TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
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Sean O'Donoghue-Hayes wrote:
Because when someone picks up a document they expect to see certain sections, otherwise they might feel cheated or that the document doesn't cover the topic adequately. ... It is similar to the right size for a document....sometimes they judge it by content, sometimes by accuracy, and ALWAYS by weight.
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I vaguely remember reading a study that showed that people reacted more favorably to large, heavy manuals than small, slim ones. Or maybe the text I'm thinking of was just an observation taken over many years of experience in the software industry. Now that I think about it, it may have been in the gaming industry. Anyway, has anyone else read anything on this?
On an observational note, I can say that I have experienced this first hand. I turned an 18 page manual (which was much less than a basic overview) into a 400 page reference/user guide, people were impressed simply by the increase in size (Then they read the content and were even more impressed <patsSelfOnBack />. hehehe) On a personal note, that book made a healthy sounding thud when it hit the floor. <sniff /><sniff />I was so proud that my little manual grew up.
"Whatever you do, do NOT let your editorial decisions be made by the squiggly spell-checking lines in Word!" ~Keith Cronin, Techwr-l irritant ;-)
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