Microcomputer Users' Preferences for Software Documentation: An Analysis

Abstract

Fundamental requirements for good user documentation have not changed over the years. Manuals must be complete, accurate, clear, readable, and available on time. What has changed are tolerances and standards. Today's users—typically business professionals but even expert technicians and engineers—will no longer accept unreadable and inaccessible publications. The days of documentation with poor organization, limited graphic support, and poor aesthetics have passed. This article analyzes users' opinions and preferences for microcomputer software documentation. The results provide valuable guidance for software authors, designers, and publishers.