Re: Two Techwriting Issues

[Billie Wahlstrom <bwahlstr -at- MAILBOX -dot- MAIL -dot- UMN -dot- EDU>]

Issue 1.
Research suggests that use of the 2nd person (what's currently called a reader
based approach to documentation) is more effective than 3rd person.  As a
consequence, we (at the U of MN and elsewhere) are teaching our tech comm
students to follow this model in reference manuals.  Billie Wahlstrom

In message <01H6L15GPAWMDBHIUM -at- VX -dot- CIS -dot- UMN -dot- EDU> "Technical Writers List; for all
Technical Communication issues"
 writes:
>         Dear Techwriters,

>         "Bitter constraint and sad occasion dear
>          Compels me to disturb your season due;" (Milton, Lycidas)

>         Indeed, debates in my documentation dept. has prompted this call for
> adv
> ice
>         in regard to the following two issues:

>         Issue 1:

>         We are presently rewriting our reference manuals, and a proposal has
> bee
> n made
>         to rewrite      them in the second person instead of the third person.
> I
> n essence,
>  where
>         the old manual addresses the user as user, the new manuals will now
> addr
> ess the
>  user
>         as you.  I would appreciate some opinions on this matter.

>         Issue 2:

>         As we rewrite the new manuals (in Framemaker 4), we are hoping that we
> c
> an
>  easily use the
>         files to develop the on-line help for the Windows applications that
> thes
> e
>  manuals document.
>         Unfortunately, as far as we know, all Windows online help packages
> (such
>  as
>  RoboHelp) use
>         Microsoft Word files.  This makes it necessary to maintain two files:
> th
> e
>  Framemaker file for
>         the documentation and the Word file for the on-line help.  Can anyone
> ou
> t there
>  offer some
>         possible resolution to this matter.


>         Thanks for your interest in these matters.  Best to you and yours for
> th
> e
>  holidays and the
>         new year.

>         Matthew