Re: What's your preference: One long page or several small pages?

[John G <john -at- garisons -dot- com>]

A few other concerns:

   - Several separate topics always seems to me as more confusing than one
   long one.
   - I see jumping around as an easy way of getting lost, or losing your
   train of thought
   - I think I have seen research that there's a fall-off in the % of users
   who follow links
   e.g. - 95% will go to #2, 90% of them to #3, 80% of them to #4 ...

My bias is showing ...

On Thu, Aug 2, 2018 at 3:17 PM John G <john -at- garisons -dot- com> wrote:

> Hi Lynne,
>
> Thanks for asking me to clarify.
>
>    - I'm talking about browser-based content (ours is created in
>    Confluence, but any web presentation will apply).
>    - A "screenload" is
>    when I have to scroll down (or Page Down) to see what won't fit in the
>    first screen of content.
>    - Page = topic
>    , so yes, one long topic vs. several small topics.
>
>
> JG
>
>
>    -
>    -
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 2, 2018 at 3:08 PM Wright, Lynne <Lynne -dot- Wright -at- kronos -dot- com>
> wrote:
>
>> I'm confused about what you mean by a long vs short page, and also what
>> you mean by "screenload":
>>
>> If you're working in Word or Frame or other similar doc authoring tool,
>> are you talking about changing the page size to 8 1/2 x 14 or something?
>>
>> Or are you talking about topics in a help system, and you're wondering
>> whether to put the whole procedure in one topic, or break it into smaller
>> sub-topics?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=kronos -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>> <techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=kronos -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> On Behalf
>> Of John G
>> Sent: Thursday, August 2, 2018 2:59 PM
>> To: TechWhirl (techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com) <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
>> Subject: What's your preference: One long page or several small pages?
>>
>> Quick survey!
>>
>> I have several long-ish pages (5 or 6 screenloads) each of which contains
>> rather complex instructions to run a procedure.
>>
>> Is that better than spreading the same information across 5 or 6 short
>> pages -- assuming there's an intro/overview and links from each short page
>> to the previous and next pages?
>>
>> My arguments for long pages:
>>
>>    - One long page is easy to bookmark
>>    - PDFing is easy and fast an includes everything
>>    - Easy to look back and ahead
>>
>> My arguments for short pages:
>>
>>    - Less intimidating
>>    - Easier to scan and read
>>
>> Your thoughts? And bonus points if you can cite user preferences and
>> reasons!
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>>
>> John Garison | Lead Technical Communicator | Medidata Solutions
>> 350 Hudson Street, 9th Floor. | New York, NY 10014 || 441 Blood Road,
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