What's new in the Visual Studio 2010 Web performance and load test documentaion (Part Two - Screenshots with callout art)

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In What's new in the Visual Studio 2010 Web performance and load test documentation (Part One) , I talked about how we took a new approach to how the documentation is presented by identifying key customer scenarios to create content around. This strategy was developed by soliciting feedback from numerous customers in various venues. As part of this strategy we used a new model for our high-level introduction topics. The new topics provide much more detail and tables with information about the content contained in the section. This blog post, part two is regarding how we incorporated the use of screenshots with call-outs in procedural topics (How to and Walkthrough topics). We used screenshots with callouts for two approaches:

Quickly Learn the Steps

As an example for the first approach, we used screenshots with call-outs extensively for the documentation coverage of the new manual test runner. A customer scenario we identified is a company or organization hiring temporary workers to run manual tests. Having these simple quick reference type of screenshots with call-outs should help in bringing workers up to speed and provide them with a quick reference should they forget any of the steps. To evaluate these illustrations, see the various How To topics under Running Manual Tests Using Test Runner.

Here is perhaps one of the simplest examples I created for the topic How to: Insert Additional Scenarios to an Existing Load Test. In this case, the reader can immediately identify the steps required to perform the steps to add a new scenario to their load test without having to take the time to read the full procedures.

Note We still include the full detailed list of procedural steps below the illustrations for readers who are visually impaired and to include additional information.

Complex Steps

For the second approach, we added screenshots with call-outs to steps or procedures that would benefit from having illustrations. For example, here is the screenshot with call-outs I created for the topic How to: Run a Load Test Containing Web Performance Tests that Collects ASP.NET Profiler Data:

Please let us know if you like these, dislike these or have other suggestions for the documentation by clicking the Add Content button on the MSDN library toolbar and providing us feedback.

Thanks,

Howie Hilliker

Senior Programmer Writer - Visual Studio Team Test