Feedback Needed for "What's New" Doc

[Joy_SAS]

We're considering changes to the What's New doc and want your feedback. We're considering moving to a short, high-level list of new features.

Here's the "What's New" doc for the most recent release: SAS Visual Analytics 8.4: What's New. Here are our questions:

• Do you read the general enhancements in "What's New"?
• Do you read the details list in "What's New"?
• Do you skim the lists?
• Do you skip "What's New" completely?

There's another list of new SAS Visual Analytics features on the sas.com site: What's New in SAS Visual Analytics 8.4. Do you prefer a list like this that has more pictures of new features? 

Please take a minute to let us know how you like to find out about the new features in SAS Visual Analytics.

We need all feedback by Friday, November 1, 2019.

Thanks,

Joy

[Technolero]

I definitely read the What's New documents documents completely, and I look for as much detail, including pictures, as I can get. I attend the Global Forum annually, so I am generally aware of what's coming, but I can't rely on my memory for all of the details. The handiest part of the What's New document is that it is digital, so when management asks me why I am requesting an upgrade, I can copy and paste the new features.

[Joy_SAS]

Thanks, @Technolero! It's good to know you appreciate the details and you share them with your management team when necessary.

-Joy

[MichelleHomes]

Hi @Joy_SAS,

Great question to ask the community before making changes! Personally I find the detail list informative and helpful to have in the What's New section as it is also a preview to delve into the rest of the documentation. I imagine the detail list is helpful for other detail oriented and technical people too. I also like reading the general enhancements to get an overview.

To answer your questions:

• Do you read the general enhancements in "What's New"?  Yes
• Do you read the details list in "What's New"?  Yes
• Do you skim the lists? No - I like to read these properly to work out if I want to go into the documentation to learn more.
• Do you skip "What's New" completely?  I always read the What's New in each release. It's where I go first to find out what's new

With regards to the new SAS Visual Analytics features on the sas.com site: What's New in SAS Visual Analytics 8.4. Having the pictures is useful and more interpretable. I see this page as more of a marketing/positioning page to share with management so they can visualise and understand the new features. This page caters for a different audience to the What's New provided at documentation.sas.com and both resources are very useful.

Is there a timeframe for when you need to collate feedback by? I'll be happy to share this thread to encourage others to share their thoughts. Also are changes to What's New also being considered for other SAS products/platforms or only SAS Visual Analytics?

Thanks,

Michelle

[Joy_SAS]

Thanks, @MichelleHomes! It's good to know you're not skimming the list.

We're taking feedback until 01Nov2019. I'd say go ahead and share it, but I see that you've already posted it on Twitter. Thanks for helping us out!

-Joy 

[MichelleHomes]

Thanks @Joy_SAS for sharing the date. I also like that you used date9 format too 😉

Do you know whether there are planned changes to the What’s New section for other SAS products?

Thanks,

Michelle

[Joy_SAS]

Hi @MichelleHomes,

Our goal is to try to achieve more consistency with "What's New" content across SAS products. (For example, some products don't have both a high-level and a detailed list of new features like SAS Visual Analytics.) That's why I really want to hear about how customers, like you, are using the What's New lists.

I don't know yet if there'll be changes in the What's New content across products. However, in November, I'll share what I learn from the Community with the team that's looking at What's New content.

Thanks,

Joy

[MichelleHomes]

Thanks @Joy_SAS for the update and your interest to ask the community for feedback.

Kind Regards,

Michelle

[FredrikE]

Hi!

• Do you read the general enhancements in "What's New"?     YES, always!
• Do you read the details list in "What's New"?     YES, always!
• Do you skim the lists?        sometimes, depending on the "size" of the general enhancements.
• Do you skip "What's New" completely?       Never!

I actually like the one with the pictures better, especially if the pictures show what's new and maybe even have some videos showing the changes and how to use them.

There would also be nice if there is a link to details (at the start and/or bottom) and text mode for further reading.

//Fredrik

[Joy_SAS]

Hi @FredrikE, 

It's good to know you appreciate both levels of detail. We'll take into consideration your suggestion for adding links for further reading.

-Joy

[utrocketeng]

Greetings Joy, for what it is worth... here is my 2 cents:

• Do you read the general enhancements in "What's New"?   Yes
• Do you read the details list in "What's New"?   Yes, especially when looking across versions and determining if upgrading is worth the time and effort.
• Do you skim the lists?  Of course, but eventually i will have read everything.
• Do you skip "What's New" completely?  Nope.

pictures are nice.  videos are better, however nothing can beat the consistent look and feel of the 'What's New'.  

[Joy_SAS]

Thank you, @utrocketeng! I've noted your mention of pictures and videos. I'm glad you like the consistency look and feel of the current "What's New" topics.

Thanks again,

Joy 

[Joy_SAS]

Thank you, @Technolero, @MichelleHomes, @FredrikE, and @utrocketeng! We appreciate you taking the time to provide us with feedback on the What's New topic in the documentation. It good to know you like what we've been doing, and to hear some suggestions for future improvements.

Thanks again,

Joy

[MichelleHomes]

Thanks for asking Joy and I look forward to see what happens with What’s New.