The Myth of Simplicity and Complexity in Help Authoring

Although simplicity is a noble ideal, and something like “simplify complexity” could be the mission statement of any technical writer, simplicity is in fact a complex undertaking. The interplay between simplicity and complexity is what technical writing is all about.

Johnson, Tom H. I'd Rather Be Writing (2008). Articles>Documentation>Help>Minimalism

Simplicity Trumps Complexity….Mostly!

One of the tips for creating a help project is to keeps things simple. This applies as much to the content as it does to the manner in which it is produced. The tool used to produce it has a big bearing on how simple the documentation process is of course but sometimes you just have to bend the rules.

McAndrew, Colum. RoboColum(n), The (2009). Articles>Documentation>Help>Minimalism

The RoboColum(n)

With in excess of ten years front line authoring experience and many more producing training documentation, I have a passion for language, its use and its odities. I was an Account Manager for a computer bureau providing a service to the advertising industry prior to taking the plunge into technical authoring. A large part of this was the production of technical training material for the ad-hoc customer training and classroom led courses held in the company’s training suite.

McAndrew, Colum. RoboColum(n), The (2009). Articles>Documentation>Help>Minimalism