how to make manuals
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how to make manualsMost time and money needs to be spent on product development and setting up the sales channels. He knows that there are some legal requirements for the content of the manual and he wants a well designed and user-friendly instructional manual that contributes to a good customer experience. I decided to walk him through the entire process and developed an instruction manual template for him. Here’s what happened. The results are as follows: Although Philip used one of our paid templates, I have made a free template that you can use to achieve exactly the same results. There is only one difference. We have developed user manual templates for machinery, toys, medical devices and electronics that contain all legal content. I provided him with some general information about user instructions and with some good examples of existing user manuals. A good user manual assists users on how to use a product safely, healthily and effectively. A well-drafted user manual only provides that information that is relevant for the intended user of the product. A good user manual should answer HOW and WHAT questions. They should contain information about what happens if a task is not done correctly. Typical user types are the end-user, installer, maintenance engineer and operator. Each user type needs a different approach in terms of language to be used, the tone of voice and provided conceptual information. A product can be a system, tool, device, an instrument, a piece of software or an app. Depending on the type of product, a user manual might include things as: The template contains all the information and more from the list above. It complies with the requirements for his product. The user manual template is an MS Word document that can be printed or placed online. Each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages. I will mention the most common tools below: Through the following links you can download a user manual sample for documentation: Let’s dive into the details and actions.http://chinesetouristbureau.com/images/email-air-conditioning-manuals.xml
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This can be done by creating a user profile, also named a persona. This is not only useful for creating your user instructions, but it is an essential element at the start of the development of any product. As an educated industrial design engineer, this is how we started all our design assignments. That’s why I asked Philip to define his users and answer questions like: What describes the user? I asked Philip to fill out the template. Please note that the second tab also contains Philip’s answers, so you have an example of how the sheet could be used. So if you want to take defining your user one step further, I would suggest you visualise your user in the form of a persona. When creating a persona you are giving your user a name, age et cetera, so it becomes a real person that represents your user. This is the result: Typical problems might include: installing the product, using the product, using the product safely, maintaining the product and disposing of the product. In order to do so, I created another template for Philip. In the left column of the Lifecycle tab, the stages of a product’s lifecycle are mentioned. Our user manual templates are compliant with this standard. In other words: Philip has defined the topics for his user manual. Each topic can only be about one specific subject, has an identifiable purpose, and must be able to stand alone. A user wants to solve one problem at a time.It can be a chapter or a (sub-)paragraph. As soon as a user is looking for an answer to his problem, he will use the table of contents to find out how to navigate to that answer. Start numbering PREPARATION PRODUCT FOR USE with number 4. We will add some more chapters in the next step. The ToC is the outline of your user manual.The headings are the (sub-)titles that precede the actual text. They appear in the ToC, so the user can navigate to the needed information. A third-level heading uses noun-phrases (e.g. Packaging contents and Tools to be used ).http://domarcas.com/img/userfiles/empi-focus-manual.xml The heading Making Pancakes is much more user-oriented than Using the MagicCook5000. If the section covers the maintenance and repair of a product, the heading Maintenance would be incomplete. Pro tip: when there is a Declaration of Conformity available already, you can find the applicable directives in there. If the product is too small this can be placed in the user manual. If the product is too small this can be placed in the user manual. Safety information shall be provided in order to inform the user of measures to be taken. Compliance with harmonised standards provides a presumption of conformity with the corresponding legislation! Without removing and mandatory elements of course. Notice! Do not adjust the Table of Contents. The table of contents can be updated automatically once you have adjusted the section headings. And once you have determined the intended use, you can focus on providing only those safety and user instructions for how to use the product within the given envelope. If the defectiveness of a product needs to be determined, all circumstances will be taken into account. That includes the reasonably foreseeable use of the product. For example, if a cooling system is only used for cooling certain medications, then only these procedures need to be described. When it could reasonably be foreseen that the cooling system may be used as a system to cool organs, this should be described in the instructions. By doing so, you, as the manufacturer, will limit your liability and you can focus on only describing how to use the system to cool medicines. A risk analysis can also be mandatory for certain product groups, such as low-voltage equipment, toys, machinery and equipment for use in explosive atmospheres. The ISO 12100 also