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Subject:Re: Idiot Audience - analysis.... From:Damien Braniff <Damien_Braniff -at- PAC -dot- CO -dot- UK> Date:Mon, 17 Nov 1997 16:09:45 +0000
I agree with Eric's comments that audience analysis is paramount but I
still maintain it isn't always possible. We have tried questionnaires,
mailshots and are just about to add an e-mail address to the lit for tech
writing to try and get feedback. The response, on the whole, has been
abysmal (?). What we end up doing in these cases is making assumptions on
what we DO know - analysis by proxy if you like - using whatever feedback
we can get from tech support. We are then in the situation of having (at
least) two distinct audience - computer literate and non-computer literate.
For purely hardware products we (must) assume that the installers are
experienced engineers who know what a meter is etc and when we tell them to
check power is available at the controller we don't have to tell them how
to do it as long as we include all relevant safety info.
For Windows based admin systems the hardware is the same but all admin is
via a PC. Here we have problems with perfectly competent engineers with NO
PC knowledge at all. The installation etc is "fairly" straightforward but
you still need some basic computing skills and some just don't have them.
Do we then go for the "idiot" step by step approach or assume literacy
where it doesn't exist and lose some installers completely. Tech Support
get calls on "how to use a mouse", "what's File Manager" and so on. This
does happen. I am not saying they are idiots but lack the required
knowledge to do a specific job. We try for a "middle road" but it's
difficult. Tech Support get fed up prividing support that has nothing
directly to do with the product they are supporting and training say
they're there to train people on the product not basic PC skills.
If we go for the lowest common denominator we satisfy the bottom end of the
experience range but give a poor opinion of the lit to those with more
knowledge who have to skim material to get what they want. Two sets of lit
aren't feasible both on cost ground and on the grounds that we don't know
the experience of the installer until there are problems.
I suppose what it boils down to is that the "idiot audience" is where you
have a range of audiences and must try to cater for all by going for the
lowest common denominator. Not ideal - open to suggestions.
Currently we are talking to some of our larger customers to try and
persuade them to have two "levels" of installation engineer, one for those
involving PC system and those which don't.
Damien Braniff
Technical Author
PAC International
PS We have recently re-did a product which is designed to be bought "off
the shelf" for home/small business use. This we say should be installed by
qualified electrician. We don't make the same assumptions as normal and
specify tools required for installation etc. Geared strictly towards the
"inexperienced" access control installer (probably never seen one before!)
