Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
combination of words and images to successfully convey the proper
techniques and processes to install the window from start to finish.
The audience of the step-by-step document is construction trades, the indi-
viduals on a construction site who build different parts of the home. Trades
want practical, straightforward, and logical information that allows them to
quickly grasp each step of the installation. They particularly favor using docu-
mentation that is heavily image-based and has minimal wording.
Two types of people collaborate to create a step-by-step document - a techni-
cal illustrator, James, and a technical writer, Lauren. James works on SketchUp
and LayOut to create the illustrations and assemble the final output, and
Lauren leads the planning, interviewing, and storyboard processes, assembles
the text, and ensures the final output is consistent and correct.
The amount of time and effort it takes to complete a step-by-step document
varies depending on the length and technical difficulty of the subject matter.
Typically, one-third of the time is spent on modeling, one-third on writing,
and one-third on document layout. The total amount of time we spent on this
step-by-step document was approximately 24 hours, which included several
stages of revisions. Our budget was just under US$2,000.
Project Context
The situation that surrounds a step-by-step document usually involves a
homebuilder who is either proactively looking to instruct his/her trades on
proper construction techniques or reactively seeking documentation on how
to repair installation errors that were already made. Sometimes, a step-by-step
document is part of a package of documents sent to the homebuilder; the
package may have a scope of work, a checklist, and a specification sheet in
addition to the step-by-step document.
Our four major constraints during the project were as follows:
1.
The varying availability of knowledge
: The subject matter expert brings
a significant amount of knowledge to the step-by-step document but may
not know the answer to everything. The ideal situation occurs when the
expert's knowledge encompasses a subject, and he or she is able to clearly
explain the steps from start to finish. Usually, most of this information is
gleaned during the storyboarding, interviewing, and review/revision stage.
It is realistic to expect that the expert will need to consult personal research,
engage in discussions with colleagues, and conduct multiple reviews of
drafts, and so it is important to build buffer time into the development
schedule, particularly during the review/revision stage. In our experience,
it is during this stage that experts really excel because they have a concrete
object - a print or digital copy of the document - to focus on and critique.
2.
The limited resources
: Time, money, and people are not always available
to create a document that reaches the highest level of quality possible.
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