gives a method for taking mitigation measures: the Three-Step Method. According to this method, there is the following hierarchy of risk-reducing measures: This is done with safety warnings. The ANSI Z535.https://www.informaquiz.it/petrgenis1604790/status/flotaganis20032022-13276 standard describes the following locations in the user manual where this could be: General text general text general text. 3. Do this. This may also be describing special tools or space for maintenance and repair. These templates contain all legal texts, mandatory disposal information, copyright statements and comply with the IEC 82079 standard on user instructions. Finding the right information that solves the user’s problem should take as little time as possible. We call this version the textual content design. As Philip has a business partner and a developer with in-depth technical product knowledge, I asked Philip to let them review the work so far. Both his business partner and the developer provided feedback. Philip used this feedback to optimize the user manual. Action: Send the draft version of the user manual to anyone within your team who might be able to deliver feedback. Ask them to combine all feedback into one document before sending it back to you. This stimulates discussion of your team members and prevents disagreement at a later stage. This means that any images can now be created and added to the content. As images should support, replace, or augment text, you want to wait to create them until the texts are final. Often, photos are not as informative because they contain too much information. Besides that, photos can make a user manual look messy. The content needs to be put into the InDesign template. This is called Desktop Publishing. If you decided not to use the InDesign template but stuck to the Word file, then you can skip this step. This could be a translator who is experienced in translating technical content, with similar products or with translating user manuals. Alternatively, you can do this yourself, of course. That can be printed, or used online or on-device. However, as of April 2016, the instructions of many product groups may be delivered in a different format rather than in print. There is one exception, however.http://asfgrup.com/images/braun-shaver-manuals.pdf Besides that, upon request from a consumer, a paper user manual should be made available to the consumer. Here he can add videos as well. And by optimizing the HTML version for search engines he makes it easier for his user to find information for his user That’s how Philip created a compliant user manual with help from the User Manuals Template and the other available tools that I provided. We have developed user manual templates for machinery, toys, medical devices and electronics that contain all legal content. It’s a lot quicker than the usual way! By providing your end-users with professional instructions, you will have happier customers, increase your liability and decrease customer support costs. We have developed user manual templates for machinery, toys, medical devices and electronics that contain all legal content. After all, most of your instruction manuals are X identical anyway. You have to identify what is important and what information is trivial. And maybe worse, they will have a negative experience with your brand. What is their age, gender etc.? Let’s have a look at this example: Although reception is quite good in the Netherlands, high speed internet is not always assured when crossing the Dutch countryside. There might be users with low vision or who are colour-blind. You may want to serve them with alternative instruction manuals in Braille, large print or audio. So, creating personas is not only useful when developing your user guides, but also at the start of the development of any product or software. For example: The end-user typically includes, but is not limited to: This helps to prevent wasting the user’s time and your own time by explaining things that the reader already knows or are irrelevant. This distracts the user from finding the information they actually need. It helps you select the correct information and to focus on the tasks that your user wants to complete. WARNING! Always take your own safety into account!http://www.fattyweng.com.sg/wp-content/plugins/formcraft/file-upload/server/content/files/162849b9de6c13---bupersinst-108053-enlisted-distribution-and-verification-report-users-manual-edvrman.pdf Study this information and go through the full product life cycle, from purchasing to disposal, in your head. Be critical and only consider information that you fully understand and can validate. Often you find a lack of structure, inconsistency or vague instructions. We will discuss that later. Identify the differences. What makes your product unique. What functions are identical. What information can you use for a better understanding of your own product? Not everything will be clear after your research. Make sure to note down any unclarities. These will be solved in the next stage. We call them subject-matter experts ( SMEs ). SMEs can be mechanical, industrial design, software or electrical engineers. They can be helpdesk support staff, maintenance personnel or installers. Study your topic thoroughly and prepare a list of clear questions. As SMEs are valuable to a company because of their knowledge. They are also busy people. Take this into account when you are interviewing them. Don’t waste their time. They are more into getting things done and getting results than communicating about how to get these things done. They might use a lot of jargon. All those numbers, technical terms etc.Do not force your SME to avoid jargon. It is your job as a technical communicator to ask the right questions about the meaning of terms and to decide what information to use. Make sure that they feel comfortable and appreciated for their knowledge and valuable information. Alternatively, you can do it with a phone call. Sometimes