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.
RE: TOC article in INTERCOM -- things that made me go "HUH??"
Subject:RE: TOC article in INTERCOM -- things that made me go "HUH??" From:"David Downing" <DavidDowning -at- users -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 13 Dec 2002 12:16:19 -0500
I am inclined to agree that the value of a TOC in an online environment is questionable. However, the article dealt with printed as well as online material. Plus, the points I was making dealt with *how* a TOC should be constructed, as opposed to *whether* one should be constructed in a specific situation.
-----Original Message-----
From: jgarison -at- ide -dot- com [mailto:jgarison -at- ide -dot- com]
Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 11:58 AM
To: David Downing; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Subject: RE: TOC article in INTERCOM -- things that made me go "HUH??"
IMHO, I think most TOCs in online help are unusable, unused, and a waste of
time.
I have a 900-topic HTML-based Help file for an enterprise-wide application.
If I were to construct a typical expand/collapse TOC, it will be in excess
of 15 FEET long (at 5 lines/inch). When viewed in a six-inch tall window, it
is essentially useless.
I have replaced our TOC with a search engine, good organization, and
relevant links on each page. In almost 2 years, no one has complained.
When I presented this approach at WinWriters' Help Technology Update
Conference in August, I expected to get some grief about it. I got none.
Included in my presentation was this quote from Jared Spool, principal and
founder of User Interface Engineering (www.uiw.com):
"In 15 years of testing help systems, not one test subject has used the
TOC."
Let the TOC wars begin!
John
John Garison
Documentation Manager
IDe, Concord, MA
978-402-2907
jgarison -at- ide -dot- com
>>-----Original Message-----
David Downing writes:
>>I just read the article "Designing a Table of Contents" in
>>the November 2002 INTERCOM, and discovered a few things
>>that gave me pause.
<snip>
>>Are my ideas about the TOC somewhat parochial or what?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Order RoboHelp X3 in December and receive $100 mail in rebate, FREE WebHelp
Merge Module and the new RoboPDF - add powerful PDF output functionality
to RoboHelp X3. Order online today at http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l
Check out SnagIt - The Screen Capture Standard!
Download a free 30-day trial from http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/txt/twr
Find out what all the other tech writers, including Dan, already know!
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
