atw: Re: Should we always give users what they ask for?
- From: "Geoffrey Marnell" <geoffrey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 11:41:23 +1100
Hello Janice,
I agree that one size doesn't fit all scenarios, but that wasn't really my
claim (or at the heart of the issue). The heart of the issue is this: should
the degree of comprehension that a particular medium offers be a determinant
in our decision about what media to offer our readers? If the answer is yes,
then it would seem to follow that reader prefrences are secondary
considerations.
We write to communicate. If choosing one medium over another means that our
readers will comprehend less of what we have written, then to choose that
medium is to choose not to communicate with maximum efficiency. We have, in
effect, decided to choose a medium knowing that comprehension will be
compromised. In some cases, that might not be a problem; in others it may be
a problem (and a problem with a moral diemnsion and one certain to attract
litigation).
So let me ask the question again: should we always give our users what they
ask for? That was the issue at the heart of my posting.
Cheers
Geoffrey Marnell
Principal Consultant
Abelard Consulting Pty Ltd
T: +61 3 9596 3456
F: +61 3 9596 3625
W: www.abelard.com.au
-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Janice Gelb
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 10:52 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Should we always give users what they ask for?
Geoffrey Marnell wrote:
>
> The digital age has changed the way we gather information. Where once we
> had only printed texts, we now have printed texts and a vast range of
> digital media. There is some evidence to suggest that some readers
> (especially younger readers) now prefer to source information from
> digital media and that some are shunning printed texts altogether. Some
> commentators suggest that this requires a radical rethink about how
> technical writers deliver information. There is good reason to think
> that the younger generation will carry their preferences with them as
> they become the middle generation and then the old generation; thus
> *all* readers will eventually prefer digital media. Best to get ready,
> then, and start leaving behind old technologies, such as printed texts.
>
[snip discussion about various scenarios where
online docs could be dangerous or ineffective]
The answer to this, imho, is the same answer we
give to many questions about documentation: consider
the audience and the nature of the material. Is the
documentation reference material that requires frequent
accessing for specific sections? If so, video is not a
good solution. Is the documentation an intro to a
product that is fairly self-explanatory? Then video
might be the best way to provide an interesting quick
start. Is the documentation intended for an audience
with a low literacy rate? Then perhaps a poster or
card with many illustrations and less text is the
right answer.
In short, I don't think there's a "one size fits all"
answer to this question. We need to take advantage of
all available delivery media while considering the best
way to present specific types of material to particular
audiences.
-- Janice
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Janice Gelb | The only connection Sun has with
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