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Subject:Re: Developing Online Docs From:Joyce Flaherty <flahertj -at- SMTPGW -dot- LIEBERT -dot- COM> Date:Sun, 24 Mar 1996 05:44:11 EST
Beryl, you want to do so much for so many while not *increasing
your small department.* You don't mention your level of
expertise, and you don't say whether or not you have a developer
on board. You describe a major project. Management wants you to
make it happen while not allocating any additional resources. My
first reaction is to agree with your assessment: "you can't do
that at this time."
OTOH, you can move in the direction of online and satisfy some
needs while developing a plan for the larger picture. For
example, if Marketing (or another user) wants Acrobat files for
distribution, give them what they want. It costs you nothing,
and you save repro costs. If your reps want source files, give
them the source files, provided they understand they aren't
getting the bells and whistles to go with it. Again, it
costs you nothing. While you are doing this, develop a plan.
Divide and conquer. Identify user needs and look for common
denominators. Find something you can do and use good
development methodology to do it. Meanwhile, you and your
staff are gaining valuable experience--learning what works
well, what sort of works, and what doesn't work at all.
Finally, follow the SGML thread.
I doubt that this is much use to you. I intended to encourage
you to do something rather than give up completely. After
reading what I wrote, I donno.
BTW, your graphics problem is not a problem. Nowadays you
can convert just about anything to just about anything.
joyce flaherty
flahertj -at- smtpgw -dot- liebert -dot- com
____________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Developing Online Docs
Author: BDoane -at- engpo -dot- msmailgw -dot- intermec -dot- com at INTERNET
Date: 3/22/96 10:24 AM
<snip>
The questions I have relate more to task analysis and user
expectations than to a specific tool.
"Everyone" wants our department to put our info online. How do
we define what is appropriate to put online and what is the best
way to present the info for the user? Various departments want
different info in different formats for different purposes.
<big snip, examples>
