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.
Re: Anybody working with the two-page module format?
Subject:Re: Anybody working with the two-page module format? From:Anthony Markatos <tonymar -at- HOTMAIL -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 7 Jun 1999 17:41:25 PDT
Gail Franklin asks:
I've read Edmond Weiss' book, How to Write Usable User Documentation. Now
I'm looking for companies which currently publish manuals or proposals such
as he describes: in two-page modules with graphics in each module, using a
storyboard process for planning. Can anyone help me with some names? I'd
like to know the opinions of the concept's promoters and detractors as well.
Tony Markatos repsonds:
Gail. I have significant experience employing structured systems analysis
techniques to create modular end user docs (as well as software requirements
specs). (My approach is the same as Weiss's except at the detail level).
Modularity is great stuff but HIGHLY underutilized.
The book is very good -- as far as it goes. It has one very serious flaw.
It does not present a method for rigorously modeling all the essential end
user tasks performed and how all those tasks interrelate. In short, data
flow diagrams will get you there, story boards will not.
Story boards are for more finite descrete analysis efforts. They can not
formally capture all the interrelationships between tasks (very critical for
"flushing-out" essential tasks and in determining how to chuck the project
down into "right-size" modules).
Tony Markatos
(tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com)
_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
