by Mike Hendry
Senior Technical Writer
Interdigital Communications
Originally published in News & Views May, 1997 issue.
Copyright 1997 STC-Philadelphia Metro Chapter. For permission to reprint
this article, contact the Managing Editor.
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I upgraded to Corel Ventura Publisher 7.0 when it was released, read the User’s Manual with a critical eye, and went onto the CompuServe Ventura forum to get some technical support. In addition to the support I needed, I found a long and volatile message thread about Ventura’s Documentation. I lurked, fascinated, and downloaded the messages, ending up with a 30 page Word document. Instead of reviewing the software, I feel the documentation deserves a review all its own.
What Ventura comes with
As is becoming the standard today, Corel Ventura comes with a short introductory User’s Manual, relying on help files to supply the detailed documentation. I am one of those rare birds that, when I get new software, sit down and read the manual cover to cover. This manual is different from most in that it is actually an introduction to desktop publishing, which I enjoyed reading (it’s always good to brush up on the basics now and then). Each chapter has two sections: an introduction to a feature of desktop publishing, and a marketing brief on how wonderfully Corel Ventura could do that feature (rarely did they include how to do it). The manual lacks two things:
- a serious technical reference guide to the software, its purpose, features, and theory of operation, and
- a how-to reference on accomplishing tasks.
Both of these are included in on-line help, the success of which is debatable.
The flurry of opinions
Everyone agreed that the documentation is inadequate. A debate raged between those that want a manual and those that want on-line documentation. Those that want a manual are more comfortable with the established information retrieval system, don’t feel the on-line help capable of supplying all the information they need, and resent buying books in addition to the software. Those that want on-line documentation feel that manuals are a failure of the user interface and on-line help system. They resent paying extra for software to get books they don’t want.
Both sides share some common ground. They were offended by the marketing approach to the User’s Manual. Each wants more detailed technical reference information than the on-line help provides. This information is important for the advanced user: when they need to do something that the software developers didn’t anticipate, they need to know how the software works to figure out a way to accomplish the task. I think both sides would accept complete, usable, information in whatever form it takes.
The mistakes Corel made
Getting back to Corel Ventura, from studying the messages and from my own experience, I would say the documentation missed the mark because it was targeted to the wrong audience. Even though the subtitle of Corel Ventura 7 is "Power Publishing Software, "the printed documentation is aimed at novice desktop publishers. Corel Ventura 7 (which is pretty good, I should at least mention) is a high end, powerful desktop publishing package, suited for professional use. It is not the best solution for the casual home user or the novice putting together small projects. There are less expensive, less powerful (but easier to learn) publishing products available for this market.
The on-line documentation, on the other hand, has extensive how-to information, but either lacks technical reference information, or that which exists is difficult to access. This type of information is more linear in nature, at the very least needs a browse sequence.
What we can learn
Well, it gets back to knowing our audience and its needs. And to making sure we’re not sacrificing those needs for cost savings or our own convenience. Help files are great for real-time how-to help, but can be awkward for the in-depth information that advanced users need. Corel made too many decisions regarding what their customers needed to know. Unless we are sure that our audience is a small, homogeneous subset of users, perhaps we should find the best way to organize and distribute all information, filter less, and let our customers decide what they need to know.
Finally, one message writer summed up what he wants (italics added for emphasis):
"I do want fully indexed, hypertext linked, context sensitive, searchable on-line documentation, (not help files, documentation) that I can print to flat paper when necessary but that is available at all times with a few keystrokes or mouse clicks."
If you would like to read the messages, have any other comments, or
have the definitive customer survey that answers these questions once
and for all, please e-mail me at 102701.1465@compuserve.com.
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