Introduction	Audience	Limitations		Escaping Paper	Navigation Bar
Navigation Map	Virtual Includes	Audience-to-Author		Conclusion	Bibliography

Introduction:

Documentation about the computer resources available for UMD students was very minimal when I began as lab coordinator for Information Technology Systems and Services in 1997. It was often out of date by the time it was distributed and was limited to a few paper documents and no web site. Since that time, student computing resources have grown extensively and the documentation has evolved considerably. A major part of the challenge was to conceive a rationale for creating, revising, and expanding this documentation. Every newly provided resource implies a commitment of continued maintenance, so the decisions regarding content, format, and timeliness were paramount to my success (and sanity). This project is an effort to analyze the progression and evolution of the following materials which I have created:

Paper Documentation 1998/99 Guide to Student Computing Student Computing 1999/2000

Web Documentation UMD ITSS Computer Labs WS_FTP Document The Lab Trouble Report Form

I have arrived at some general principles through the experience of actually producing this documentation over the past few years as well as studying the disciplines of composition and web design. The web is a superior method of delivering documentation for a number of reasons:

• The cost is significantly less than comparable paper documentation.
• Web design allows for richer content.
• One can solicit feedback from the audience through web tools.
• Updating, expanding, changing information on the web is fast, easy, and has immediate impact.
• Web Navigation is generally faster and virtually limitless.

However, paper documentation cannot simply be left behind. There are a few important legacies that paper documentation provides:

• Paper is still more useful in terms of tactile possession and passive delivery.
• Good content design is still paramount, regardless of medium, which means that all of the concepts of good composition come into play during web design.

Finally, incorporating all of these concepts, I arrive at the following strategy:

• Efficient design means creating content that is easily converted from the web to paper and back.
• Both mediums must incorporate good graphic design elements (text and graphics).
• Both mediums must be written in concise, well-conceived prose.
• The paper documentation should contain important concepts, general information and unchanging information.
• The web documentation should include everything from the paper documents, plus specific information (richer content) and frequently updated information.
• The web medium can be utilized to make information easier to find through navigation tools and design.
• Finally, the web should be used to solicit passive and active feedback from the audience.