Re: Prototyping a User's Manual

[Mona Albano <mab -at- USER -dot- ROSE -dot- COM>]

Linda Sherman writes:

One suggestion I heard years ago but have never actually seen used on a
software project was to write a prototype of the user's manual
/*before*/ beginning actually development of the product. The nature of
this particular software and its likely audience is such that this idea
has captured my fancy.

However, we have limited personnel resources and I don't want to invest
them on something that would be a waste of time.

I was wondering if anybody has ever actually done this on a software
development project, and if so:

1. Did it help the design/development process enough to be worth the
effort?

        Logically, it should be a great help. Programmers aim to create
        the inputs needed for the interface you describe. Remember that
        system architecture does not specify HOW a program does things; it
        specifies what the inputs and outputs will be at the interfaces
        between modules. Programmers worry about how, and how efficiently,
        those inputs are turned into the specified outputs. This means
        that different teams can do different modules as long as they
        follow the spec.

2. Did it include screen shots, menu layouts, etc. and if so, who
determined their content and appearance?

        Sketches, at least would be good.
        Whoever's competent? Whom would you normally use? Yourselves
        or an interface designer?


6. Was the prototype used as a basis for the shipped version of the
user's manual, or was the latter basically written from scratch?

        As I've heard it described, the prototype manual is at least
        a basis for the final manuals.

7. To what extent did the final product reflect the original concept as
expressed in the prototyped manual?

        This might depend on the results of interim user testing.

Mona Albano                      mab -at- user -dot- rose -dot- com
Technical Writer & Editor       Voice 416 469-1384
STC senior member, Toronto        Fax 416 469-1720
--------------------------------------------------

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=