Re: Training doc

Subject: Re: Training doc
From: Suzette Seveny <sseveny -at- PETVALU -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 10:16:02 -0400

Coming from a training background, I got into technical writing by writing
training documentation. I'll just outline some of the major rules I
follow:

1. When writing the documentation, keep in mind skill building. For
example, if I were writing a training manual on Word, I would not necessary
cover all formatting issues at the same time. First would be basic
Create/Print/Save a document. Then Find/Open/Edit a document. Later on,
Basic formatting - Fonts/Tabs/Paragraphs. Then Advanced Formatting - Page
Layout/Margins/Page Numbering. Then Long Documents -
Header/Footers/TOC/Index. Then Automating your Documents - Basic
Fields/Mail Merge/etc. and so on and so on .....
2. I start each chapter/module with an introduction of what will be
covered, and what the objective is - i.e., By the end of this chapter, you
will be able to XXXXXX".
3. At the end of the chapter, I summarize the key points that were
covered, a sample of the output, and usually follow up with a short self
quiz.
4. Usually, with a self-training manual, I include a diskette of documents
that can be used (for example, with long documents, or a list of names and
address to be used with mail merge) to save the poor user from having to
type mega pages in order to see a function work.

I have never actually written a training manual on Word - I just used that
as an example that almost everyone can relate to.

Hope this helps,
Suzette

On Friday, June 19, 1998 12:43 PM, Michael Burke [SMTP:miburke -at- WSICORP -dot- COM]
wrote:
> Hello all --
>
> I have a very general question that needs only a general response.
>
> I have the opportunity to pick up a contract project writing some
> training documentation. I have not written training doc before.
>
> I was wondering if any tech/training writers could generally help me
> establish if I can do training writing.
>
> How would you approach a training doc project as opposed to a tech
> writing doc?
>
> How does training writing differ from tech writing. I know that
> training doc is procedural-based, and steps people slowly through a
> task, but in what other ways do they differ?
>
>




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