"Industry standard" for software user documentation?

Subject: "Industry standard" for software user documentation?
From: mandalynw -at- gmail -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2005 14:42:40 -0600


Hello techwr-lers,

I write user documentation for software. In the past two days, two
different co-workers have asked me if I use any kind of "industry
standard" format for our user documentation. One of them mentioned IEEE. I
haven't been asked to comply with any particular standards at this
company, but their questions made me wonder... Am I behind the times? Are
there technical documentation standards out there that are considered
"industry standards" for software *in general* that I'm just not aware of?
Their questions left me feeling a little puzzled. It would be different if
the company claimed to be ISO9000/whatever compliant, but that is not the
case.

And a secondary question... Is there any significant advantage to choosing
and following a standard such as IEEE for user documentation? Has anyone
adopted a standard like this of their own volition and had great success
with it? Or would voluntarily adopting a standard like this just add a
bunch of overhead?

Thanks,
Mandy

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help 2005 converts RoboHelp files with one click. Author with Word or any HTML editor. Visit our site to see a conversion demo movie and learn more. http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Previous by Author: Content of Help Systems
Next by Author: RE: Log In or Login?
Previous by Thread: Re: Professionalism on lists
Next by Thread: Re: "Industry standard" for software user documentation?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads