Are printed manuals a thing of the past?

For many years I've heard the debate over whether to include printed manuals with the products. It seems like the move to PDF, online help, wikis, and blogs must finally be making a dent in how much we print, because one of the printer manufacturers is running a big ad compaign in an attempt to get people to print more.

What sort of documentation do you get with the iPod?

Recently, I finally got an iPod. Of course, as a writer, I find myself paying attention to how they provide documentation, and it gives me some ideas for documentation minimalism. Even with their simple design, Apple includes a small printed manual. More of a mini-brochure with just a few basics to get started.

You have to go online to get a more complete manual. But what a great idea! Besides not wasting paper on printing (I didn't print my copy), I have the latest version.

But even if you don't look at the manual, some of the less obvious features are displayed on the iPod where you need it. For example, a note in the Contact section provides instructions on how to load contacts if you don't synchronize with outlook. Or when I accidentally created an on-the-go play list, an additional on-the-go play list appeared and included a note explaining the feature.

 What does this mean for documenting larger products?

The iPod is a simple consumer device. Although it's a great device, it supports only limited functionality (not that I necessarily want it to do more). Does the iPod's documentation offer any suggestions to how to improve the documentation experience for products that offer greater functionality, such as BMC Remedy Service Desk?

To me, it seems like there are a few lessons that can be learned:

• In the box, include printed materials only to cover the bare minimum of what people need to know to get started. This highlights what is needed to get started, and doesn't overwhelm people with information that they need only later.
• Make the bulk of the manuals available on-line (although electronic copy included with the product distribution media might also work).
  
• Provide help where they need it. Does this mean context-sensitive help? Field-level help? Help panels embedded in the product at key points? I'm not sure.

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