(Fwd) Convincing arguments for user manuals

["Geoff Hart (by way of \"Eric J. Ray\" <ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com>)" <geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>]

Gina Hertel wondered how to persuade a client that he needs a user
manual for the software she developed. I'm assuming you mean
that this is a "no documentation" issue rather than a "online vs.
print" issue, right? If so, nothing works as effectively as a
harsh dose of reality. Bring him your laptop computer with the
software installed and ask him to use it to accomplish a moderately
complex task, within a reasonable time limit. Provide no verbal or
other assistance, and if he cops out and threatens to call tech.
support, agree very politely and give him the number to your office.
Tell him you'll be back to pick up your messages in a few hours, or
so you hope, and that you'll be sure to forward your question to
someone who understands the problem, who'll get back to him "real
soon now".

If you mean that the client intends to create his own documentation,
it's a lot harder to make your point. Probably the best way is to
have a look at the docs they already produce and provide some free
comments on the problems. You can also spec. out how much staff time
it'll probably take to do the docs, and how you can trim time and
money from that estimate, but getting the numbers to support your
position might be tough if the managers who'll end up responsible for
the docs aren't horrified by the idea and willing to give you enough
data to free them of the responsibility.
--Geoff Hart @8^{)}
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca

Hart's corollary to Murphy's law: "Occasionally, things really do work right."