RE: The cranky user: The importance of documentation

Subject: RE: The cranky user: The importance of documentation
From: "Latella, Vincent" <VINCENT -dot- LATELLA -at- saic -dot- com>
To: "Technical Writing" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 15:15:24 -0500


Nice article! Thank you for sharing it.

The author makes an interesting point regarding indexes, although I'd
like to hear his opinion regarding *when* adding one is warranted.

I'm assuming he'd say that it's somehow tied to document length and/or
complexity; whereas a two-page quick reference wouldn't benefit greatly
from an index, a 200 page manual clearly would.

Regardless, surely he doesn't advocate the inclusion of indexes on
*everything,* does he?

I just wonder if there's a rule of thumb that can be applied here. I'd
wager to say that not all of us create documents that are "undermined"
by their lack of indexes.

Regards,
Vin Latella







-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+vincent -dot- latella=saic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+vincent -dot- latella=saic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Cardimon, Craig
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 2:21 PM
To: Technical Writing
Subject: The cranky user: The importance of documentation

This good article is even more relevant with a few years under its belt:
The cranky user: The importance of documentation
<http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/web/library/wa-cranky34.html?S_TA
CT=105AGX08&S_CMP=EDU>



This page contains more Cranky User articles:
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/views/web/libraryview.jsp?search_by=Th
e+cranky+user





Craig Cardimon

Technical Writer

Marketing Systems Group

ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com




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References:
The cranky user: The importance of documentation: From: Cardimon, Craig

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