Re: Opinions, please: Document by the Component or by the Tab?

[jlshaeffer -at- aol -dot- com]

Set aside how the software is organized.Â
How does the user organize his or her jobs and tasks? The user doesn't care about components or tabs, just work flow.Â
If you don't have a job/task analysis or experience to work from (I've been there), pick a technique that creates the simplest-to-use reference materials.Â




Jim Shaeffer


-----Original Message-----
From: Lin Sims <ljsims -dot- ml -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Sent: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 2:39 pm
Subject: Opinions, please: Document by the Component or by the Tab?








I'm documenting a software product that has multiple components, each
of which can be configured individually through an administration
screen. The administration screen for the individual components is
divided into tabs. Many of these tabs repeat over multiple components.

>From a user's perspective, would it be better to document each
component, repeating the information for the in-common tabs, or would
it be better to document the tabs and list which components they are
used in?

I'd do both if I had time; but I don't, so I won't. (Next edition!
This is good enough for now!)

Thanks!

-- 
Lin Sims
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