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.
Everyone has been so helpful, I thought perhaps I could get a bit
more advice on my documentation project.
For those of you who have worked on one large manual for a long time
(and have gotten a tad sick of it), perhaps you can help me get this
thing out of its rut! Please!
Here's the scoop:
- Network Management Software documentation
- 1,400 pages, broken up into chapters ranging from 10 to 150 pages
- 20 separate UNIX applications (which comprise 20 of the chapters)
- 8 1/2 x 11 pages in a 3-ring binder
- Historically low ratings from users, most of whom are trying to
learn from the documentation rather than a training class.
Some ideas I've had:
- Switch to 7 1/2 x 9 comb binding
- Group related applications into separate smaller binders
- Create some sort of "all-encompassing" case study for people who
haven't been able to take a training class
- Figure out some way to aggressively figure out who the end-users
are. At this point, doc goes to a project manager who fans the
docs out to who-knows-where.
Help!
I've been working with this documentation for a couple of years, and
it's time for some radical changes! I figure smaller manuals in
multiple binders is a start.
Has anyone else been in this situation before?
If so, please take a moment and drop me a line at
Paul -dot- Carman -at- harris -dot- com -dot-
Your help is greatly appreciated!
-MacGyver
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
= Paul MacGyver Carman * =
= Harris Corporate HQ * Choose to chance the rapids, =
= (407) 724-3205 * and dare to dance the tide... =
= (407) 724-3627 (fax) * =
= Paul -dot- Carman -at- harris -dot- com * - Garth Brooks =
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
