Nearly every company in today's world uses computers to do business; from manufacturing to stock trading computers are everywhere. In many cases it will require some kind of manual so that the end user knows how to make the most of the application. Writing software documentation can be done by the programmer but often a technical author is employed to do the work.
Employing a technical author to write end user manuals allows the world of the techie to be translated into a language that anyone can understand. Their strength is the ability to explain complex programs to the person who will have to use it and has never seen the menu system or interface before. Computer programmers rarely have this skill as they make frequently look at the application from the code level rather than through the user's eye.
Many systems these days have very intuitive interfaces which require almost no documentation. Games particularly are designed so that the player learns as they go along. Early levels teach you the basics of the game and hints or tricks are introduced along the way. This technique however cannot be applied for example in running a power station.
A good technical author will look at the application from the viewpoint of "how do I do this" and write simple easy to understand instructions for performing each of the functions of the software. They normally follow certain standard formats for manuals which start with initiation and setup through each function to trouble shooting and problem solving. They will also write to the specification of the company so that the final manual is in their style.
A writer needs to know who the end user will be for the documentation. If the manual contains too much technical information it is useless to a non-techie. One which is too simplistic is of little use to IT professionals who might need it for support purposes. The writer needs to pitch the text at the right level for the target audience.
It is important that any book is laid out in a clear manner, is not over wordy and flows in a logical way. The format and size of a manual are determined by the app itself. A very complex application will obviously require a lot larger document to cover all its functionality than a simple app which might be explained in a page or two.
Whatever the size or format, there are some basic facts the user need to know. They need to be able to start the application, understand what it can do and what to do in the event it goes wrong. Diagrams of the menus or screen shots can be a very useful tool and can be easily included in both printed and online documents.
Collaboration between the writer, user and programmer is a great way of writing software documentation. The technical aspects can be explained clearly by the programmer to the writer while the user can give input on what they need to know. This should produce a final manual that everyone can be happy about. Good manuals ensure all the information is there while still being readable and easily understood.
Employing a technical author to write end user manuals allows the world of the techie to be translated into a language that anyone can understand. Their strength is the ability to explain complex programs to the person who will have to use it and has never seen the menu system or interface before. Computer programmers rarely have this skill as they make frequently look at the application from the code level rather than through the user's eye.
Many systems these days have very intuitive interfaces which require almost no documentation. Games particularly are designed so that the player learns as they go along. Early levels teach you the basics of the game and hints or tricks are introduced along the way. This technique however cannot be applied for example in running a power station.
A good technical author will look at the application from the viewpoint of "how do I do this" and write simple easy to understand instructions for performing each of the functions of the software. They normally follow certain standard formats for manuals which start with initiation and setup through each function to trouble shooting and problem solving. They will also write to the specification of the company so that the final manual is in their style.
A writer needs to know who the end user will be for the documentation. If the manual contains too much technical information it is useless to a non-techie. One which is too simplistic is of little use to IT professionals who might need it for support purposes. The writer needs to pitch the text at the right level for the target audience.
It is important that any book is laid out in a clear manner, is not over wordy and flows in a logical way. The format and size of a manual are determined by the app itself. A very complex application will obviously require a lot larger document to cover all its functionality than a simple app which might be explained in a page or two.
Whatever the size or format, there are some basic facts the user need to know. They need to be able to start the application, understand what it can do and what to do in the event it goes wrong. Diagrams of the menus or screen shots can be a very useful tool and can be easily included in both printed and online documents.
Collaboration between the writer, user and programmer is a great way of writing software documentation. The technical aspects can be explained clearly by the programmer to the writer while the user can give input on what they need to know. This should produce a final manual that everyone can be happy about. Good manuals ensure all the information is there while still being readable and easily understood.
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