Technical documentation for software engineers
J Miller
4 points * 2 hours per week * Second semester * Caulfield * Prerequisites: SFT1102
Problems with paper-based and on-line documentation; document specifications; minimalist design philosophy; graphic design of technical documentation; the context of technical writing; the writing process (analysis, planning, generation, testing, revision and maintenance of written texts); document publication techniques (including SGML); the role of hypertext and hypermedia in technical documentation; small-volume and large-volume hypertext; collaborative hypertext; intelligent hypertext.
Assessment
Assignments and practical work: 100%
Prescribed texts
Brockman R J Writing better computer user documentation from paper to hypertext - Version 2.0 Wiley, 1990
Rada R Hypertext: From text to expertext McGraw-Hill, 1991
Recommended texts
Marcus A Graphic design for electronic documents and user interfaces Addison-Wesley, 1992
McGehee B The complete guide to writing software user manuals Writer's Digest Books, 1984
Simon A R and Simon J S The computer professional's guide to effective communications McGraw-Hill, 1993
Simpson H and Casey S M Developing effective user documentation: A human factors approach McGraw-Hill, 1988
Wurman R S Information anxiety Doubleday, 1989