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Subject:Re: Problems Documenting An Application From:iain -at- hairydog -dot- co -dot- uk (Iain Harrison) To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com Date:Wed, 23 Feb 2000 09:52 +0000 (GMT Standard Time)
> The
> client wants each screen as a separate work instruction with a data
> entry table for the user to refer to for field entries.
I'm puzzled. Do they want the software documented, or do they want
documentation that tells users how to use it?
If a data entry table is needed for each field there's probably something
fundamentally wrong with the design: the field names, prompt text and
available values (and their descriptions) should make that unnecessary.
If each screen is to be documented separately, is each screen effectively
a different program? Does the user not go from one screen to another to
perform a task?
My suggestion is that you follow the golden rule: work out who the
audience is, what that person wants to know, and how best to provide the
correct level of information in the order that user wants it.
This may not be easy to sell to the client, though!
--
Iain
iain -at- hairydog -dot- co -dot- uk
iainh -at- cix -dot- co -dot- uk
