Re: Information Mapping

["Donn S Le Vie, Jr." <dlevie -at- austin -dot- rr -dot- com>]

>
> I wholeheartedly agree with Michael West's assessment of Information
> Mapping. Being certified in the IM methodology (and "IM for ISO 9000"), it
> does provide a way to design documents that allow a user/reader to create
> their own navigation schema. I too removed the black rules between
> information chunks in the IM document template as it seemed to be too
> overbearing a visual cue.
>
> In at least this example, I can attest to IM's ability to improve reader
> navigation and improve speed in locating information. At a previous
> employer, I took on the challenge of revising the division's documentation
> templates (they resembled a variation of mil-spec templates...numbered
> headings many levels deep) and applying my newfound knowledge of IM
design.
> I took several documents and applied both templates to them (identical
page
> ranges), and asked the test group to locate several key concepts or
phrases
> in each document. If I remember correctly, in a 6-page product brief, it
> took the beta test group an average 7 seconds to locate the key
information.
> Using the mil-spec style numbered heading template, the average "time to
> information" was 29 seconds.
>
> The test group (30 internal and external customers) voted almost
unanimously
> (1 person preferred the numbered headings with little to no white space
> designed in the template) in favor of the IM-designed (and slightly
tweaked)
> template for overall design, readability, and ease of navigation. The lone
> voice of
> dissention stated that "the method adds to the page count." Yes, it did,
but
> compared to the old template (which had little of the white space "design"
> element
> to it), it was far better for the users who could:
>
> 1. Locate information they needed faster
> 2. Navigate through the document faster and easier
>
> For us, the question of having an extra few pages per 100 manual pages or
so (it will vary depending on your information content and template design)
was moot if the tradeoff resulted in happier customers and greatly improved
documentation. It actually resulted in a decrease in the number of calls to
our applications support line (we actually were able to put a dollar figure
to it to help offset the additional printing costs, which wasn't much as we
were moving to web- and CD-based documentation).
>
> Some may call the IM method "overhyped" and a repackaging of "back to
> basics" document design, but it does have its application. I've known more
> tech writers who never heard of IM or "have an idea of what it is" (and
they
> are usually wrong) than writers who have used it.
>
> To reiterate Michael's point..it's not THE method, but A method for
document
> design. I suggest people research the methodology a bit before passing
along
> an
> inaccurate or half-assed assessment of it.
>
> Donn Le Vie
>



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