Re: Request for change

[Bonni Graham <bonnig -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM>]

Karen wrote:
>  What do you think? If you disagree with me, why? If you agree, can you
>  suggest how I can convince my boss that the user approach is better?
>  (This issue does keep me up at night!)


FWIW, I definitely think you're right.  Pretty much the only people I've ever
seen read the manual first are my husband when he's trying to make system
recommendations (he designs and installs small-business networks and workgroups)
and my assitant, who's a word junkie.  I don't even do it (GASP) -- I use the
books to look stuff up.  I MIGHT read the intros, if it's a completely
unfamiliar package.

I can offer you the same advice I offered Eric -- find out WHY you boss is so
insistent on his organization, then see if you can show that the user-centered
guides will do the same things, but more efficiently.  Point out that user
acceptance is a large part of the battle with completely new technology, and it
will help the product be more approachable (hence more likely to be implemented,
hence SELL BETTER).  Offer to put the systems info on-line, maybe, in help files
that only get installed in secure areas.  Point out the way a systems
administrator is going to feel if someone hacks the system because the
information was too readily available to the wrong people.

That's all that comes to mind right off, but I'll let it float around in the
primoridal soup I call my brain and see what evolves.



--
Bonni Graham
Manual Labour
bonnig -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com