TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Visual presentation of instructions From:Norma Shulman <Norma_Shulman -at- BOSE -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 25 May 1994 15:08:04 -0500
Date 5/25/94
Subject Visual presentation of inst
From Norma Shulman
To techwr-l
Subject: Visual presentation of instructions
While writing manuals for consumer electronics products (of varying complexity)
, we are developing alternate approaches for presenting the installation and
operations instructions. Please help us expand our knowledge of the options
for presenting this information and methods for measuring our success or
failure.
Can you suggest any sources of data or references? We are interested in
references to books, articles, research, and examples of manuals. Do you have
any personal experience working in a visual format?
Do any of you have current information on these two topics:
1. Use of flow charts, charts of functions, icons, and other visual forms for
presenting installation and/or operations instructions for a general consumer
audience?
2. Methods for testing the usability of documentation?
I will post a summary of the responses if there is interest in these questions.