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Subject:Re: Book: What makes a great user manual? From:Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 16 Jan 2017 10:46:52 -0500
(I hated *Sideways*, too. :<( )
I find this bit from *Forbes* to be of use:
This is an example of the biggest annoyances with product manuals: They
make it extremely hard to find a simple answer to your problem.
Schriver says the words she quoted from her Pentax manual were highlighted
"Useful Information." But, she notes, they are âonly useful to readers who
are willing to be like a detective, flipping from section to section,
comparing diagrams, tables, and procedures in order to piece together the
content and make it add up.â
On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 10:41 AM, Cardimon, Craig <ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com>
wrote:
> Interesting, Chris. To each his own, I guess.
>
> C.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:
> techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
> Chris Morton
> Sent: Monday, January 16, 2017 10:40 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?
>
> I can't stand *Dummies* books, Craig. Usually the humor is at the Adam
> Sandler/Mr. Bean level. Not my cuppa.
>
> Chris Morton
>
>
>
> â Substantive Editing â Technical Writing â Proofreading
> â Marketing Expertise â Mentoring Click to <
>http://t.sidekickopen68.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nM
> JN7t5XYgdnqQxW7fsH3H4XrddKW1pNgV-56dMhqf2Q-c6C02?t=https%3A%
> 2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fpub%2Fchris-morton%2F2%2F166%
> 2F6ba&si=6020636811198464&pi=96a12667-7627-44fb-9750-a7bfe0e453e7>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 10:38 AM, Cardimon, Craig <ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com>
> wrote:
>
> > I always liked the Dummies books as launching pads. Great just to get
> > you started.
> >
> > Anyone else use Dummies as starting points?
> >
> > ~Craig
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:
> > techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
> > Chris Morton
> > Sent: Monday, January 16, 2017 10:35 AM
> > To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > Subject: Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?
> >
> > Specifically I'm interested in a somewhat breezy book (but not like
> > *Dummies*) that clearly explains the problems the problems that can
> > ensue with a manual that is poorly written/laid out.
> >
> > Chris Morton
> >
> >
> >
> > â Substantive Editing â Technical Writing â Proofreading
> > â Marketing Expertise â Mentoring Click to <
> > http://t.sidekickopen68.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nM
> > JN7t5XYgdnqQxW7fsH3H4XrddKW1pNgV-56dMhqf2Q-c6C02?t=https%3A%
> > 2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fpub%2Fchris-morton%2F2%2F166%
> > 2F6ba&si=6020636811198464&pi=7db9504b-239d-4442-cc97-f40fe7da56e4>
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 10:13 AM, Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Considering the following (as well as usability works by Steve
> > > Krug), I'm wondering if there is a similar volume that takes a good
> > > look at user manuals. Your recommendations welcome, although each
> > > should be easy read in keeping with what Redish and Krug are
> > > conveying. (I have a low tolerance for high-brow studies written by
> > > PhDs.)
> > >
> > > *Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works* by Ginny
> > > Redish
> > >
> > > "Web site design and development continues to become more
> sophisticated.
> > > An important part of this maturity originates with well-laid-out and
> > > well-written content. Ginny Redish is a world-renowned expert on
> > > information design and how to produce clear writing in plain
> > > language for the web. All of the invaluable information that she
> > > shared in the first edition is included with numerous new examples.
> > > New information on content strategy for web sites, search engine
> > > optimization (SEO), and social media make this once again the only
> > > book you need to own to optimize your writing for the web."
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > Chris Morton
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > â Substantive Editing â Technical Writing â Proofreading
> > > â Marketing Expertise â Mentoring Click to
> > >
> > > <http://t.sidekickopen68.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJ
> > > N7
> > > t5XYgdnqQxW7fsH3H4XrddKW1pNgV-56dMhqf2Q-c6C02?t=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.li
> > > nk
> > > edin.com%2Fpub%2Fchris-morton%2F2%2F166%2F6ba&si=6020636811198464&pi
> > > =2
> > > 0d48203-2891-4cb8-fd95-abe81b7e7276>
> > >
> > >
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