That change would not await the next product release, but instead would be added to the documentation immediately, producing new versions of the book that would be available for distribution from that point on. The changes would also be incorporated into online help patches that could be downloaded automatically by the application or on demand by the user. Customer input would also contribute to updated manuals. Through online assistants and other data gathering tools, companies can now track customers greatest needs and problems, and react to those needs quickly with solutions that will improve the quality of their documentation and the customer s satisfaction. Living documents will require more work than the current system, but for the most part, the infrastructure is already in place.
Most companies already modify documentation to adjust for errors, complaints and suggestions.
They simply need to make their changes available to customers in a more timely fashion. In addition, because companies can track customer questions and inquiries through the web, it will be increasingly easy identify confusing or inadequate parts of the documentation even before an actual complaint has been documented, and solve those problems as well. In depth help pages online that are more than revamped versions of the book, but are also focused on problem solving and customer education. Application-based online help patches that are available for download whenever the documentation changes. I believe that the Internet has granted us an opportunity to add flexibility to our documentation.