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Re: Arguments for using illustrations instead of 3d animations

Subject: Re: Arguments for using illustrations instead of 3d animations
From: Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>
To: Martin Jonasson <martinjonassonjobbet -at- gmail -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 10:51:33 -0700

Animations can be good replacement or enhancements for illustrations. They do not replace instructions, especially when the instructions contain quantifiable values (in-lbs of torque on a fastener, etc.)

The best use of animations is as a link accompanying instructions so that the reader can see what the instructions refer to. Here is an example:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02448044&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&lc=en&product=4073738&task=useCategory

CAD-generated 3D does not have to be a confusing jumble of colors if the 3D is properly rendered to match the real product. Just animating native CAD layer colors is lazy and amateurish and makes a product look very "1990s."

Gene Kim-Eng


On 8/20/2013 2:00 AM, Martin Jonasson wrote:


My arguments are basically:
* 3D generated from CAD is harder to interepret than a illustration. The
3D contains a lot of noise (surfaces, colors etc) which forces the user to
try to find out what is the important part of the image.
* Animations creates time sequence which is hard to go back and forth. If
you hit play, watch the animation and then want to go back to one step it's
harder to find the right frames than to just skim through a
illustration/list.

The client uses the "a picture is worth a thousand words" arguments
(generally quite true, but try to show "a picture is worth a thousand
words" using a picture). However when he now wants to replace as much of
the text and manual with animatiosn instead I need help with more arguments
I'm afraid.



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References:
Arguments for using illustrations instead of 3d animations: From: Martin Jonasson

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