Examples of knowing your audience
Different audiences and how that affects the document design
Last modified: 4/9/98
Here are examples of different classes of readers and how their characteristics should affect your document design:

Highly interested, one-time readers
Characteristics
These would be people who need to understand everything you are covering.

Examples would include:
•   Someone learning what you are teaching where your document is the only thing covering all of its topics
•   A person responsible for critiquing what you write.

Implications
A flatter, more linear document is acceptable. Detail does not need to be separated from summary. The flow of the prose is important. A readable style of writing to help make the long read pleasant is OK.

People needing an answer right away
Characteristics
These would be people who have a very specific need. They are not interested in everything you say.

Examples would include:
•   People answering a "help-line" phone or using a troubleshooting guide
•   People doing research on a topic where your document is one of many covering the same general area.

Implications
The structure of the document should be geared to helping the reader find what they need. Easily skimmable summaries, lists, maps, multiple paths to the same information, etc., are helpful. Humor and other writing techniques for easing the reader's time in the document are not needed. Don't hide material, get to the point quickly.