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Subject:Re: When is it too much information? From:Anne Robotti <arobotti -at- gmail -dot- com> To:tech2wr-l <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:58:50 -0500
I usually have a section at the bottom for 'Miscellaneous' or 'Also In This
Release' kind of things where the user doesn't have to do anything. That's
where I'd put this.
Anne
On Mon, Feb 18, 2013 at 10:15 AM, Lynne Wright
<Lynne -dot- Wright -at- tiburoninc -dot- com>wrote:
> As a general rule, in a user guide, I wouldn't describe something that
> doesn't/won't happen.
>
> BUT given that we're talking release notes, if the support guy thinks its
> worthwhile, I'd put it in. On the presumption that he knows the audience
> the best.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=tiburoninc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com[mailto:
> techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=tiburoninc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of yehoshua paul
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 10:07 AM
> To: tech2wr-l
> Subject: When is it too much information?
>
> While reviewing the latest release notes that my company sends out every
> couple of weeks, one of the support guys suggested that I add the following
> words (or something similar) to one of the change descriptions: "The user
> does not need to do anything." What changed is information that was
> displayed in one area of the UI is no longer displayed. The support guy
> thought the users might think they need to do something, now that they no
> longer see this information.
>
> I told him, if the users needed to do something, I would write this in the
> release notes like I did with some of the other changes, and include the
> relevant steps, or the appropriate reference to the online help. If I
> didn't write anything, why would the users think they need to do something?
> His argument was that it doesn't hurt to add the sentence, and it may
> prevent confused customers from calling customer support.
>
> What do you guys think? Would adding a superfluous sentence (in my opinion)
> help or hinder users.
>
> Yehoshua
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