Transferring hardcopy software user manuals to online: considerations for editing the textual and visual

Focuses on an issue which many technical communicators are faced with today-placing paper documents online. Though many technical communicators can find information on how to edit both paper and online documents, there is little or no information on how to edit paper documents for transfer to online. I analyse this editing process by first looking at P. Carlson´s (1988) characteristics that provide a basis to discern the difference between paper and online information modularization, information modes and composition guidelines. These characteristics provide a heuristic for information developers to understand why paper information must be edited for online. Once I have provided a basic understanding of the need to edit paper documents for online, I consider the elements of user interface design, online documentation and editing that are the essential elements of editing hardcopy manuals for online. I assess how the visual and textual elements of the document must work together, through demonstrating the necessary interplay of visual and textual aspects of both overall and individual design