A lot probably depends on who the service manual is written for. Internal service people will likely be the most interested in additional information, because they often get arcane questions about what's going on under the hood thrown at them by customers and need to have (or at least appear to have) expertise in the product. Third party repair techs (if you have distributors who provide service) tend to be at the other extreme, because they want to get in, fix things and get out ASAP. Customers and end users can be anywhere in between. Heaven help the writer whose service manual is going to be distributed to all three levels of reader.
I've spent most of my careers as engineer and writer/manager in narrow niches of varying geekness. At the highest level my document set contained an entire separate volume called "Functional Description." About 50% of recipients loved it; the rest probably never removed the shrink wrap. Gene Kim-Eng ----- Original Message ----- From: "Al Geist" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Uh...okay. > > First, the "Functional Description" was included in the service manual at > the request of the Customer Service Department...the people who have to fly > across the world to service the system at a moments notice. Second, feedback > from our customers indicates that the Function Description is not ignored > front matter. I get more compliments about adding it than I get grumblings > about sticking it in the appendices. Finally, nobody ever said that the > Functional Description should explain things in "excruciating detail." In > fact, I said exactly the opposite. I will agree, however, that the Service > Manual should be designed so users can find useful information rapidly. > > Incidentally, I write hardware/software documentation for a company that > makes microelectromechanical manufacturing systems (wafer bonders), so I > probably write to a niche market full of geeks who get off on technical > drivel. Does that make me tainted....or demented? ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
