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Subject:RE: encouraging learning by experimentation? From:John Posada <JPosada -at- book -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 5 Dec 2002 13:25:04 -0500
Lois...something is missing. Most of the users from my past experiences were
using the documentation to get something done. They weren't using it to
learn. They were using it to take care of a task so they could get to the
next task on the list.
If it was an accounting application, they needed to close the month. If it
was asset management application, they needed to renegotiate the support
cost for a 2,000 seat software license. Here, they need to turn off the
flashing light and get information flowing again. Not once was it to become
smarter...it was to do what they were paid to do.
Is it possible that it wasn't user documentation, but training
documentation?
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
Barnes&Noble.com
jposada -at- book -dot- com
212-414-6656
"Be accurate...the 4am wakeup call you prevent could be your manager's"
-----Original Message-----
From: Lois Patterson [mailto:skycerulean -at- yahoo -dot- com]
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 1:10 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: encouraging learning by experimentation?
>From what I understood, Hackos suggested using the
technique in documentation as well. However, I
obviously don't have a cite. Another thing she
mentioned about user docs was not spelling out to the
user how to do particular simple tasks, as this would
encourage the user to figure it out on his own.
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