Jump Right In: A Checklist For Planning an Online Documentation Project  

The initial development of an online documentation system can be overwhelming. Before starting development, though, you should address some or all of the issues documented here: assessment of “as-is” documentation (if it exists), audience requirements and skills, assessment of best delivery method for your information / audience needs, tool selection, development methodology, content organization, look and feel of online documentation, and your development team’s skills. This checklist is a subset of a presentation that covers a proven methodology for developing a hypertext reference system. You can use this checklist as a starting point for your first project.

Blake, Jodi K., Paul D. Hasenwinkel, Charles Christopher Sanchez, and Rachael Snyder. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Documentation>Online

Key Roles In Developing Successful Online Help  

There are many roles involved in developing a successful online help project. Understanding the relationship between these roles can increase everyone's awareness of the requirements and tasks necessary for a successful project. In many projects, individuals fill more than one role, moving between roles as needed.

Hall, Rebecca C. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

KnowledgeWare's Online Odessey: How We Moved Our Printed Documentation to the Screen  

Knowledge Ware successfully transferred existing paper-based documentation to an online format for the latest release of its Application Development Workbench(R) (ADW(R)) software. The online documentation solution, which runs under IBM's OS/2 operating system, was created using a series of macros developed in Microsoft Word 5.0. Using this strategy enabled Knowledge Ware to develop quickly an online system that met customer needs for information support. The system also enabled their technical writers to create both paper-based and online documentation using the same set of word-processed files.

Boland, Jennifer Ann. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>Online

Linking Context-Sensitive HTML Help

The mechanism that Doc-To-Help uses for mapping topics in a context-sensitive HTML Help differs from the mechanism it uses for context-sensitive WinHelp. This article tells you what you need to know to properly link context-sensitive HTML Help to an application.

ComponentOne (1999). Articles>Documentation>Online>HTML

Living Documentation: The Future of Technical Writing

Living documentation is documentation that does not cease to be developed until the product ceases to develop. Living documentation can be produced at any time in multiple formats. The book, web pages and online help would continue to be developed as long as that development either solves inaccuracy or increases product usability and customer satisfaction.

Hewitt, John. Writer's Resource Center. Articles>Publishing>Documentation>Online

Making Online Help Helpful -- Perspectives of Professionals and Users  

This paper reviews research done in online help information, analyses different views on it from the perspectives of professionals of technical communication and end-users, and suggests ways to solve problems.

Li, Yue. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

Managing a Documentation Project from Both Sides of the Atlantic  

Most of us struggle every day with keeping the lines of communication open between developers, subject matter experts (SMEs), customers, and writers. Sometimes you can circumvent these difficulties by simply walking upstairs or across the hall and chatting with the appropriate person. But what happens when it's not a staircase or hallway separating you but a very large ocean? The best way to keep an overseas project on track is to put together a writing team in the most convenient location; meet at least once with the development team; and set up your communication channels early.

Morgan, Sharon. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration>Online

Mastering the Mayhem: How to Manage a Hypertext Help Project  

Two main forces affect a Help project: absurd deadlines and a complex web of hypertext files. Those responsible for managing such projects often ask: How do I gain control of all these forces? When do I need to start the project? How do I gauge its progress? Our demonstration will show how to successfully manage a Help project. We will illustrate how WordPerfect Domestic Documentation Services solves management problems using a timeline, checklist, and tracking database.

Calhoun, Deirdre and Wendy Fritzke. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

Maximizing Windows Help  

Maximizing Windows Help is more than just converting printed documentation to Help. Help users want easy access to information so that they can complete their tasks expeditiously. A Help topic should contain information that adresses one subject, has one objective, and answers one question. To maximize Windows Help, chunk information and use hyperlinks. The use of macros can enhance how information is accessed.

Smart-Wycislo, Nicole Y. and Patryce Moshay. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

Media of the Future: Web? Paper?  

Will the long-predicted demise of paper ever come true? Discusses the effects of the Web on documentation.

Redish, Janice C. 'Ginny'. Intercom (2005). Articles>Documentation>Online

Migrating to WinHelp 4.0 for Windows ’95  

WinHelp 4 is the help environment for Microsoft’s Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. Among the important new features of WinHelp 4 are more capable secondary windows, shortcut buttons, the ability to integrate multiple help files, What’s This? help, and better support for online coaches. Help authors must understand both the construction and the design aspects of these new features. They must also deal with the complexities of the transition from Windows 3.1 help to WinHelp 4.

Farkas, David K. and Joe Welinske. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

A Modular Approach to WinHelp Projects: The Process Behind the Success  

The Knowledge Products group at Cisco Systems, Inc., provides online help for both PC and UNIX-based applications. The online help team for the Cisco Works for Windows product comprised of five writers who coordinated the online help development efforts. The online help team worked closely to produce an integrated help system that was modularized for better process control.

Mandavilli, Lavanya K. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

Moving Beyond Help  

Users complain that there is too much information in help. We will explore ways to move beyond help and provide users with the types of support they really need: re-using information on commercial information services such as CompuServe or America Online, on the Internet, and on dial-up phone and fax services. Making application interfaces self-documenting. Providing information in overlaid notes, cue cards, and wizards.

