APPLYING MINIMAL MANUAL PRINCIPLES FOR DOCUMENTATION OF GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES

This study investigated the need to include computer screens in docume ntation for software using a graphical user interface. Minimal manual principles emphasize the need to reduce verbiage. However, some sugges t that depiction of screens in documentation can help the user coordin ate documentation with computer screen displays. Documentation includi ng button, icon, and screen information was varied with software desig ned for file transfers. College students used one of the three manuals designed along minimal manual principles. Students who used a manual with screens were significantly slower in transferring files and found it less helpful than students using either a manual with button and i con information or one with textual information only. Therefore, docum entation for graphical user interfaces should include few, if any, scr eens. However, there appears to be a benefit for including icon and bu tton information in the documentation.