RE: Modular products...

Subject: RE: Modular products...
From: David Harrison <dharrison -at- moldmasters -dot- com>
To: Sarah Blake <sarah -dot- blake -at- arieso -dot- com>, "techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:35:33 +0000

Hi Sarah

If the manuals is in electronic form then Peter's solution can work fine and fairly simply. But if like me you are stuck with Hard Copy then you can't magic pages in and out. So it's print as required or find another way.

My solution is to have the bulk of my manual as the main product and then include ALL of the modules as separate Apendices at the end and which are indexed well in the front matter contents.

About halfway through my manual the user has to "detect" what modules are fitted so there is a mention here that "detect" will reveal only those modules which are included while the appendix will give details for ALL options so please make reference to only those that you need.

Hey presto - one manual fits all and the sight of extra modules has tempted the odd customer to buy more and expand their main unit. (so marketing may love you as well)

Best of luck
David


______________________________________________________________________
David Harrison | Controllers
Mold-Masters (UK) Limited | Global Hot Runner and Temperature Control Technology
Netherwood Road | Rotherwas Ind. Est.
Hereford | HR2 6JU | United Kingdom | Company Registration Number: 1912861
Tel: +44 (0) 1432 265 768 | Fax: +44 (0) 1432 263 782
mailto:dharrison -at- moldmasters -dot- com | www.moldmasters.com

______________________________________________________________________
Sent on 11.01.2013 15:35 by David Harrison

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+dharrison=moldmasters -dot- co -dot- uk -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+dharrison=moldmasters -dot- co -dot- uk -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Sarah Blake
Sent: 11 January 2013 13:25
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Modular products...

...this has got to be a solved problem by now, right?

I've just moved to a new gig, and they have a product setup where the 'product' is the platform, plus a number of optional and mutually independent modules that are 'switched on' according to the license.

I don't want to confuse the users with documentation for modules they don't have access to, and I don't want to have to manually generate tailored documentation for every sale. Has anyone successfully used other options?

(Yes, I know I asked this same question like six years ago. I didn't manage to figure out a good, scalable solution then either)

Sarah Blake
Technical Writer
Arieso Ltd
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References:
Modular products...: From: Sarah Blake

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