Difference between revisions of "Documentation/Dashboard/Competitive Documentation Analysis"
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==Competitive Analysis== | ==Competitive Analysis== | ||
* '''Documentation types:''' <p>to get an overview of how much documentation is designed for being printed and how much documentation is designed for online use, and to see what different types of documentation are existing (help, manuals, tutorials, training courses, videos, tips and tricks ...)</p> | * '''Documentation types:''' <p>to get an overview of how much documentation is designed for being printed and how much documentation is designed for online use, and to see what different types of documentation are existing (help, manuals, tutorials, training courses, videos, tips and tricks ...)</p> | ||
− | {| cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em;" | + | {| border=1 cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em; border-collapse:collapse;" |
|- bgcolor="#DDD" | |- bgcolor="#DDD" | ||
! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ||
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* '''Search functions''' <p> to have a closer look at the different search functionalities in Application Help and printed documentation (search boxes, index, glossary, chapter headings ...)</p> | * '''Search functions''' <p> to have a closer look at the different search functionalities in Application Help and printed documentation (search boxes, index, glossary, chapter headings ...)</p> | ||
− | {| cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em;" | + | {| border=1 cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em; border-collapse:collapse;" |
|- bgcolor="#DDD" | |- bgcolor="#DDD" | ||
! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ||
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** examplary information: examples that help to understand actions and concepts.</p> | ** examplary information: examples that help to understand actions and concepts.</p> | ||
− | {| cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em;" | + | {| border=1 cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em; border-collapse:collapse;" |
|- bgcolor="#DDD" | |- bgcolor="#DDD" | ||
! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ||
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* '''Visualization''' <p> to examine the visual elements that help understanding text (graphics, icons, tables, screenshots, colors, layout)</p> | * '''Visualization''' <p> to examine the visual elements that help understanding text (graphics, icons, tables, screenshots, colors, layout)</p> | ||
− | {| cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em;" | + | {| border=1 cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em; border-collapse:collapse;" |
|- bgcolor="#DDD" | |- bgcolor="#DDD" | ||
! !! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ! !! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ||
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* '''Navigation''' <P> to see how links and cross-references are used </p> | * '''Navigation''' <P> to see how links and cross-references are used </p> | ||
− | {| cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em;" | + | {| border=1 cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em; border-collapse:collapse;" |
|- bgcolor="#DDD" | |- bgcolor="#DDD" | ||
! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ||
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* '''Contents organization''' <p> to answer the questions "Where are the contents?" and "Are the contents easy to find?" | * '''Contents organization''' <p> to answer the questions "Where are the contents?" and "Are the contents easy to find?" | ||
− | {| cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em;" | + | {| border=1 cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #666; margin-left: 2em; border-collapse:collapse;" |
|- bgcolor="#DDD" | |- bgcolor="#DDD" | ||
! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice | ! OpenOffice.org/StarOffice !! Microsoft Office !! WordPerfect Office !! SoftMaker Office !! GNOME Office !! KOffice |
Revision as of 14:19, 23 July 2007
Competitive Documentation Analysis
Contents
Project Owner
Competitor Products
OpenOffice.org/StarOffice | Microsoft Office | WordPerfect Office | SoftMaker Office | GNOME Office | KOffice |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Writer | Word | WordPerfect | TextMaker | AbiWord | KWord |
Calc | Excel | QuattroPro | PlanMaker | Gnumeric | KSpread/KChart |
Impress | PowerPoint | Presentations | Presentations | - | KPresenter |
Draw | - | - | (vector drawing integrated in TextMaker) | (GIMP/Inkscape) | Karbon14/Krita |
Base | (Access) | (Paradox) | DataMaker | Gnome-DB | Kexi |
Math | - | - | Editor for math. formulas | - | Kformula |
Windows, Unix, Linux, (OS X) | Windows, OS X | Windows | Windows, Linux | Windows, Unix, (OS X) | Unix, Linux |
Other competitor products that were not analyzed are:
- iWork and Apple Works from Apple
- Ability Office from Ability Software
- Applixware from Vista Source
- ONE from e-press
- Lotus SmartSuite from IBM (Lotus)
- Papyrus from R.O.M. Logicware
- ThinkFree Office from ThinkFree Office
- Mariner Pak from Mariner Software
For further information look at Comparison of office suites in Wikipedia
Competitive Analysis
- Documentation types:
to get an overview of how much documentation is designed for being printed and how much documentation is designed for online use, and to see what different types of documentation are existing (help, manuals, tutorials, training courses, videos, tips and tricks ...)
