Supporting Information Products On-screen User Documentation Key Word: QUIRTHW

On-Screen Vs Printed Documentation Printed documentation, sequential in nature Table of contents & index On-screen documentation, use of hyperlinked text so doesn’t need to be sequential

User Guides & Instruction Manuals Provided free on CD or DVD, with eg. hardware device Purpose is to inform & instruct re, characteristics, capabilities & functions of h/w or s/w Topics include: how to start, how to perform typical functions,eg. create new file, save, etc. & print, exit application Formats include PDF & hypertext

Quick Start Guides Provided with device for 1 st time or inexperienced users Brief, simple instructions, eg. new file Presented in brief text & screen shots, animation or video

In-house user documentation Enable employees or clients to use an IS Include, in-house protocols, eg. access, security, file-naming, etc Include guides for customised information products In either PDF or hypertext so can be readily accessed on screens in organisation

Read Me Files Provided by manufacturer with h/w & s/w Contain information re, system requirements, configuration settings, etc Contain latest news about product Users read these when installing product Format, generally text files, or hyptertext

Tutorials Step-by-step for using features & functions of s/w program or h/w device Format, text & graphics, PDF or hypertext or video and sound files Can be downloaded from manufacturer’s site Downloaded from third party companies

Help Files Searchable information about using the features & functions of a s/w or h/w product; tutorials for using features of product Content-sensitive help, where help responds to current content a s/w user is accessing & offers hints or assistance, eg. starting to type a letter; use of autocorrect; autocomplete macros,

Web Support Topics include: –FAQs –Knowledgebase or database of general information topics about product –Troubleshooting –Updating –Bugs & patches –Technical information Use of blogs & community based web support when information from manufacturer is inadequate or share knowledge & ideas