2007-06-04-vista-help-emphasizes-concepts-in-hopes-of-creating-power-users.html

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layout: post
title: Vista Help Emphasizes Concepts in Effort to Create Power Users
date: 2007-06-04 21:45:39.000000000 -07:00
categories:
- technical-writing
- web-design
tags:
- Technical Writing
status: publish

published: true
---

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<p><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/samplehelp1.gif" alt="sample help — more conceptual" title="sample help — more conceptual" align="right" hspace="5" />In this <a href="http://mschoen.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=218931" target="_blank" title="Rob Houser podcast">podcast from the Atlanta chapter</a>, Rob Houser talks about Vista help, noting that topics in the help aren't just steps. They often have meaty conceptual explanations before the steps. This is a trend away from the heavily task-based help that has been standard in years past. For an example, look at this sample sample help topic from SharePoint 2007's help (excerpt on right).<a href="https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/2007/06/vistahelp.pdf" title="SharePoint sample help topic"> </a>Look at all that conceptual stuff before you even get to the numbered steps.</p>
<p><a href="http://userassistance.com" target="_blank" title="Rob's site">Rob</a> also says Microsoft's help now uses more screenshots, but the screenshots are more instructional. They often illustrate concepts and are more purposeful, rather than just showing the interface.</p>
<h3>My Reactions</h3>
<p>I like these two points. Some users need the basic, task-only topics. But power users need more information. And we often skimp on the conceptual, business-oriented information that users want because it's harder to write.</p>
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<p>Why is it so hard to write? Oftentimes companies roll out software without knowing exactly how it will be used. So while the business, real-world information is essential, Rob says it often isn't discovered until the product has been used for 6 months or more.</p>
<p>The latest article in June's Intercom (<a href="http://stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2007/200706_14-15.pdf" target="_blank" title="Kicking and Screaming">"Kicking and Screaming: Modernizing Today's Help Systems"</a>) talks about providing user forums and other Web 2.0 mediums to supplement traditional help. This allows users to fill in the gaps for this business-process, real-world use information.</p>
<p>Lately I have been thinking that technical writing is more rewarding if you write the harder, more conceptual-based help. Describing simple tasks gets pretty dull. Sometimes I like the challenge of figuring out the impossible (or at least the hard to do stuff). Listening to Rob's talk reinforced to me the importance of conceptual information.</p>