OpenOffice.org/StarOffice | Microsoft Office | WordPerfect Office | SoftMaker Office | GNOME Office | KOffice |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
"* PerfectExpert is a tool for beginners, a totally conceptual help with templates and tutorials that provide advice and guidance specific to the task"
- Search functions
to have a closer look at the different search functionalities in Application Help and printed documentation (search boxes, index, glossary, chapter headings ...)
OpenOffice.org/StarOffice | Microsoft Office | WordPerfect Office | SoftMaker Office | GNOME Office | KOffice |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Information types
to rate the distribution of the four information types:
- instructional information: detailed stepwise instructions
- conceptual information: explanation of specific office terms, particularly important for beginners
- referential information: functional descriptions (of dialog items or spreadsheet functions for example)
- examplary information: examples that help to understand actions and concepts.
OpenOffice.org/StarOffice | Microsoft Office | WordPerfect Office | SoftMaker Office | GNOME Office | KOffice |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Visualization
to examine the visual elements that help understanding text (graphics, icons, tables, screenshots, colors, layout)
OpenOffice.org/StarOffice | Microsoft Office | WordPerfect Office | SoftMaker Office | GNOME Office | KOffice | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Graphics | none | to explain concepts (for ex. footers) | to explain concepts, with captions | none | none | to explain concepts, barely used |
Icons | for buttons, notes, tips | for tips, notes | for buttons, tips, notes | for buttons | for buttons, tips, notes (badly integrated in text) | for buttons (badly integrated in text) |
Tables | for shortcut lists and some other stuff | for shortcut lists and Excel functions | for shortcuts lists, QuattroPro functions and instructional text ("You can also...", "To ... do the following") | simple but clear, for shortcut lists, commands, icon explanations | barely used and in a mess | barely used |
Screenshots | in spreadsheet examples and to explain the workspace | to explain screen elements | in spreadsheet examples and to explain the workspace | to explain the workspce and particular screen elements, frequent in instructional information | no consistent use | frequent in instructional information |
Colors | none | for headings and definitions | none | for notes and tips background, bullets and numbers and marks in screenshots | for marks in screenahots | for marks in pictures and terminal commands |
- Navigation
to see how links and cross-references are used
OpenOffice.org/StarOffice | Microsoft Office | WordPerfect Office | SoftMaker Office | GNOME Office | KOffice |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Contents organization
to answer the questions "Where are the contents?" and "Are the contents easy to find?"
OpenOffice.org/StarOffice | Microsoft Office | WordPerfect Office | SoftMaker Office | GNOME Office | KOffice |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recommendations for OpenOffice
Recommendations | Reason | |
---|---|---|
Documentation types | Printable guides on ooo web site should state for which version they are valid. | Indicated publication dates make it easy to sort out outdated material when looking for help. |
Older documentation on ooo web site should be shifted to an archive. | When a new version is available it should get the focus. The documentation offerings would be more clearly arranged with an archive. | |
Search functions | Use more indices in printed material. | Search functionality in printed material is restricted to the table of contents and the index. An index is particularly important if users have a lot of pages to look through. |
Apply the index terms that users use. In order to do so: implement a feature that allows users to notify us about missed index terms. | Users complain that search terms that they enter are not contained in the index. | |
In help create an application specific contents tab. (Now, the left side of the help window has always the same folders listed.) / Or, at least, bring the main chapters of the contents tab in a reasonable order. | More consistent help. The contents tab would behave like the index tab. Users know which applications are included in the office package. But working with an application they want an overview of the application or a task to be done. This information is now on the second contents tab level and could be “lifted” to the first level with an application specific contents tab. / Users tend to see the contents files as the chapters of a book. This suggests a logical order of the subjects. | |
In help allow search for similar words (fuzzy search) so that spelling mistakes and language cases would have no influence on search results. (see WordPerfect Office) | Users often make spelling mistakes when they enter words in the search boxes. Search results could be independent from cases (nominative, genitive case ...) | |
