Book Commentary 48 How this book reveals the challenges ahead for minimalist design The Proven and Potential Promises of Minimalism for Technical Communicators Eric Lodor Whittman-Hart, Inc. Northmark Business Center III 4501 Erskine Road, Suite 100 Cincinnatti, OH 45242 eric.lodor@whittman-hart.com Minimalism: Beyond the Nurnberg Funnel (edited by John Carroll) is an anthology of research articles on the development of minimalist documentation principles, practices, and theories in the aftermath of John Carroll's seminal 1990 work The Nurnberg Funnel. (The Nurnberg Funnel is a metaphor developed in Germanywherebystudents could have a "funnel" attached to their heads and knowledge could be poured in like soup--a theory in direct opposition to the principles of minimalism.)The Nurnberg Funnel set forth a set of principles for instructional design that went beyond the standard systems methodologyfor the design and delivery of instructional computer documentation. Starting from a foundation of user-centered design (UCD) principles, Carroll advocated that users of computer technology need instructional materials that are action oriented and designed to begin immediate work on real tasks and use tools (manuals, online help, job-aids etc.) that are designed to support exploration and error recovery. In addition, Carroll's research showed a need for users to have the
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