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Subject:How do you organize user manuals? From:Alexander Von_obert <avobert -at- TWH -dot- MSN -dot- SUB -dot- ORG> Date:Mon, 7 Aug 1995 10:00:03 LCL
Hello Peggy,
* Antwort auf eine Nachricht von Peggy_Thompson -at- ccmail -dot- osti -dot- gov an All am 28.07
PP> When you organize your computer user manuals, do you put
PP> everything in logical sequence--start-up, basic tasks, complex
PP> tasks, appendices--or do you organize by frequency of use,
PP> keeping the body of the book focused on basic tasks, with a
PP> reference section for more esoteric tasks, and appendices that
PP> include such one-time learning events as logging on and
PP> logging off?
I prefer to start with an overview, then some examples of typical work done
and then a reference for the program. Everything between I try to put into the
user interface or the online help.
This way, the user has something to take home to read in a quiet place, finds
step-by-step instructions to get started and a reference for the really
esoteric topics. For the rest, (s)he wouldn't open a manual anyhow.
And I write less text and need not revise the manual every time a programmer
catches a cold :-)
Greetings from Germany,
Alexander
--
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