Re: chunking, was "RE: Documentation on the Web"

Subject: Re: chunking, was "RE: Documentation on the Web"
From: Jean Weber <jean -at- wrevenge -dot- com -dot- au>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 10:41:52 +1000

Depends on how you define "chunk." If you define it as "the amount of stuff on a page," then yes it can be annoying to have to click to more pages.

However,you can have more than one "chunk" on a Web page, just as you do on a physical page, for example by inserting headings at appropriate places.

You may need to present the information a bit differently online. Some possibilities are: shorter paragraphs or more material set out as definition lists (the "definition terms" act almost as headings, but don't take up so much space), or any other technique that's appropriate to the material. The goal is to assist skimming and finding your way back to wherever you were on the page when you glanced away. That's one of my big problems with reading online: getting distracted and then not being able to quickly find where I was. Suitable chunking helps a lot.

"Chunking" is one of those wonderfully vague words that conjures up different images in people's minds, leading to interesting arguments about apples and oranges. "Editing" is another one <grin>.

Regards, Jean
Jean Hollis Weber
mailto:jean -at- jeanweber -dot- com
The Technical Editors' Eyrie http://www.jeanweber.com/


> Make smaller "chunks" for screen
> reading than you do for printing.

I'm not sure I agree with this suggestion. When I read something online, I
_hate_ it when the author has chunked it up and I have to use extra clicks
and mouse movements to read the whole article. The scroll-bar lets me
conveniently chunk things up as much as I want; just organize things with
headings and paragraphs and I'll be fine.


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Follow-Ups:

References:
chunking, was "RE: Documentation on the Web": From: Girardot, David

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