Do you know 15 tips for creating a user manual?

The user manual claims to be able to solve the problem, but in fact it not only does not provide help, but also makes you more confused. How long will you encounter this situation? If you are a typical user, this situation may happen frequently. Such poorly designed content will make users feel dissatisfied and frustrated, and leave a bad impression on the quality of the product. In addition, it will increase the after-sales service time and cost (for the companies that sell the product.

Therefore, intelligent text management came into being. Smart text management can understand the behavior of end users and maintain consistency with user requirements in most actual behaviors. In this article, I will provide some practical skills to help you build a suitable, easy to understand, and readable user manual.

• Understand your readers

Understand who the manual is and what the readers need to know. In this way, you can determine the depth and breadth of the manual content, and the language in which the manual should be written (for example, the language and content for experts and beginners are different ). The key is to provide only the information required by the user.

• Use the task-oriented method

Features of most products are embodied in allowing users to implement special tasks. A task-oriented approach is adopted to arrange the manual content based on the tasks that can be executed by the application product. For example, if the product helps you configure the network, your manual Directory should contain such titles as "create a network", "configure network settings", and "delete network ".

• Ensure information flow is logical

Take a closer look at the product and learn what to do first, then, and finally in a step-by-step manner. This can greatly improve the ease of file information.

• Application Module

Information is divided into small pieces that are easy to manage. Each part explains a specific purpose or topic. Such small pieces make it easy for readers to read and their ideas are clear. Modular writing is easy to maintain and information can be reused through internal links.

• Application catalog

The directory helps us understand the overall content of the manual. Ensure that the manual content is comprehensive, complete, and has a modular layout. This method helps users easily find the information they need.

• Meaningful consistent labels of applications

Clear and informative tags help you quickly and correctly find information. Avoid using the general label title. The label should be concise.

• Written in an interactive tone

Use the common Q & A (FAQ) compiling method. This method allows you to easily shorten the gap between users and products and provide common information that many users need.

• Carefully consider the location of important information

First, check the page or the center of the screen, and then the upper left corner. It is human nature. Try to arrange the key content of the materials near the physical center of the layout, and arrange the main title in the upper left corner.

• Apply appropriate illustrations

Surprisingly, people tend to underestimate the role of images in text. Attractive texts can always play a greater role. Illustrations (legends, tables, and process charts) are the main components of the manual content. They not only attract the reader's attention, but also enhance the reading effect.

• Make information into a table as much as possible

Tables improve the readability of information. When you need to describe objects based on different basics or compare objects between different dimensions, you can apply tables.

• Provide instances

Use analogy, examples, or case studies to prove your concept and description. Instances help users quickly understand concepts and better understand their content.

• Prompt for problem solving

When commenting on programs, analyze possible failures and tell users how to handle problems. If you have an independent Problem Solving manual, instruct the user to find more information.

• Create a good index

People usually think that if the material design is poor, users will find the desired information in the index. The index contains basic information through important keywords to facilitate information recovery.

• Edit and review

Edit the material to ensure that it complies with rules on integrity, language, spelling and syntax, coherence and format.

• Execute "Reality Check"

Ensure collaborative testing of materials and products to reveal the differences between written materials and real-world applications. Correct the revealed differences and repeat the test process to ensure that no new errors will occur during the Rectification Process.

Customer Support

Remember, the main purpose of User Manual is to improve user productivity and reduce the time, cost, and effort of customer support. High-quality materials can be used as training materials for new users and support materials for returning users. Compliance with the above guidelines ensures information access and availability, reduces support time, and improves customer satisfaction.