Quality/validation

[PIP Mailbox <prc -at- PIP -dot- DKNET -dot- DK>]

Answer to geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca 23.01.96

>  Here's number two in my series of anonymous postings.

>  We are trying to get a formalized proofing/editing/QA-ing
>  process off the ground for my group of technical and
>  marketing writers.

and to <unknown to me> answered by Robert Plamodon
(roberts -at- plamodon -dot- com) 26.01.96:

> We had a QA department that has been vested
> with the godlike ability to proclaim anything as "fit" or
> "unfit" for release, but the department's reviews have been
> pretty meaningless for us: they spot typos and make
> word-choice suggestions.

Quality control of instruction manuals is in fact possible.

I have been working on Quality Measurements on Manuals for approx. 3
years now, and I have developed a number of useful tools. Just before
the FORUM 95 conference in November 1995 I published a book on my
findings so far, and I ran a session on the FORUM 95 conference on
this subject.

The results were encouraging, and I am now in process of starting a
collaboration with the German test organisation T=DCV (who makes
certifications of manuals) for further developments of the system. If
you are interested, you can order the book from me:

Peter Ring: "The PQM system - How to write better instruction manuals,
can control their quality yourself." PRC Press 1995. ISBN
87-985752-0-1. The price is DKK 200 (approx. US$ 35) + sending and
payment costs + 25% Danish VAT if inside the European Union.

I think the book can give a number of useful building blocks to your s

You can order by e-mail to prc -at- pip -dot- dknet -dot- dk -dot-  If you want to know a
little more, look at "tip of the month" on my website:
http://www.pip.dknet.dk/~pip323, from where there is a direct link to
my e-mail adress.

Greetings from Denmark
Peter Ring