Re: Readers in the real world

Subject: Re: Readers in the real world
From: Barb Miller <millerb -at- TCPLINK -dot- NREL -dot- GOV>
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 08:26:57 MDT

Arthur states:

"I maintain that our readers are humans, not robots, and that if we
really studied them, we'd discover that they read our docs more or less
the way they read anything else -- in fits and starts, and looking for
what they need, rather than what would be easiest for us to give them.
They don't cozy up with a doc like they do with a novel, and read every
word."

I don't write documentation, but I do use software and occasionally read
the manuals. My learning style is to get a little bit of information and
try it out until I get stuck. Then I want to find out how to get unstuck
and move on. If I want to do a new task, I want to look up that task
quickly to get me started.

I like a glossary style reference book. I love WordPerfect"s manual, but
don't care for the software. I use Word for Windows but despise the manual.
It takes me a minimum of three lookups in the index to find the information
I need and then I have to skim several pages to find the instructions I
need. AARGH! Yes, I'm an impatient user.

One usability study that Comtech Services did showed that by the time users
get to the manual, they are already frustrated because they couldn't do the
task. I fit that mold. And it adds to my frustration when I can't find the
information quickly.

Barb Miller
National Renewable Energy Lab
millerb -at- tcplink -dot- nrel -dot- gov


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