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Nancy Mignone feels dissatisfied with the existing online help and
wants to improve on it.
John Posada writes:
> Have people expressed problems?
The users may not have a clearcut way to deliver feedback to the docs people,
and even if they did, most of them would either (a) grumble to themselves, (b)
not use the docs, or (c) greet the docs with docile acceptance even if they were
inadequate. Or (d) take a sudden interest in a competitor's product.
Don't wait for user complaints.
> Would added colors contribute to its understanding? Would pictures
> allow greater depth and dimension to your explainations?
John, these sound like rhetorical questions... <g> The overall feeling I get
from your response is that you feel the visual stuff is strictly window dressing
to be applied (optionally) once the content is solid. I'd argue that the visual
stuff is *part* of the content. Sprinkling some checkmarks and icons in as
decoration is only going to clutter up the help topics. But thoughtful use of
color, screenshots, and formatting can enhance readability and make the help
easier to use.
> Keep in mind that whatever you add, you are adding to the maintenance.
If I worked in a place where the attitude was "don't improve on the docs because
it'll add to the maintenance," I'd be pining for a new job. Been there... and in
every subsequent job interview I've politely but firmly grilled the interviewer
to ascertain whether I would be allowed to do the job right. Call me an
idealist.
I admire the impulse to improve on the help file, even--especially!--if nobody
has specifically asked for improvements. Go Nancy!
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