Develop a User's Guide for Software

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Gawd
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Mar 15, 2002
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So anyways, started my internship for the summer last week, and so far I think I've impressed the people I work with. My first assignment was to write a simple java app for monitoring the status of server's on the network using SNMP. They had something along those lines written in Perl, however they wanted it updated with a better user interface with Java. Took me 2.5 days to write it out, but I finished it faster then they (and myself) expected to. The next project they want me to embark on is to develop a user's guide to the main piece of software the firm has developed. I'm working for a trading company in Chicago who has developed their own suite of trading tools. However, nobody has ever taken the time to put together a comprehensive user's guide or manual. They have some scattered guides on accomplishing specific tasks, however nothing comprehensive. I have never seen the software until today, and I'm not too sure where to start.

I've never written anything along the lines of a User's guide, and I'm not sure where to begin. I'm looking for any suggestions. One of my first guesses would be Adobe, since most Specs / User's Guides come in .pdf formats. Does Adobe offer a a basic outline / tool for creating manuals? I'm not sure if the office has the full version of Adobe, but my guess would be that they do.

If anyone else has any suggestions, please let me know. This is a new area for me, but then again if I'm going to be developing software, I'm going to need to create User's guides, so gotta start somewhere.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
 
keep in mind, i'm not an expert here...

your best bet would be to look at a user guide for something else, like a users guide for Adobe photoshop or something, and copy that kind of outline.

you'll want something vaguely along these lines:

I. Introduction (what the software accomplishes)
II. Quick Start Guide (for impatient people)
III. Beggining Guide to Using Software
A) Thing 1 Software Does
B) Thing 2...etc.etc.
IV. Advanced Tips and Tricks
V. Any specific item that needs its own section

your aim should be to group similar tasks under a broad heading and define them better on as you get deeeper into that group tree. i.e. Drawing -> Blending; or Effects -> Transperency.

get it?

 
Yes, I see what your saying, thanks for the tip. Anyone know of any software designed to help make the process easier? Kind of like an advanced outlining process...
 
that's a good question, i don't know if these things exist, but there might be templates out there for Adobe or Open Office that would simplify this process...

i'd search for user guide templates

try posting on an OpenOffice forum

 
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