RE: paper documentation vs. online help

Subject: RE: paper documentation vs. online help
From: "Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 22:22:14 -0500



You've got an incredibly complex product for an incredibly complex
function. My recommendation would be to create theory of operation,
procedural documentation and reference documentation. If it was up to me,
I'd put all three in print (as well as in a PDF version of the printed
document) and I'd put all three in an online help file with the reference
documentation broken down into context-sensitive chunks for screen or
dialog-box-level help as well as "what's this" help for each object
(button, field, etc.) in the application.

Others on this list will tell you that you should only include theory of
operation and procedural documentation in the print manual and only include
reference documentation in the online help but I've got a fundamental
disagreement with that approach. I believe in providing complete
documentation in both print and online help, especially when you've got an
incredibly complex product. I've stated often on this list that I believe
users will look for information exactly once, and in the form of document
that they prefer to use, be it print or online help. If they can't find
what they're looking for in the first place they look for it, they'll pick
up the phone and call tech support.

Our objective as technical writers should be to provide what the customer
wants in whatever form we're able to provide it and hopefully, if we've
done our jobs right, the kids in tech support spend most of their days
playing Quake.

Of course, the downside of my approach is that you end up with a much
larger (and costlier) printed manual but I look at that as a cost of doing
business. Look at the price per seat for copies of your product... let's
say you charge your customers $1,000 a pop. If it costs you $10 per copy
for a printed manual, that's only 1% of the retail price of the product...
certainly not excessive if you ask me.

Mike
---
Mike Starr WriteStarr Information Services
Technical Writer - Online Help Developer - Technical Illustrator
Graphic Designer - Desktop Publisher - MS Office Expert
Office: (262) 694-1028 - Pager: (414) 318-9509 - Fax: (262) 697-6334
Home (262) 694-0932 - mike -at- writestarr -dot- com - http://www.writestarr.com

-----------------------Original Message-----------------------
>From: Jennifer Maitland [mailto:jlm -at- kwi -dot- com]
>To: TECHWR-L [mailto:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]
>Date: 4/17/2002 1:02:00 PM
>Subject: paper documentation vs. online help
>
>
>Hi there,
>
>Up until last year, I normally created paper-based documenation using
>Framemaker. Then, I moved to a new company where I got the opportunity to
>begin creating online help with Robohelp. Now, thanks to the unstable job
>market, I have just begun work at a different company.
>
>One of the great things about this role is that I have gotten to start my
>own technical writing department and get to make a lot of the decisions.
The
>first task I need to accomplish is to create documentation for our product,
>which is a vast piece of software used by energy traders and risk analysis
>people. To date, I don't think I've ever seen software this complex!
>
>Upon my joining, it was assumed I would create a paper-based user manual. I
>can see the value in having such a manual, but I've also begun to see value
>in having a help system. The system does not currently have a help system.
>
>My question is: when is one more appropriate than the other? Has anyone out
>there ever found themselves writing a manual and realised it might have
been
>better to create a help system (perhaps even a context sensitive one)
>instead? I realise the ideal would be to have both, but I don't have that
>luxury in this situation. What I'm really wanting to know is, based on what
>you are trying to document, are any clear cut guidelines for the form of
>documentation you should create?
>
>Does that make sense, or am I being wholly ambiguous here? My apologies if
>it's the latter - I'm extremely overwhelmed and do not have any other
>professional writers to consult with on this one! Your input is
appreciated,
>thanks!
>
>Jennifer Maitland



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