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Subject:RE: To Index of not to Index From:"Rene Stephenson" <rinnie1 -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 4 May 2004 11:00:49 -0400
Dan is...
>wondering if an index would help customers or not.
Indexes are always helpful, if they're more thorough than the
TOC - as they *should* be. A doc (online or print) without an
index isn't a complete doc at all (IMHO).
>From a user's perspective... I use many manuals in telecom
on a regular basis, especially when working with
interoperability of our equipment with other vendors' eqp.
The FIRST place I check for information is the INDEX, because
(1) I don't have time to read the TOC and try to figure out
which section the writer (or SME or editor) decided should
contain the type of information I'm seeking, and (2) I want all
the info in the book on my subject, even if it's under
different topics.
>From a fellow telecom tech writer's perspective (having
worked at some of the biggies like Hitachi, Mitsubishi,
S-A, etc.) as for where to start, it should take about an
hour to thoroughly index 5 8.5x11" pages of heavy text. Start
on page one, and add index flags for every product name,
every concept, every acronym, every task. Check the
glossary or Newton's Telecom for some good synonyms -
after all, even telecom companies tend to use multiple
names for the same thing (i.e., CP = circuit pack = card
= PCB = PWB, etc.), and they don't all use the same
standard term. A good index will accommodate readers who
know the "rose by any other name." ;-)
Yep, it's a daunting task, but you can relish the thought
of that paycheck...and have the satisfaction that some
poor bloke with too much to do and too little time
will be quietly thanking you, the thoughtful, indexing
writer, for making his/her job easier when (s)he uses
your doc. :-)
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