Writers of user manuals: going the way of the dodo?

Subject: Writers of user manuals: going the way of the dodo?
From: Alexander Von_obert <avobert -at- TWH -dot- MSN -dot- SUB -dot- ORG>
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 09:53:02 LCL

Hello Peggy,


* Antwort auf eine Nachricht von Peggy_Thompson -at- ccmail -dot- osti -dot- gov an All am 28.07

PP> We're all agreed, I think, that movement is away from the
PP> clunky
PP> user manuals of old (five yrs ago, I was writing ring-bound
PP> manuals that were two inches thick) toward more streamlined
PP> documentation and online help.

Shurely.

PP> I read somewhere that as
PP> systems
PP> improve further still (don't snicker), even the clamor for
PP> online help will recede.

May be.

PP> Well, that may be greatly oversimplifying the case, but the
PP> principle is true: users want intuitive systems, not systems
PP> supported by reams of paper or screens full of online help.

That could be the ideal user interface.

PP> Where does the writer of computer instruction fit into this
PP> future of receding words?

Do you really expect, that a programmer can really design an intuitive,
user-friendly unser interface? As I see it, the technical writer is the first
who can see a product from a user's perspective. If you have followed my
checklist, you found the suggestion, that the technical writer should do most
of the user interface.

BTW, I should post the next part of my checklist...


Greetings from Germany,
Alexander

--
|Fidonet: Alexander Von_obert 2:2490/1719
|Internet: avobert -at- twh -dot- msn -dot- sub -dot- org

| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.
| From TechWriter's Home, Nuernberg Germany 49+911+591530.


Previous by Author: Re. Timesaving devices... a cautionary tale!
Next by Author: How do you organize user manuals?
Previous by Thread: Re: Writers of user manuals: going the way of the dodo?
Next by Thread: Writers of user manuals: going the way of the dodo?


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


Sponsored Ads