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August 04, 2005
Instant messaging and doc
One of the things I've heard said is that we read less and less when looking for information on how to do something. We search the web and scan the results. We'll read a couple of paragraphs at most. Old fashioned docs in book format can be used in that way, as long as the chunking is small enough and the writer had the presence of mind not to assume to much from chunk to chunk.
What do we do for folks who want to instant message someone for an answer? Charge by the minute, like Minitel?
What's more: What about systems for which we need basic mental models of how they work in order to get any good out of them? Training? Are we barking up the wrong tree writing down lengthy explanations designed to convey mental models? Should we give up on those treatises and write tutorials instead?
Posted by Mark at August 4, 2005 05:25 PM