Re: Documentation Quality and Standardization

[John Posada <jposada99 -at- gmail -dot- com>]

> What about the formatting and look and feel factor of documentation?
> Shouldn't such factors also be considered while defining Quality of a
> document?

And what are the factors?

Remember why that are factors. Thery aren't there for their own
benefit, but that the success of the document purpose is maximized.
EVERYTHING in a document is based on making the purpose of the
document, from the user's perspective, a more successful experience.

Don't get me wrong...formatting and look-feel can make or break a
document. However, it isnj't because the formatting was right or
wrong, but because the user was more or less successful BECAUSE of the
formatting.

That's why we keep saying "know they audience" and why formatting and
feel-factor change based on that.

Picture two targeted audiences. One, female consumers between the age
or 12-16, and one, C++ programmers.

Obviously, the formatting and look-feel are going to be different.
Therefore, aren't those factors based on the audience? If they
weren't, one format would be right and one would be wrong.

Formatting and look-feel cannot exist in isolation

-- 
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer

NYMetro STC President
"Register for our next event on wikis by going to
http://www.stcnymetro.org/events/notices/apr232009.htm

Looking for the next gig.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 2009 is your all-in-one authoring and publishing 
solution. Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor,  Microsoft Word or 
HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. 
http://www.doctohelp.com

Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info. 

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat