Information Mapping

[Nina Eppes <eppes -at- HUMOR -dot- ENET -dot- DEC -dot- COM>]

Someone recently requested some information on Information Mapping.
Information Mapping(R) is a method of writing that "helps writers
produce documents that are clear and usable in less time and with
less difficulty than with traditional writing methods" (quoted from
the manual for one of the Information Mapping seminars).

The Information Mapping method was developed by Robert E. Horn, who
formed a company called Information Mapping, Inc., which is based in
Waltham, MA.  The company offers various seminars on the Information
Mapping method; in addition, people at other companies can become
certified Information Mapping instructors and teach the seminars at
their companies.  The technical writing and training organization at
Digital is now using the Information Mapping method widely, and we
have internal certified IM instructors.  The seminar that most of us
are taking or have taken is called "Strategies for Developing High-
Performance Information."

I'm not going to go into a lengthy description/analysis of the
Information Mapping method.  I have found many aspects of the method
quite useful, especially in the areas of analyzing projects (deciding
what information should be included in documentation, what is appropriate
for which audience, etc.) and presenting the information.  The IM method
makes especially effective use of tables.  It does recommend specific
formats for various elements of information, but you are not obliged to
follow those formats to the letter.  IMI does sell templates that follow
its formats for some PC word-processing programs (Word for Windows, etc.).

For more information, you could contact Information Mapping, Inc.
Their telephone number is (617)890-7003.

-- Nina Eppes
   Digital Equipment Corporation
   Nashua, NH
   eppes -at- bookie -dot- enet -dot- dec -dot- com