Contextual documentation
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Contextual documentation is an information block approach to writing in-situ documentation.
It becomes particularly useful when dealing with in-situ documentation delivered to the software GUI, to devise a matrix of required help to users in a particular situation or context. This concept is based on DITA, where small topics are written when needed asking the right questions:[1]
- What is this and/or what does it do?
- How do I use it?
- Do I have an example?
- Where am I in terms of a workflow?
- What next?
- What pitfalls to avoid?
This is an editorial matrix, a content guideline as sorts. By no means are all items to be written exhaustively as if they were a form to be filled .[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Purcell, Gretchen P. (1996). Contextual Document Models for Searching the Clinical Literature. Stanford University.
- ^ About building modern documentation on Doccontents.com[ ]