RE: Screen captures (was RE: TECHWR-L Digest, Vol 35, Issue 14)

["Michael West" <mbwest -at- bigpond -dot- com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob Hudson [mailto:caveatrob -at- gmail -dot- com]
> 
>  >>Real-world business results trump "research" every time.
> 
> How does one measure success in technical writing and documentation in
> the "real world"? Do many companies conduct usability studies on the
> help file, or do they assume that users are proficient because of the
> help file?
> 
> I guess I'm asking whether real-world business uses "research,"
> research, or another method to determine the efficacy of help.

In my experience, "companies" seldom conduct studies of the effectiveness of
user assistance material, but technical communication staff within those
companies should, and do. I have never known a company to "assume that users
are proficient because of the help file". More often, for commercial
software vendors, the comments will come from the trade press, from help
desk stats, and from customer feedback in a variety of forms. The sales
staff are often a good source of intelligence about what users like and
don't like.

In the case of in-house software developers, tech comms staff can more
easily solicit feedback directly from users.

Rolling out new software within an enterprise often calls for a good deal
more user prep than just "help." A well timed and coordinated communications
and training program involving a variety of media is most likely to succeed.

-- 
Mike West
Melbourne, Australia

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