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Subject:User-friendly (a random thought) From:Carma C Allen <ccallen -at- CCGATE -dot- DP -dot- BECKMAN -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 24 Jan 1996 11:10:38 -0800
Karen Mayer said:
<snip>
>>I doubt that cartoons and stories about Aunt Edna are ever a
*good* idea in any technical manual (an occasional cartoon might be=
fun
if it's extremely relevant, but it might be easy to get carried awa=
y).
We're writing to provide information and/or instruct. Keeping this =
in
mind might tend to eliminate the stories and cartoons, unless our
audience is 5 years old. (Imagine standing in front of a classroom =
of
business professionals and teaching that way!)
I'm not promoting writing technical manuals as comic books, but regar=
ding=20
Karen's last statement =C4 Bill Horton does that all the time, and hi=
s classes,=20
seminars, etc., are always packed. Most people (tech communication =
=20
professionals) who have attended one of his sessions are pretty convi=
nced that=20
they learned from him.