you will be asked to put your questions into an email or spread sheet. My experience is that this will delay a project: Answers to questions will lead to new questions. It is your task to keep on asking questions until you understand every bit. I always use my mobile phone to make videos of all my interviews and when we discuss the full functioning of a product.AVANDCIE-ENERGY.COM/ckfinder/userfiles/files/97-escort-repair-manual.pdf This will prevent you from asking questions during a second interview or writing down nonsense in the eyes of your SME. You might not remember all of this, but when looking back at your material, you can get out all of this information. This prevents a lot of frustration.Their knowledge and feedback is of vital importance for writing clear information for use. This is the starting point for both interviewing the SMEs and the mapping, structuring and organising your information (see next sections). They want to solve these problems. And that's where they need you for. In that case you can break it down into chunks. One of the main steps that needs to be taken by the user is making the Roof Washer ready for use. Topic-based authoring is essential for writing clear instructions. Again, your goal should be to keep all information that is useful to write topics that answer your user’s questions. Users want to solve one problem at a time, not multiple. That confuses them. A topic can become a chapter or a (sub-)paragraph. Or maybe a topic fits better in another guide that needs to be created. Let’s put this into perspective. Other types are installation manuals, maintenance manuals, online help etc. It contains all topics, instructions and steps that are necessary to solve a user’s problems. Each topic solves a user’s question. Instructions are basically subtopics. Instructions contain several steps. Together they describe the step-by-step process of performing a given task. Each step is task-oriented and enhanced with illustrations. You will find more about how to write instructions in the next chapter. Use 5-7 steps when you want users to memorise a task. This is the magical number of objects an average human can hold in short-term memory ( Miller, 1956 ) For example, clear formatting of a safety warning draws more attention to the safety message as the user visually recognises it as being a safety message.http://www.hagensmarketing.com/wp-content/plugins/formcraft/file-upload/server/content/files/162849bb69760c---bunton-mowers-manual.pdf It starts with a description of the function that a product or service needs to fulfill. Each of these stages are characterised by a process of divergence and convergence. You first gather many alternatives before selecting the best ones. It should be a well thought-over piece of art. The ToC is the spine of your user manual! When gathering information, as described in the previous sections, I write down the names of my topics on post-its, label them and put them on my wall or I create a mind map online. Mostly, we discuss the ToC with the company that hired us. We will discuss that later in more detail. If not, then you probably didn’t do something right in the mapping and organizing process. Using terminology that is not part of the usual vocabulary of your reader does not contribute to that. In those cases, using them is the clearest way to communicate with your target group. The writer of a user guide often does not realise that the reader does not have the same background or knowledge about a product. If you realise that, you will automatically use less jargon. The ToC is consulted by the readers, to get as quickly as possible to the topic that contains the information they are looking for. A good heading covers the full content of the topic it belongs to. Don't overdo the levels of headings. The second-level headings use the how style of phrasing. The third-levels use noun phrases. The heading How to Make Pancakes is much more user-centred than Using the MagicMix2000. Also, sometimes the style has already been determined in a company’s corporate identity guidelines. Although this is not the only right way to format them, I will give a style example here: In German for example, nouns should always be capitalised. A different layout will facilitate differentiation between various information types. Examples of such words are thing, part and stuff. Using these words will make your user manual ambiguous. So ask someone or find unambiguous alternatives.http://quickfix-poland.com/wp-content/plugins/formcraft/file-upload/server/content/files/162849bcb63a50---bunton-mower-service-manual.pdf Your user should be provided with an immediate opportunity to act. At the same time, often users need to learn first in order to act. This, for sure, can be valuable information at some point, but mostly distracts the users from getting to their goal. When writing, it might help you to perform all of the steps yourself as you write. It will also increase the chance that nothing is forgotten and the overall quality is improved. In those cases, discuss all steps with an SME, think them through thoroughly and have everything written checked. Let’s look at an example. Adding these makes it clear to the users that there is a need to follow the steps one by one.Short, simple sentences with just one instruction, or at most a small number of closely related commands, per sentence work best. Instructions should be written in the present tense and active voice, using strong verbs. For example: For example, don’t put “The setting menu opens” as a separate step. The language window opens. Or you simply want to refer to an entire section. Letting your users go back and forth through the user manual is not user-friendly and confuses them. Your user already bought the product. A style guide provides consistency and stimulates to carefully consider all details: the presence of a style guide will force you to look closely at each single sentence. The word shall is understood to be mandatory. The