TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Information Mapping is a *proprietary* formatting system in which
a few organizing and formatting principles are claimed to serve
for developing all sorts of documents (both paper and electronic).
I've read several critical articles and the *proprietor's*
responses (including a book titled HOW HIGH CAN IT FLY?), and
I've had a few unauthorized peeks at the training manuals.
My 2 cents' worth says that although the principles go generally in
the right direction, the results is that everything looks alike
and is unresponsive to different audiences' needs -- and that the
whole program is expensive as hell. Right now IM is trying to sell
software comparable to Page Mill, with IM formatting built in, for
a price of -- are you ready for this? -- $995. Enough said.