Software Guides

[Robert Maxey <Bob_Maxey -at- MTN -dot- 3COM -dot- COM>]

>>> To my dismay, my project leader has decided to try sending out a
product
> with only the online help. No installation guide, no user's guide. He
says
> he'd like to see how much the customer's complain when they don't get any
> documentation.

Unfortunately, it seems the way many customers complain is to stop buying
the product in the future. When this happens, you can not easily or
accurately track why software sales start to drop off. Is it defective
product, customer dissatisfaction or is there a better program out there. I
have never written a complaint to a software company, and I use a ton of
software. Some good and some very bad. I stop buying and recommending it if
I get a bad program or if the support is useless. Your project leader needs
to rethink this approach in my opinion, and provide more information to the
end user.

If it were my project to document the product, I would provide installation
information, a basic overview of the program, benefits and features, any
new features that might have been added, a look at each major feature of
the software, tips and hints, shortcuts, and troubleshooting information.

On the bright side, Microsoft seems to provide only  basic books, referred
to as their "Getting Started" books. Very slim and trim, containing only
the basic information. I remember when getting a few programs meant looking
for a few more feet of shelf space. I am so used to the big documents that
came with software, I wonder sometimes what I am missing or overlooking in
the product. Also, I think people still prefer to read printed
documentation rather than the on-line version. I certainly do.

My advice is to provide something like this for your customers. On-line
help is a good idea and I would think that it is OK to provide the majority
of information there. Remember that everyone has a different level of
confidence in their ability to use software. Look at the end user and put
yourself in their place. What help do YOU want to see?

Microsoft has really good testing for their software. They observe how
people use the programs. Do they just grab the install disks and install,
or do they read the installation information first. Do they go through the
books and documentation, or do they immediately use the product. They also
look for how people use the mouse, if they use the buttons or the pull down
menus. There are many things to consider.

Bob Maxey,
3Com Technical - PalmPilot Wizard,

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