Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 15
Documentation
I am not sure if this is a bug or a documentation error…
—-From a message board
That documentation is a critical component of any product or service is
unquestionable. From a jet aircraft to a small tube of toothpaste, one
comes across all kinds of documentation. We may not read it when we
become conversant with the brand or its usage, but we definitely need it
when we start something new. We all occasionally read the “nutritional
facts” or the ingredients list on a food item that we have been using for
many years — especially when a new report comes out from a national
medical association. A mundane thing such as a blender will come with
pages of text about its sleek design, the lifelong guarantee on it blades,
the various options and power settings, the definite do's and the absolute
don'ts, and almost always a couple of pages of troubleshooting guidance.
Some manufacturers will also include a recipe topic in the instruction
manual, showing as to how the grinder plays an essential role in making
a sumptuous meal. Of course, we also have the clichéd VCR programming
difficulties.
Types of Documentation
Then why is software documentation considered in a different light? We
never hear of any other kind of documentation as often as we hear
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