SDDPL

ABSTRACT Motivation -- To support documentation designers in their on-going search for documentation that genuinely supports end users. Research approach -- Existing findings from a multi-disciplinary literature are combined to arrive at a model of the cognitive involvement of users with software, and separately a model of the way people interact with documentation. A number of design patterns are proposed that target particular elements in the two models. The patterns will be field-tested for applicability by designers as well as end users. Findings/Design -- The hope is that the design patterns will prove of value to both stakeholder groups (documentation designers and end users). Research limitations/Implications -- The naturalistic nature of the theoretical framework as well as the subsequent field-testing hinders generalization of the results. Originality/Value -- The research makes a contribution to the need of documentation designers to base their work on current insights resulting from theoretical and applied research. Take away message -- Documentation is a relatively under-valued professional discipline, which needs academic input as much as any other design discipline that works to support the end user.