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The content of software manuals differs nearly as much as the user group
and purpose of the software differ.
A good compromise is to create your manual using something like Help &
Manual or another single-sourcing tool that creates online help, an
electronic book that looks like trad online help, and a manual.
The biggest question is whether your software is general purpose
tool/workpiece software or a specialized system that exists to help
users carry out a set process. If the latter, you may need to spend a
lot of time explaining the process in context of the screen. If the
former, you have to spend more time on functions and screens rather than
continuous tasks.
The question of screen shots is a vexed one. Sometimes a screen shot
helps explain things better than any number of words. But step by step
shots of little bits of the screen are, in my view, almost never useful.
After all, if the user is following a process that closely, the screen
is already visible.
Managers, especially product managers, seem to love screen shots in
manuals. It makes the product seem more real. But then you have to
adjust the screen shots every time there is a trivial change in the
interface.
As a user I prefer manuals that don't explain every little thing on
every screen. I'd rather the difficult parts or the critical parts
stood out. A manual that is freighted down with tons of simple or
repetitious stuff probably meets some checklist of completeness, but may
not be very helpful to users.
My summer intern is doing first pass content for some of our product
manuals. When I told her to start by explaining the thing on each
screen that gave her the most trouble, I started getting much more
usable stuff from her. She caught on quickly.
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
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