SOME ASSEMBLY WILL BE REQUIRED.........

Part of this project involves looking at different ways of communicating information to the different participants of the project. We are using the resources from a wide range of abilities and understanding. Everything from middle school students to full blown engineers, technical and technophobes, veteran racers and newbies. (For the record I fit solidly in the last category as the closest thing I've come to racing is sitting behind the wheel of my parent's car making "vroom vrooom" noises.)

In my experience, how you communicate information is just as important (if not more so) than the information you are trying to convey.

This is why we will be using a product called Document 3D from Quadrispace. They've been kind enough to donate three seats of their documentation software for the project. I'll be using one to set up the templates, formats, and style sheets while two will be going to Camosun College where it will be used in the Engineering Graphics Technician Program. As part of the technician's coursework they will be using the software to document the race car build-up.

Most instructions are static in nature and reflect a technical representation of the product. For simple things this is okay. For more complicated items such as bikes before Christmas or a barbeque for the "Boss" - they are never simple enough.

Here is a example of an interactive document that can either be printed out (traditional) or used interactively (conveys more information).

Snowmobile Example (For other examples see http://www.quadrispace.com/demos/pdf.htm

As the project progresses you will start to see various IMS4 instructions. As you can see from the examples - Quadrispace has taken the "a picture is worth a 1000 words" adage and supercharged it to the next level.