Documentation between "device" and "application": How-to?

[hbswn]

After writing /grove-sgp41-with-aht20/ I realized it's not describing an "application": it's nowhere near anything an end-user could use and it should not be.

So what's the value: it describes a concept, that should be used in real-life applications.
( In this specific case, because using the defaults only produces correct raw values at 25°C and 50% relative humidity.)

I think it makes sense to add a separate category for this kind of documentation. The sensor and micro-controller device documentation probably contains similar cases (in the examples).

A good example from the early Linux world are the HOWTOs.

HOWTOs:

• describe a single concept or a few closely related concepts
• describe what you want to achieve, (usually) instead of a specific device
• provide working/tested examples
• link to resources (hardware data, source code, more detailed documentation, use cases, . . .)

Or maybe such a category exists and I haven't found it, yet ?

UPDATE: I've found some under Arduino->Tutorials

regards,

Hans

[MatthewJeffson]

Yes, and that is indeed an interesting idea. I will look into it!
Thanks!
Matthew

[hbswn]

User Stories may be the best to add: solving a collection of User Stories may result in an application. The idea is that the stories are well defined, not too big and verifiable.

Some links:

• Wikipedia: User story
• Scrum.org: User Story or Stakeholder Story?
• Tech at GSA: Writing Effective User Stories

The concept is mostly used in "agile" software development, but it was first used in a car company so I think it will work here as well.

Hans

[MatthewJeffson]

That is an interesting idea, and we indeed need more topics to help both users and contributors.

[hbswn]

It's more about the user perspective here: think about how the device or software is used.

"User" is quite a broad term in this approach: often it's just another application or device's requirement.