Building a Better ReadMe    

Surveys and focus groups show that most software buyers use ReadMe files. Users primarily look to ReadMe files for information on software bugs. They identify the following ways that software manufacturers can improve their ReadMe files: 1) keep them short, 2) include a table of contents, 3) use hypertext, and 4) eliminate the need for ReadMe files. Along with these four improvements, this article discusses other ways to create quality ReadMe files that meet concrete user needs.

Johnson, Mark A. Technical Communication Online (1997). Design>Documentation

What It Takes to Document America’s Best-Selling Tax Software  

Because both the TurboTax Deluxe software program and the federal tax code are redesigned every year, preparing TurboTax Deluxe’s raft of documentation demands a management approach that emphasizes planning, teamwork, task dependencies, and an elusive mix offlexibility and clearly defined project ownership.

Johnson, Mark A. and Karen Cangialosi. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Documentation>Software