atw: Re: Screenshots in user doco - Yes or No?

I sort of hate to say this, because I agree that bigness in a document offsets the user-friendliness features, BUT...I've had really good results using screen shots, particularly in training materials (as distinct from documentation materials).

That having been said, if they're IN the training materials, I'm thinking they shouldn't need to be repeated in the documentation materials (i.e. stuff that is mostly kept on a shelf and only used by the real geeks who can cope without screen shots anyway).

Question: if the screen appearance changes so much, is the system even stable enough to write and distribute a many-hundreds-of-pages manual yet?

Curiously,
Laura

Craig Bligh writes:

Guys,
Fundamental question. Do you include screenshots in your printed doco or
not? Why? Why not?
At the moment I'm trying to convince a company director that we don't
need screenshots in our printed reference materials, despite a mandate
to have the doco as user-friendly as possible (audience is teachers). At
the moment we use screenshots in our getting started training notes
(covering most common features), but not in our reference guide.
I've argued that adding screenshots will push the ref guide from about
450 pages to around 650-700, making it less likely that somebody will
pick up the doco in the first place. (I did also argue that since
screens change every other day, it's a nightmare to maintain.)
So from a user's point of view, is it more user-friendly to include
screenshots for a novice reader?
Thanks,
Craig
Craig Bligh
MXL Consolidated Pty Ltd
Level 1, 261 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone +61 2 8249 0022
Fax +61 2 8249 0099
Email craig.bligh@xxxxxxx <mailto:craig.bligh@xxxxxxx> www.mxl.com <http://www.mxl.com/>


MXL: Wise Software Solutions for the Global Education
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