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Subject:Re: Magical thinking? From:"Wing, Michael J" <mjwing -at- INGR -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 15 Jan 1998 13:11:20 -0600
> Bruce Byfield <<... can't help wondering: --how widespread
> is magical thinking? To what extent should it be taken
> into account when writing manuals? Should it be opposed, as
> I'm inclined to do?>>
>
> It's not an either/or situation, and that's what makes it
> complex. To pick up on the example of driving a car, you
> don't need to know why turning the key provides power to
> turn the wheels, but you do need to understand that you
> can't drive until you've turned on the car.
>
I agree that it's not an either/or situation. The car example is a "one
action, one effect" situation. But what about a choice of actions,
parameter values, and multiple possible effects? Suppose a GUI is
presents the user with a set of parameter values to enter. The
combination of these parameters is interpolated by the software to
produce a result. For example, a GUI is presented that allows the user
to display geographic data based on a projection. Through the GUI, the
user selects a projection algorithm, sets azimuth, lat/long origins,
horizontal data centers, and so forth. As a result, the software
displays the geographic data based on the projection the user defined.
If I were to tell them, select an algorithm, set the parameter values,
and press OK, the software produces a projected map. However, the
results may not be what they expected. So the user goes back to the
manual to determine the effect that the parameter values and algorithm
have on the results. BUT there is ONLY operator information available!!
The user may think, "Ok, I know which fields to fill and devices to
select, but I don't know what the software is doing with my selections.
Therefore, I don't have enough information to guide me in my selection
process".
<snip>
> --Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
> Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.
>
Mike
