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.
Subject:Re: Task-based documentation-best practice From:Steven Brown <stevenabrown -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 28 Feb 2002 09:34:57 -0800 (PST)
>From what you've told us, it sounds like you can
continue with a task-focused format. I'm not sure the
"business" task versus "tool" task distinction is
important; it's really about the user -- user tasks.
Every action the user takes is toward performing a
goal. Anything less and it's entertainment.
So to continue your paint program analogy, where the
user might or might not use a variety of tools (in any
sequence), you should still see a common theme among
them, which will allow you to structure the
documentation appropriately. For example:
Chapter 5: Working with Objects
A. Creating an Object
B. Saving an Object
C. Manipulating an Object
1. Resizing
2. Changing colors
3. Adding sub-objects
...and so on.
Even though you're documenting how to use individual
tools, those tools are used within larger tasks. Even
without a hyperlinking capability, you can refer to
those tool tasks using "see" references within other
tasks. For example:
When you convert an image from an earlier version of
AcmeTool, you can make the following changes:
- resize
- change colors
- add sub-objects
For detailed instructions on making these changes, see
section C.
Hope this helps. Sometimes it's challenging to discuss
these things using hypothetical examples!
Steven Brown
Senior Technical Writer
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Greetings - Send FREE e-cards for every occasion! http://greetings.yahoo.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Now's a great time to buy RoboHelp! You'll get SnagIt screen capture
software and a $200 onsite training voucher FREE when you buy RoboHelp
Office or RoboHelp Enterprise. Hurry, this offer expires February 28, 2002. www.ehelp.com/techwr
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