In help repair the full text search (see issues 45826, 38553 and 61820). | Malfunction of tools gives an impression of bad quality. | |
In help combine index and full text search into one search box. (see Microsoft Office) | Users like to ask colleagues if they have problems with the software. So, they would be happy if they could ask their computer in the same way. | |
Information types | In help separate help topics in mere conceptual and mere instructional content. (see WordPerfect Office) | Separation of conceptual and instructional content allows users to find background information quickly. |
Remove conceptual content from the help and collect it in a printable document or the wiki where the user can look it up when needed. | Background concepts require more reading context. Help remains concise. | |
From instructional topics link to conceptual topics. | The user sometimes needs conceptual background information. With links it can be given without overloading the instructional help file. | |
Formulate topic titles in such a way that the user recognizes whether it contains more instructional or more conceptual content. (see WordPerfect Office) | When learning procedural knowledge (=instructional information) the user must refer to conceptual knowledge that she already has (advanced users) or has to learn (beginners). | |
Use more examples, particularly in documentations for beginners. | VOC survey results show that users want more examples. | |
Adopt the more user-friendly function reference help from Microsoft Excel: Each function category of our category list should be linked to a list of the corresponding functions with short descriptions. Based on the descriptions the user can then select the appropriate function. | The actual function reference consists of long category files. The user has to scroll through the whole category which is very time-consuming. The Microsoft model allows to find the appropriate function after two clicks due to the function list with short descriptions. | |
Visualization | Assure a consistent layout in ooo documents. | A consistent layout enables easy orientation within the documents. |
Reduce the icon size in the documents as far as possible and use them only in the first line of a paragraph. | Icons that are too large constrain the flow of reading and get too much attention. | |
In the table of contents of the OpenOffice User Guide highlight chapter titles, do not provide more than three chapter levels and create chapter groups. | The current table of contents is too confusing. The user does not know where a new chapter begins | |
Do not indent bullets and numbers in lists. | Bullets and numbers already indicate a list. Indentation means over-formatting. | |
In online help use tables also for action alternatives. If we use normal text for menu selections, we could use tables for action alternatives (for example, context menus and icons). (see WordPerfect Office) | Tables are a good means to present contents clearly arranged. If we use normal text for menu selections, we could use tables for action alternatives (context menus and icons). Users can then find quickly what they need. | |
Use more visual stimulants (for example colors, graphics to illustrate concepts) (see Microsoft Office) | Colors and graphics increase the reading motivation. Graphics help to understand the text. | |
Navigation | In the OpenOffice User guide use more links and cross-references. | Links and cross-references provide significant added value when a user reads a topic and finds that it contains relevant content but does not quite answer the specific question that she had in mind. |
All PDF documents should allow to navigate from the table of contents and the index to the chapters (see WordPerfect) | Although it is bad for their eyes, people tend to read printable docs on the screen. It is then much easier to click a link than to enter a page number. | |
In help create links to sub-chapters at the beginning of long articles (see Microsoft Office). | Although it would be better to split long chapters, it is an easy and quick solution to offer links to below-mentioned subjects at the beginning of topics. | |
Contents organization | Create a problem-oriented context sensitive help in help dialogs (for ex. a list of guides). | Users who press the help button in dialogs have a problem they want to be resolved. Help must offer resolutions for user problems at this place (for example a list of guides). |
Make offerings beyond documentation: give access to user groups. | Users who do not find a resolution to their problem within the help or documentation want to contact other users or look for help in the Internet. | |
In help create an expanding function like in Microsoft Office to allow embedded information for beginners within information for advanced users. | This is more user friendly than a cross-reference because you have the whole text context and do not need to switch between two windows. | |
Transfer more documentation to the wiki. | The wiki can be maintained by the community, and it would make the project more attractive to contributors. |
Content on this page is licensed under the Public Documentation License (PDL). |