Procedure How to Write a Manual!

[Sharon Burton]

Sorry, guys. I don't know why the line breaks vanished!


sharon

Sharon Burton
951-369-8590
IM: sharonvburton at yahoo.com
Blog: madcapsoftware.wordpress.com


-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com
[mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Sharon Burton
Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 5:43 PM
To: 'Richard Melanson'; 'Avraham Makeler'; framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: RE: Procedure How to Write a Manual!

This is easy. 14 steps: 

1. Identify the audience
2. Identify the information needs of that audience (job aids, user guides,
and so on)
3. Identify the tasks the audience needs to do
4. Identify the supporting info the audience needs to do those tasks
5. Identify the best way to deliver the information (PDF, help, others)
6. Create a plan that layout all this information
7. Assign time estimates to the plan
8. Decide what can be cut due to time limitations
9. Start creating the information, adapting to the changing product
10. Review by others
11. Make the review changes
12. Build "gold" candidates
13. Deliver the finals
14. Archive the finals, including all planning information

Of course, these steps include a lot of embedded steps and domain knowledge
in our field. But these are the steps. 


sharon

Sharon Burton
951-369-8590
IM: sharonvburton at yahoo.com
Blog: madcapsoftware.wordpress.com