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Given the points you've made, I think there's a decent case for legal
issues if an appendix is used, not to mention your valid argument about
what the customer should expect. Add to that the considerations Hannah
brought up.
Can't believe he's so over-worked that additional ECOs are that much of a
problem, though that's just my take.
When I documented similarly dangerous, expensive equipment, I used to point
out that there were times that people would take over or use equipment who
did not have trained personnel available as backup, so it was important
that the documentation was complete and clear.
I think I'd really push on the safety-legal issues and see if you can get
some back up from the legal dept. I recall a famous case where aircraft
manuals were found to have a font that wasn't usable in the cockpit and
contributed to a crash (or something). I have a sense that he's not going
to be swayed by simple usability issues if he's using such flimsy reasons
for the appendix.
Kathleen
On Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 9:35 AM, Lippincott, Richard
<RLippincott -at- as-e -dot- com>wrote:
> > Would it be possible to combine all the different manuals into one,
> with product version identified where there's a difference?
>
>
>
> That's actually what I'm trying to avoid, because I think that will reduce
> the usability of the manual.
>
>
>
> Our product is a system that generates high-energy (neighborhood of 6 MeV)
> X-rays, uses high voltage, and uses toxic gasses for some types of X-ray
> production. One of the systems weighs 80,000 lbs and rolls on rails using
> remote control. Some are mounted in vehicles. As I've been known to say,
> "Our product can kill you in every way imaginable." Normally the products
> require one person to operate, but there are also options that require two
> system operators.
>
>
>
> I have safety concerns.
>
>
>
> Also, the price for the systems is in the seven figure range. Physical
> configurations are significantly and visibly different, I think when a
> customer pays that much money for a product, the cover of the operator
> manual ought to look like what the customer bought.
>
>
>
> And this manager isn't involved in the review process. He's trying to
> avoid writing a half dozen ECOs when a change to the system impacts a half
> dozen different versions of the product.
>
>
>
> --Rick
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Kathleen MacDowell [mailto:kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com]
> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 22, 2014 10:19 AM
>
> *To:* Lippincott, Richard
> *Cc:* Techwr-l List (techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com)
> *Subject:* Re: FW: Usability Studies and Manual Organization
>
>
>
> Would it be possible to combine all the different manuals into one, with
> product version identified where there's a difference?
>
> Also, could you find a way to reduce the manager's effort? For example,
> you could highlight the changes and send a note specifying the type of
> change (e.g., major/minor, GUI change, grammar, org).
>
> Kathleen
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 4:27 PM, Lippincott, Richard <RLippincott -at- as-e -dot- com>
> wrote:
>
> I'm fighting a battle for about the fourth or fifth time here, and I could
> use some studies or documentation to support my point.
>
> To make a long story short (and those of you who know me know how
> difficult this is), we're using printed manuals because that's what the
> customers prefer. When we roll out a variation of a product, if the
> variation is significant enough to change the operator's workflow or
> significantly changes the GUI, I issue a new manual (new part number) keyed
> to that product variation.
>
> There is a program manager here who feels that the best way to handle
> these variations is to stick an appendix or addendum at the end of the
> baseline manual, and let the user flip pages. (The actual truth, which he
> has admitted, is that if we only had one manual to cover all of the product
> variations, his paperwork level would be smaller and he would prefer that.)
>
> I'm sure that someone has done some scholarly work analyzing reductions in
> usability and readability when new data is shoved into an appendix, and
> perhaps even the impact on safety.
>
> Can anyone point me in the right direction?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rick Lippincott, Technical Writer
> American Science and Engineering, Inc. | www.as-e.com
> 829 Middlesex Turnpike | Billerica, MA 01821 USA | Fax +1-978-262-8702
> Office +1-978-262-8807 | rlippincott -at- as-e -dot- com
>
>
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>
> --
> Kathleen MacDowell
> kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com
>
--
Kathleen MacDowell
kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com
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