universally accepted use of must instead of shall is not recognised by the standard. Or to speak in ANSI terminology: should is understood to be advisory. This word is understood to be permissive. Using might instead is not allowed. As a technical writer you should pay attention to this. Correcting these mistakes can be time consuming.There are several ways how well-designed instruction manuals can prevent users from making mistakes. See Conduct user research to check what you have written. This is often directly after a certain instruction. But I don’t blame them.AVANDCIE-AUTOMATION.COM/ckfinder/userfiles/files/97-escort-owners-manual.pdf The websites of our legislators can be quite overwhelming. I have seen user guides with nothing but warnings and really not a single instruction. What would your user experience be when a 40 page instruction manual has its first actual instruction on page 32, after more than 30 pages of warnings and process descriptions? Risks can be identified by conducting a risk analysis. So a user guide should never be used to warn for risks when the design can still be improved. In the US, there is the Guidance on Medical Device Patient Labelling, whereas in the EU requirements on the instructions for use are given in the Medical Device Regulation. But there is more than adding a table of contents, page numbering, clear headings and a logical structure. So it is actually a brief dictionary. Internally, we name this version the textual content design (we could put this one in the glossary, lol). Ensure that related text and illustrations are viewable at the same time and that they support each other in order to enhance comprehensibility. You can easily leave out less relevant information or enlarge certain parts. Keep in mind that creating comprehensible illustrations requires skills. Illustrations used on screens require a resolution of 72 dpi and, for print, resolutions of minimum 300 dpi are preferable. However, I really prefer the use of line illustrations as these are often much clearer. With photos this will be more complicated. For example, technical data are more legible when presented in a table. In many cases, a table can fully replace text. Position tables next to the relevant text. As an exception, reference tables (such as a spare part list) can be placed in annexes. Also, as video is increasingly popular, you might want to use it when reaching as many people as possible is your goal. Interactive animation can be best described as a sequence of visual and auditory elements. It can best be used to explain complex processes, such as a sequence of installation instructions. They are characterised by having a predefined and clearly identifiable meaning and are used to transmit information Some often used standards are: Make sure you use them uniquely and consistently for just one purpose. Never use different icons for the same object or function. You can determine the media of the information based on the needs of the target audiences. Therefore, always keep in mind the lifetime of the product and even consider mentioning it in the instruction manual. See this article about online publication as well. Ensure that the font size fits the needs of the audience. Avoid using multiple font styles. Black text on a white background works best. It should survive frequent use during the lifetime of the product and in an environment where the product is intended to be used. It is generally agreed, and in most cases mandatory, to provide the instructions in the language of the country where the product is being sold. Proofreading is the process of examining your written user instructions for errors. If you're reading through your own work, your mind will read it like how it should have been written. Also, it is generally agreed that an English instruction manual is the best starting point for translations. It is easier to find someone to translate from English into Dutch, than from Dutch into English. Most of these tools are based on industry standards, suchs as XML, CSS and XLIFF. By clearly separating content from form, the output process is automated, whereas with InDesign you will need several DTP hours. Note where they get confused, completely lost or fail when performing a task. You can also record and analyse the research. Don’t forget to provide your findings in the form of error handling information (see Include error handling to save your user time, reduce frustration and anxiety ). Colour-coding also helps to aid navigation, And I have only covered the most important topics! We have developed user manual templates for machinery, toys, medical devices and electronics that contain all legal content. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.Learn why people trust wikiHow In this case, 83 of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.A user manual is a formal writing piece with a specific structure, and should be written by someone who is intimately familiar with the product such as a technical writer or the product designer. Writing an effective user manual requires knowing who is going to be using the product, then writing it with these users in mind. Keep your writing clear, precise, and simple in order to ensure a problem-free user experience.The user manual should be written for the audience -- those who will be purchasing your product or service and reading the user manual. An audience analysis will tell you who your main or target audience will be and will guide your writing.Offer test users prototypes of the device and a draft of the user manual under controlled conditions. Solicit these test users’ feedback about things that are not obvious or confusing in the user directions and incorporate changes into your user manual based on this feedback. If you were part of the team that helped design and develop the device or product, it might be hard to look at the product objectively in order to explain its operation. You might, therefore, want to solicit the advice of