1. Exit this survey Question Title * 1. What genre of documentation do you use most often? Getting Started Guide or Manual (lists simple concepts and tasks, possibly has a "What's New" and "Installation" sections, may include a small tutorial that takes 5 or 10 minutes to work through) Tutorial (description of a sequence of concrete steps you perform to fulfil a well-defined task) User's Guide or Manual (description of various procedures grouped by topic) Reference Guide (listing all the product features in an indexical or alphabetical form) Question Title * 2. How much do you like each of the following documentation formats? 1 strongly dislike 2 3 neutral 4 5 strongly like Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) 1 strongly dislike Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) 2 Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) 3 neutral Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) 4 Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) 5 strongly like Code samples with comments Code samples with comments 1 strongly dislike Code samples with comments 2 Code samples with comments 3 neutral Code samples with comments 4 Code samples with comments 5 strongly like Screencasts Screencasts 1 strongly dislike Screencasts 2 Screencasts 3 neutral Screencasts 4 Screencasts 5 strongly like Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors 1 strongly dislike Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors 2 Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors 3 neutral Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors 4 Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors 5 strongly like Usage scenarios described as text Usage scenarios described as text 1 strongly dislike Usage scenarios described as text 2 Usage scenarios described as text 3 neutral Usage scenarios described as text 4 Usage scenarios described as text 5 strongly like Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines 1 strongly dislike Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines 2 Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines 3 neutral Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines 4 Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines 5 strongly like Other Other 1 strongly dislike Other 2 Other 3 neutral Other 4 Other 5 strongly like Specify Other Question Title * 3. How often do you use each of the following kinds of documentation? never once a month daily always open Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) never Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) once a month Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) daily Textual descriptions (e.g., Javadoc) always open Code samples with comments Code samples with comments never Code samples with comments once a month Code samples with comments daily Code samples with comments always open Screencasts Screencasts never Screencasts once a month Screencasts daily Screencasts always open Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors never Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors once a month Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors daily Videos of workshops/webcasts with instructors always open Usage scenarios described as text Usage scenarios described as text never Usage scenarios described as text once a month Usage scenarios described as text daily Usage scenarios described as text always open Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines never Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines once a month Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines daily Use case diagrams/flow charts/state machines always open Other, please specify below Other, please specify below never Other, please specify below once a month Other, please specify below daily Other, please specify below always open Other Question Title * 4. How do you usually use software documentation? I read/watch it all before tackling my problem. I read/watch the section(s) related to my task before tackling my problem. I read/watch a small amount and then proceed to the task, returning to the documentation if I reach a dead end. I start doing my task straightaway hoping that it will be intuitive and only start reading documentation when I reach a dead end. Other (please specify) Question Title * 5. When you have to choose among several applications doing more or less the same thing, how important is the availability and the quality of the documentation for your decision? 1 == don't care 2 3 4 5 == won't touch anything that doesn't have good documentation Question Title * 6. What's your greatest obstacle in learning software? Poor or unavailable documentation. Documentation in the form I don't like/am not comfortable with. Lack of good access tools for the topics you may need (e.g. no index or badly organized index). Lack of time. No visual aids in the documentation text (diagrams, screenshots, visual structuring of the page, highlighted main points, pictograms, etc.). Other (please specify) Done