Glossary Terms - Creating User Documentation Flashcards
User Documentation
User documentation (also called end user manuals, end user guides, instruction manuals, etc.) is the content you provide end users with to help them be more successful with your product or service.
It assists users in operating a piece/device of software, and educates the user on what the services/devices can do.
User Documentation Standards
Industry standards provide guidelines on how to construct documentation. There are three levels of standards. (1 of which you must pay for and the other 2 depends.)
Organisational Standards
Are a set of standards created by a workplace which outlines how their documentation should be designed.
It may also include features like logos and formatting to be used.
This applies to an entire organisation.
Needs Analysis
Considering the needs of a user during the creation of user documentation.
Template
Pre-formatted documents or files that are based on style guides. These are used as the basis to create documentation.
They have placeholders which dictate where content must be placed and their structure usually cannot be changed.
Style Guide
Is a document that provides a set of instructions & information about the formatting of a document and how it is to be written.
Eg: font, text size, indentation, target audience, etc.
Usability
Refers to how functional the user documentation is and its ease of use.
Stakeholders
People who have in interest in creating/using the documentation. This mainly includes the manufacturer and publisher of the product.
Training Manual
A form of User Documentation – Guides users how to undertake common/various tasks within a system.
Project Standards
Rules/Expectations that must be met in the development of User Documentation, or a system/solution, for a specific project.
Procedure Manual
A form of User Documentation – Guides users how to undertake common/various tasks by following a procedure.
Technical Documentation
Documentation that provides advanced/technical data on a system/software.
User Manual
A detailed form of User Documentation that provides instruction on most (or all) elements of a system and is created by the manufacturer of the software.
Requirements/Constraints
Expectations/Rules/Key items that must be considered when developing a system or user documentation.
Who’s the target audience? What’s the purpose? What are the standards it has to abide by? What type of documentation is it (paper or electronic)?
Boolean Response
A type of question that demands a discrete answer such as yes/no, or ticking boxes to show satisfaction.
These results can be easily used to graph and display trends.
