RE: Minimalist? online help?

["Glenn Maxey" <glenn -dot- maxey -at- voyanttech -dot- com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hart, Geoff [mailto:Geoff-H -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 12:03 PM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Minimalist? online help?
> 
> 
> <<file re-ordering to follow logical order of operations>>
> 
> This is called a "browse sequence", and though I don't 
> discount this tool out of hand, I do find it of questionable
usefulness. 
> Very few users will read sequentially through your online help
nowadays; 

I disagree. It is certainly true that few users will read the help from
beginning to end. However, nearly all users land on topics that aren't
exactly what they need, but close to it. If the topic is incomplete for
the users, either they need more background information or they need
more details. Hence they browse.

If the topics are placed in a logical order, it is an aid to all users
in getting a conceptual understanding of the product.

It is also an aid to the technical writers, because then they can more
easily figure out where additional information should go.

> most simply want a quick answer to an urgent question about the
current screen 
> or dialog or task. That being the case, I do try to organize my help
files in a
> reasonably logical order (for those who might be tempted to 
> browse), 

In other words, Geoff does support an effort to put the topics in a
reasonably logical order exactly for this purpose.

> but prefer to directly support learning by providing topics (such 
> as the one described above) that present an overview of a particular 
> sequence paired with links to more detailed information.

Based on what Geoff has written, he really means "links coupled with
browsing," a good combination. It can give the users a hint of what will
come next when browsing.


Suzi, of the options that you suggested and because you are doing this
in a phased approach, I would recommend putting topics into a logical
order as the first phase. Then, when you have more introductory material
or more details, (1) you will know where to place it and (b) your
readers will stand half a chance of finding it.

Other than images that give an overview, I view most inclusion of cutesy
icons and other images as bells-and-whistles. If you can mark up a
project in an hour or two, by all means, do so. It will be a visible
improvement that your boss will readily see and go "oh wow." However, in
terms of meeting the users needs, they won't care if they see a cutesy
icon or not; they will care about the meaning of the plain text they
read and that the information contained within the text is presented in
a logical order.

Glenn Maxey
Technical Writer
Voyant Technologies, Inc.
1765 West 121st Avenue
Westminster, CO 80234-2301
Tel. +1 303.223.5164
Fax. +1 303.223.5275
glenn -dot- maxey -at- voyanttech -dot- com


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