Hyman, Francine N. and Jonathan R. Price. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

Moving Documentation Online: Challenges and Opportunities  

This panel explores the challenges faced both by computer companies and by their customers with the accelerating movement of putting documentation online. Panel participants will give their individual perspectives, followed by a discussion with the audience concerning the issues involved.

Smart, Karl L. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Online

Moving from Paper to Electronic Documentation: Tips for a Successful Project  

With new tools and technologies available, more companies are choosing to move from paper-based documentation to electronic documentation. Being a pioneer is an exciting – and daunting – experience. In moving from paper-based to electronic documentation, you may be treading on a path never before explored for your product or your company. There are many decisions to make and many plans to develop, abandon, and develop again. Special attention is required in the areas of project management, writing and illustration, documentation design, and configuration management. A team that has experienced a paper-to-electronic documentation project can offer valuable advice if you are facing a groundbreaking project.

Finan, Jill Sutton, Joanna Natoli, Heather Healy and Mike Kocik. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

Moving to Electronic Delivery of Documentation  

'Moving to Electronic Delivery of Documentation' includes information about the fundamentals of electronic documentation, case studies, what to expect, how to research, identify, and implement a process for moving from an exclusively hard copy documentation development and delivery process to electronic documentation development and delivery.

Robertson, Angela and Sandy Storey. STC Proceedings (2000). Articles>Documentation>Online>Case Studies

Next Generation Microsoft Online Help

Just as clothing styles change, and fall's fashion is different from summer's, so Microsoft presents it's new fall's fashion of online help to a fashion-consious entourage of software companies always eager to follow Microsoft's lead.

Albing, Bill. KeyContent.org (2004). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

No Dumping Allowed: The Right Way to Put Documents Online  

The best way to fail at online documentation is to dump existing paper documents online. Successful online documentation requires thoughtful design that takes account of the many subtle differences between paper and online documents. This demonstration shows why dumping documents online is a bad idea, what you should do instead, how to convince your management not to dump documents online, and what to do if they require you to dump documents online.

Horton, Katherine W. and William K. Horton III. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Online

Non-Fatal Errors: Creating Usable, Effective Error Messages  

'Memory requests for some applications may be denied.' 'Error 404: File not found.' 'Invalid entry. Check your info and resubmit.' 'Fatal error. Procedure aborted.' It's often easy to identify what kinds of error messages don't help users, but it can be tricky to avoid them, and even more of a challenge to create the opposite: error messages that give users a clear indication of the problem, offer information to help them fix it, and provide tips on how to avoid the same situation in the future. This paper details the steps involved in creating understandable, helpful error messages, and suggests ways of communicating the value of good error messages to managers and executives.

Wilska, Emily. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Documentation>Help>Online

Non-Fatal Errors: Creating Usable, Effective Error Messages

It's often easy to identify what kinds of error messages don't help users, but it can be tricky to avoid them, and even more of a challenge to create the opposite: error messages that give users a clear indication of the problem, offer information to help them fix it, and provide tips on how to avoid the same situation in the future. This paper details the steps involved in creating understandable, helpful error messages, and suggests ways of communicating the value of good error messages to managers and executives.

Wilska, Emily. WritersUA (2004). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design>Online

Obtaining User Feedback: How Useful Are Your Online Help Systems?  

Surveys or questions posed to users may not be entirely useful when determining whether a user's experience with the help feature was successful or not. The author provides instructions on implementing a tool that will provide this kind of feedback.

Webb, Jeremy. Intercom (2006). Articles>Documentation>Online>Assessment

On Help Systems In General  

In the eras of Windows 3.x and earlier versions of Windows 95, the only help system people worked with or even knew about was WinHelp. Problems started with the transition to Windows 95, when developers and users alike had to learn to deal with WinHelp 4.0's separate dialog with the Contents, Index, and Find tabs.

Liske, David E. MVPs.org (2003). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help

One Hundred and One Standards for Online Communication  

A wealth of opinions and conventions are available on designing and writing good online documentation. This paper compiles many of these guidelines into one central list for easy reference. The session will discuss reasons for the guidelines as well as provide references for further research on areas of interest.

Stevens, Dawn M. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Documentation>Online

One Size Doesn't Fit All: Developing an Online Documentation Strategy to Meet User and Business Needs  

Designing an effective online documentation strategy involves considering both the needs of the user and the needs of the business for which the documentation is being developed. This paper examines how Dell Computer Corporation devised a separate online documentation strategy for each of its four business lines based on the target customer and particular objectives of each business.

Borelli, Paul J. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Documentation>Online

Online Help: You Think It's Documentation but Your Company Thinks It's Software  

As help systems become more complex, integrating text with multimedia, scripting languages, search engines, etc., the line between documentation development and software development blurs. Some companies, especially those that have to adhere to federal or ISO-regulated procedures, are starting to look at online help as a product with its own development needs. This shift is changing the online help from documentation into software, subjecting it to the same controls and processes. This paper looks at how one company is handling this transition.

Rupel, Roberta A. and Peggy Schillinger. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Documentation>Online>Help