The original article is here http://blogs.officezealot.com/spiller/archive/2007/02/10/20130.aspx
Kinesthetic? --- Tim Mantyla <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Aptly and humorously put, Dori! > > Let's trade jobs--from age 9 I always wanted to be a comic book > artist and > writer. > > As far as that goes, images should accompany text whenever needed to > illustrate points and clarify verbiage. A great post on Melanie > Spiller's > writing, editing and English usage website 5 ways people learn. > Aural, > Tactile, Visual, Verbal and...can't recall the 5th. Mnemonic??? ;-) > > But all of us have the vast majority of our brains hardwired to > recognize > visual patterns. It's essential to everything from navigation to face > > recognition, and is of course the basis for writing and reading. > Images > are primal...words are combinations of tiny images, organized > according to > precise rules generally learned "automatically" by copying, trial and > > error at a very early age. These rules make literacy a challenge, > especially with English--which is such an amalgam of history, > cultures, > various rules and exceptions, and of course, constant evolution. > > So, my point: If you make your manuals "comic books" they're more > likely > to be read and understood, faster and with better retention. Humor > helps > the learning. > > A good example: I'm learning Doc-To-Help, and constantly finding > fault > with its online help. It isn't visual enough to show me what it > means. And > when I get a verbal instruction list from the support people, I've > started > telling them I need pix to make it clear. > > > Tim > > > ----- Message from "Dori Green" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > The tie-in to this discussion for technical writers comes down to > an > > issue I'm facing every day in my job writing work instructions for > > packaging plant line workers -- > > > sometimes management is forced to recognize that employee > qualifications > > have to be raised beyond "breathes". > > > > As a matter of necessity, I'm becoming a comic book author. Not > that > > there's anything wrong with that, but it's a disturbing trend > within the > > profession. > > > > Dori Green > ______________________________________________ > > 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 > http://technical-writing.dionysius.com/ technical writing | consulting | development ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ______________________________________________ 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
