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I've recently been asked to help develop a system for evaluating Help files
produced by my company. I don't have anything to do with the
creation/production of Help, but I am experienced at evaluating
documentation.
The evaluation system would cover several different product categories,
each of which produces Help in a slightly different way. Help is created
with a few different applications, but the main application seems to be MS
Help. I can get access to source files if I need to.
I have the following wish list for potential evaluation systems:
* Keeps Help as close to its end-user format as possible. The Help in
question is designed for consumers, and I want to evaluate how good it is
from the consumer's standpoint.
* Allows comments and notations to be made easily.
* Comments added to the Help files can be easily viewed, accessed and
summarized. Some of the people who will be receiving the results of these
evaluations work outside of the company and will be receiving their
evaluation as a stand-alone document.
* If at all possible, links and pop-ups should be preserved in something
resembling their original state.
Ideally, I would like to take the Help files, convert them (if necessary),
mark them up, and send them to the people who need to see them.
Does anybody have any experience doing something like this?
Please feel free to respond to me directly. If I get a lot of good
responses, I'll summarize them and post them to the list.
Thanks in advance!
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