might give that could be of any use are: 1) don't 
> give
> up! 2) take it one (small) battle at a time  3) pictures speak louder than
> words ... and some a few good 'reductio ad absurbam' of existing gaffes 
> can
> win a lot of converts.
>
> For what little it's worth,
>
> Simon. 

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