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Re: Documenting installers?

Subject: Re: Documenting installers?
From: "Mike O." <obie1121 -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 12:11:44 -0400


Jay -dot- Malone -at- ser -dot- com wrote:

Before my previous gig, I balked at the idea of documenting installers. My
previous client decreed it, however, and the first few times out we did the
bare minimum and the focus was on the technical requirements. Help Desk
calls soared. By the time I left that job, the install manual was so
detailed that it included a screenshot of every single step, with a circle
around the button to click. The audience was civilian employees of a US
gov't department. Many of them had scant computer experience, and even so
were the most knowledgeable people at their site. They needed what I
considered an absurd amount of hand-holding, but in reality it was
absolutely necessary.

I agree, if you can invest in that type of doc it is sometimes well worth it. On the other hand, if the installer is confusing don't try to mitigate it with doc alone - invest the time in refactoring the installer too.

Also, nowadays most installer screens seem to have enough real estate to include useful help text right on the screen.

> Many of them had scant computer experience

I bet most of them had no problem installing AOL and Kazaa at home... that's how easy an installer needs to be (if possible).

Mike O.

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