Document Planning

[Matthew J Long <mjl100z -at- MAIL -dot- ODU -dot- EDU>]

I'm stumped!

I am the only tech writer at my job and I am a youngster. I have
relatively little experience (8 months) and I have no guidance. Help me!!

I am in the document planning stages again for a document that I have
already rewritten twice to meet new "requirements" from our client. The
upside is the fact that I can do it however I deem appropriate. The
downside is that I am not sure of myself. I have my own *opinion* on
style, but I just don't *KNOW* what is best.

We have developed a GUI interface which allows users to access a database
easily. The problem is that this interface has four different flavors.
They want the End User Guide (which I am writing) to include a section for
all four flavors. The application looks relatively similar in each flavor
but there are components in each that are distinctive enought to warrant
giving them their own sections.

What I am wondering is whether or not I should repeat information that is
the same for each flavor in every section, or should I write it once and
make reference to it in the other sections. And if I do write it once, in
which section should I write it (i.e., the most complicated flavor or the
least complicated)?

Please include advice and rationale. Thanks!



////////////////////////////*****************************

        Matthew J. Long
        mjl100z -at- mail -dot- odu -dot- edu
        matt -dot- long -at- justice -dot- usdoj -dot- gov

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