
Moving to Modular Documents
http://www.stc.org/confproceed/1996/PDFs/PG507510.PDF
Snavely, Deborah
STC Proceedings
1996
Abstract:
Lam’s software-controlled robotic etchers demanded multi-disciplinary manuals that were time-consuming to write. Since both software and hardware changes required a six-month re-write, manuals lagged behind product. Dividing manuals structurally into modular books enabled separate updates, as most urgently required. Modular engineering approaches to ongoing etcher development later drove a different modular design; but the approach enabled quick documentation of rapidly changing product. Company growth and product proliferation now combine with computer technologies to drive
development of increasingly smaller modules of information, leading to a database model for books that may someday match individual machines.