Re: Why use screen shots at all? [Research & Practice]

["Angie F." <angief1975 -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

A good article to read about the use and purpose of screen shots in software
documentation is:

"Screen Captures in Software Documentation" by Hans van der Meij and Mark
Gellevij. It's in STC's publication, Technical Communication (November 1998,
Vol. 45, No. 4, p. 529-543).

If you are an STC member, you can access the article through the archives at
www.techcomm-online.org. I don't know if non-members are allowed, but at
least try. If not, you probably could find the article at an academic
library.

It discusses several issues with the use of screen shots in software
documentation. The article (from the TC description):

*Proposes a taxonomy that identifies the roles and designs of screen
captures
*Suggests that screen captures help users switch attention, develop a mental
model of the program, verify screen states, and identify and locate window
elements and objects.


--------------------------------------------
Angela
Technical Writer (Software)
angief1975 -at- hotmail -dot- com


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