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Subject:Re: To Dialog or Not To Dialog (#117530) From:scot <scot -at- HCI -dot- COM -dot- AU> Date:Wed, 3 Apr 1996 10:10:31 +1000
>It's one thing to provide your users with enough information to make sense
>out of your directions. It's another thing entirely to assume your users have
>the knowledge of convention. Instead of simply using the standard terms and
>assuming the user will understand their meaning, perhaps you should provide an
>overview section with a list of key concepts and definitions. Obviously, if
>you're writing for users with a software background,
Part of the beauty of Windows and similiar systems is that it is highly
standardised in operation. It is also supplied with documentation. In my
audience definition, I nearly always include a statement to the effect that
the audience has possession of a Windows manual, has read it, and also
studied the online documentation and training materials installed with it.
In the manual I tell the reader this assumption is made, and if YOU (the
reader) hasn't done this, you should do it immediately.
A starting point has to be assumed (for a start, that your audience can read
English !), I don't see the point in duplicating information, unless there
is some specific reason why you can't assume this material is available to
them (and usually, there isn't).
