With the advent of cloud the scope of documentation is
geared for a change. The expectation of the readers in regard to accessing
documentation for applications has made a quantum shift. This information is
expected to be online with an emphasis on real time availability for
new versions of the applications. The documentation and information mapping
styles have developed quite a lot to cater to the new readers who are
technologically more advanced today.
Readers expect information to be available on any device
that can connect to the internet, be it computers, tablets, mobiles or any
other gadgets that are or will be available. They expect the information to be
presented in a modular form that is searchable. Context sensitive help and
information mapping with bread crumbs are sought after in documentation for
application deployed as services on the cloud.
For documentation experts the challenge lies in presenting
their readers the exact information in the most scannable form so that
assimilation of information is quick. Graphical and tabular representation of
content is resorted to whenever possible. Information is broken down into the
smallest possible modular level so that data search is exact, if the search is
made through appropriate keywords.
Today content management systems employ various rule engines
to help the user access the data searched for quickly. These content management
systems are faced with a growing challenge of maintaining data security.
Information must be shared with the user according to the priviledge rights of the user, thus information exchange may resort to encryption to protect
sensitive data.
With the fast paced changes happening today, documentation
is already moving into audio-visual content and soon manuals will be the second
option for dissipating information.
