"Making the Most of Service Manuals"

[Dan Goldstein]

The article focused on service manuals for technicians and engineers,
who should all be thoroughly trained on the device before they service
it. However, they can't commit to memory all of the troubleshooting
paths, preventive maintenance procedures and intervals, parts
replacement schedules, schematics and parts lists, etc.

One more nudge: The overall article was exactly what STC could use in
one of its publications - the issues that it raises go way beyond
medical devices. I don't know if AAMI would agree to sell one-time
reprint rights, but it's certainly worth asking.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ned Bedinger
> Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 3:23 AM
> To: Mike Starr
> Cc: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
> Subject: Re: "Making the Most of Service Manuals"
> 
> Mike Starr wrote:
> > That's all well and good if you know your 
> > audience is composed exclusively of who already 
> > know the equipment and only need the documentation 
> > to refresh their memory. However, if your audience 
> > includes new users, you're doing them a disservice 
> > by catering to the experienced users and omitting 
> > detail. In addition, leaving the detail out of the 
> > documentation imposes a training requirement on 
> > the experienced users. In most cases, it's the job 
> > of the documentation to relieve experienced users 
> > of that burden.
> 
> I'm not so sure that medical device users aren't 
> trained on the equipment.  So who else would be 
> using it that they need a User Guide?
> 

This message contains confidential information intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the addressee, or the person responsible for delivering it to the addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, disseminating, distributing, copying, electronic storing or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this message by mistake, please notify us, by replying to the sender, and delete the original message immediately thereafter.  Thank you.