End user documentation in software industry, to me, sometimes looks redundant. I have had the opportunity to work in few of the software companies which develop software application. As a part of the end user documentation, following documents are prepared to ship with the application:
• Release Notes
• Installation
• User Guide
• Web-Help
• Admin Guide
• Tutorials
The release notes specify different features and version of the software in the particular release, whereas the installation guide describes about the system requirements and stepwise installation procedures of the Software. Sometimes, it discusses about the architecture of the software too, for the better understanding of its compatibility with hardware and other software for operational efficiency. These are the useful information contained in these documents.
Admin guide is another document which takes you through the functionality and features that helps in administering the software. Sometimes, you, as an end user can act as an admin too. In another cases, like in enterprises solution software, there are different individuals who would be responsible for acting as admin.
WebHelp is another documents prepared as one of the applications, to be integrated with the software which comes handy to understand the functionality of the software. The content created with this application contains various web pages linked with hyperlinks with each other and can be navigated through a table of contents. In this, the contents are created keeping in mind the task based approach. Even the particular windows of the software can be linked with particular web pages which are called context sensitive. This entire application is integrated with Help menu of the top menu bar of the home page of the software.
Ideally, the user guides are created to take a walk-through of the software with the minute details. The approach is to focus on every bits and pieces of information about the structure and functionality of the software. However, some of the information contained herein are already discussed in the WebHelp. The tutorial again has the mixed contents of WebHelp and user guide.
Therefore, user guide, WebHelp and tutorials contain approximately 50-60% of similar contents. Some of the software application has exactly the same content in user guide as well as in WebHelp. Only the format of display is different. In industry, it is called single sourcing. The idea is to write once and display in different formats.
Can we call it as effective documentation? In my opinion, certainly not! Because end user find almost redundant contents in these document. The time is come to realize this and give the user the documents which is useful for them. Otherwise, tradition will continue as it is said that a user never reads or consult the documents shipped to them along with the software.
Truly, if user does not find the answers he is looking into the document then definitely he would never consult them. This throws open a question on our credibility of being a technical writer asking whether we are doing our job keeping user in mind or not. This also shows that we are writing a document which is not useful for the users. Well, are we only fulfilling a regulatory requirement or ready to help users?
Remember, being a technical writer we are also a user of the documents that we refer in day today life while working with different software applications. Incidentally, how do you feel when some of your questions does not fetch you answer from the integrated help or user guide on that product? You feel even disappointed when the topic is there but if it is not well explain to guide you to complete a task. You definitely blame the technical writers for sloppy job done. This is a great feedback for you to be self motivated to treat your user valuable and think of the documents which will help them. But not load them with unnecessary documents, which will make them dump these without even looking at them.
So, be creative and use your wisdom.
