RE: When to use screenshots

["Barb Einarsen" <barb -dot- einarsen -at- navtelcom -dot- com>]

Pro-screen shot example:

We have JavaHelp for some of our newer products. This help works as
online documentation rather than 'help' as it is not context sensitive
(you can only access the first topic no matter where you click help). 

Another writer felt that screen shots were unnecessary as it is a help
file. I felt that screen shots were necessary as the user is not
necessarily on the screen that they require and a visual aid that they
are on the appropriate screen would be helpful. 

While I was updating the files, including adding screen shots, a tester
placed a bug report against the documentation because the documented
fields did not match the fields he saw on screen. There was no bug ~ HE
WAS ON THE WRONG SCREEN. 

Morale of the story; it is that easy to go from correct to incorrect in
the mind of your user. 

Barb Einarsen

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