| r.g@topicscape.com 2005-08-03, 5:08 pm |
|
This is a bit late as I'm looking through newsgroups having just joined ASP.
My primary advice would be to focus on what the user wants to do, not what
he program's features are. Features need to be described, but in a
reference section after the use-oriented part.
I have a very visually-oriented program (3D graphics) and I take this
approach:
- Can't I skip all this? (Most people will at first, as we all know, so
decide what they must know to do anything useful with your software and give
yourself half a page or less to say that in.)
- Xxxxxx Introduction (Say what problem your software solves or what
benefit it gives the user. If the user is trialling, they probably haven't
taken everything in.)
- What you see
- What you can do
- Controls you can use
- Reference (features description)
- Shortcuts
- Glossary if necessary
- Technical background for those interested, especially if you software
stores users' data and they might be worried about how safe it is.
- Any data repair function.
My application helps people organize files and information in a 3d
environment - the approach I've described won't work for all types of
software. Obviously a game would have different needs from a database app,
and a browser add-on would be different again.
I've put my Help on-line as well as accessible from inside the program.
Have installation help on-line, not in the program!
Roy
topicscape.com
What you see
<info@cognitiveforce.com> wrote in message
news:darnd1$sv1$1@news-asp.cifnet.net...
>
> There are several common approaches how to structure the help file. Its
> content structure may reflect the application's functions, or the
> application's windows, or the task which may be solved with the
application.
> You may explore the software which is installed on your PC and compare
their
> help file contents.
> Also you may Google for "technical writing software help". There're lots
of
> blogs, forums, articles related to software manual writing.
>
> --
> Dennis Crane
> ___________________________
> Dr.Explain : documenting your user interface in minutes
> http://www.drexplain.com/
>
>
>
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