a writer (preferably one with experience in writing instructions) and graphic designer in order to help you draft the user manual. You could choose these individuals from an outside consultancy or from your own company or organization.A thorough task analysis will identify the materials and equipment (such as batteries, medications, or other user-provided products) needed for each step, as well as the actions, errors, and troubleshooting advice that each step might require.For instance, in a car, you can honk the horn, strap yourself in, and turn your headlights on or off. Create a task analysis for each of these as needed. These requirements ensure that products are produced with user safety in mind, and will limit user exposure to dangerous conditions such as radiation and electrocution. Advertisements must demonstrate clearly what the purpose and basic operational guidelines of a product are, and you should use these sources when writing your user manual.There are several important ways you can streamline your manual. You should place a bold heading at the start of each section with each word capitalized. For instance, “Setting Up Your Device,” “Operating Your Device,” and “Troubleshooting” could all be bold section headings.You could also use a flow chart to provide the user with directions. Think about your product and how each method might be of use when writing your user manual. However, avoid mixing different layouts within a manual. Choose one and stick with it. The user manual should proceed in a way that the user will find most beneficial. Split the manual into chapters or sections that make sense for the product's use, and include a table of contents toward the front of the manual so each section can be found quickly.However, glossaries are not recommended; the best choice is to explain confusing terms in the text of the manual itself. If you choose to include a glossary, place it in front of the manual, just after the table of contents. The general warnings or cautionary information should provide information about potential threats improper use of the product could incur, including death or serious injury. These warnings should be placed in the very front of the manual after the cover page so that the user sees them first. Specific warnings should also be included in the text of the user manual just after or just before a potentially hazardous step is suggested.Your description should include both a written explanation as to the device’s purpose and a small graphic depicting what the device looks like. The graphic should properly label and name all the switches, knobs, and attachable parts that the device includes.The setup section should include basic information about how to prepare to use the product or device. If the device cannot be constructed or set up by a home user, state this fact plainly in a bold header at the top of the setup section. You should also include:This section is the main portion of the user manual and should provide concrete, detailed information on how to use the device. Begin with basic preparation for using the device, such as plugging it in or washing your hands. Move on to logical, numbered steps that describe how the device should be used, as well as feedback (for instance, “You’ll hear a click.”) the user can expect when using the device appropriately.Some steps are best explained with images as well as words. Think about using photographs or illustrations in your user manual. For instance, you might warn users of a chainsaw not to drink alcohol or use the chainsaw while on certain medications. You could include these videos either at the beginning of this section, or (in the case of videos that illustrate only one step) at the end of each step. The summary should go at the end of the manual, just before the index, in order to provide basic steps of operation. This should be a simplified, stripped-down version of the operational information section, and should be no more than one page. Summarize how to use the device or product. Include basic warnings, numbered step explaining how to use the product, and phone numbers or email addresses that direct users to help.If your device or product requires cleaning, explain how to do so. Be sure to enumerate the cleaning supplies needed. Inform the reader of how often they should clean. Then, just as you would in any other section of the user manual, include numbered step-by-step instructions as to how cleaning should proceed.For instance, you might say, “Failure to clean will result in a below optimal performance.” If the product or device can be serviced by the user to correct performance issues, include numbered directions as to how the user can do so. For instance, if the batteries need to be changed after every 300 hours of use, include directions on how to check whether the batteries need to be changed, how to remove the dead batteries, and how to insert the new batteries.The user manual should, if necessary, explain how to store the product or device properly. You should also include information about why storage is necessary, and what the results of improper storage are. For instance, you might write:Improper storage could shorten the life of your product due to the buildup of moisture.” You might organize this section as a list of common problems and their solutions. Group similar problems together under a logical heading. This way, users can find specific problems quickly.Before writing a manual for your own product, look at other effective user manuals. Pay attention to the structure, word choice, and sentence style.Read the manuals for similar products that you are selling. For example, if you're selling baby products, read baby manuals, not tech. Standardizing spelling, word choice, and phrasing will make the user manual more user-friendly.Numerically ordered instructions will help the reader stay more focused on the process of using, connecting, or building the product in question.An imperative is an action-oriented verb.