Re: [ISTC_D] how useful are video tutorials/screencasts?

[Phil Stokes <philstokes03 -at- googlemail -dot- com>]

> 
> Consider Haynes Manuals, mostly photo based information, they are almost a
> 'printed video'. Are they better or worse than pages of text? Better or
> worse than a short video?
> 
> 


Haynes manuals (of which I was once an avid collector before expat life forced me to leave them, and my love of collecting old bangers, far behind...) are an excellent example. 

I'd dispute that they are 'mostly photo based information' — on the whole they contain far more textual, procedural, information than visual information — but the point is that the text often uses numerous technical terms (e.g., "line up the notch on the distributor shaft with the mark on the fan pulley") which might not be in the vocabulary of amateur users. It's far quicker to show what this means with a picture than to give a textual explanation or definitions (though many manuals do both).

As you say, Gordon, it often depends on context and audience. If you're a trained mechanic and just need to know the specific procedure for a particular model of vehicle, a quick 1,2,3 text procedure would probably be preferable. If you're new to the game, a video (or photo-story) is no doubt more reassuring.

Best

Phil


Phil Stokes BA MA TESOLcert 
Language Instructor
Chulalongkorn University Language Institute
Phaya Thai Road
Patumwan
Bangkok
10330
Thailand

Tel: (662) 218-6089
philstokes03 -at- googlemail -dot- com
2551phil -at- gmail -dot- com
philip -dot- s -at- chula -dot- ac -dot- th

Technical Writing
Apple Help & Doc Writer
http://applehelpwriter.com

Critical Thinking
Essential Thinking for Philosophy
http://essentialthinking.wordpress.com/

LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/philip-stokes/31/721/b67



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

Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
http://www.doctohelp.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat