Create User Documentation Lesson 2

Definition: User Documentation is the collection of documents that are designed to help people who need to manage, operate or maintain computer hardware or software.

Describe the steps to shut down your computer…. 2 main purposes: Convincing users they need to shut down properly. Telling them how to do it.

Divided into 2 Categories: User documentation: Designed for the end user of the computer hardware or software. May not be a computer specialist Examples of user documentation are manuals, on-line help, wizards and on-line tutorials.

Technical documentation: This is designed for the people responsible for producing or maintaining the hardware or software. When you buy a new computer, you generally get a certain amount of technical documentation of the hardware, so that you (or a technician you employ) know what upgrades and so on are applicable to your computer.

Brainstorming Activity: List as many types of techdocs as you can……. Now list types of user docs…..

Examples of technical documentation include: Data documentation, flow charts, pseudocode, data flow diagrams, Program documentation, and Hardware documentation.

Types of user documentation include: Instructional material – usually accompanies the computer system, be it hardware or software, and provides information on how to use the system or particular aspects of it. Training material – aims to teach people how to use a computer system, usually a software application. It can be used as a self-study guide or as a resource by a trainer.

Also: Policies or procedures documents – describe organisational rules and guidelines and explain how to do a particular job or jobs. They also help with quality assurance as a check that standard procedures are being followed. Reference documentation - provides neither an instructional nor a training role; it is simply a repository of information. It is used by users who are already trained, to remind them of intricate details that they cannot be expected to remember. Reference documentation will be at the user’s fingertips while the product is being used

Media: Paper documentation (print media) Static on-line documentation Computer documentation is presented in a wide range of forms, from the traditional paper books to various computerised media. These media can generally be divided into three groups: Paper documentation (print media) Static on-line documentation Dynamic on-line documentation Examples of the above types?

Questions…. List at least 4 factors that need to be considered when determining the medium? What kind of needs may users have, which need to be considered? What does ‘appropriateness of the medium to the task’ mean?

For Next week… Bring in the WORST piece of user documentation you can find a PRIZE for the Best Bad Document!!