1. CIS 375 Bruce R. Maxim UM-Dearborn
User Documentation
CIS 375
Bruce R. Maxim
UM-Dearborn

2. System Delivery Training Documentation Likely User Audience Users
Operators

3. Printed Documentation
Alphabetic command lists
Quick reference cards
Brief getting started notes
Novice user tutorials
Conversion manuals
Detailed reference manuals

4. On-Line Documentation
Man pages
Help facility
Tutorials
Demonstration

5. Common Documentation Problems
Simply presents operator descriptions
Organized according to system functions, not user goals
Too much for novice users to take in
Rarely presents complete methods explicitly
Talks about how system works, not how it can be used
User must problem solve even simple tasks
Rarely presents selection rules

6. Printed Manual Guidelines
Let user's task guide organization
Let user learning process shape sequencing
Present semantics before syntax
Keep writing style clean and simple
Show numerous examples
Offer meaningful and complete sample sessions
Draw transition diagrams
Use advance organizers and summaries
Provide table of contents, indices, and glossaries
Include list of error messages
Give credit to all project participants

7. Process for Developing Print Manuals
Use professional writers and copy editors
Prepare user manuals before implementation
Review drafts thoroughly
Field test early drafts
Provide feedback mechanism to readers
Revise to reflect changes regularly

8. On-Line Manuals
Can provide successively more detailed error explanations
Personalized instruction on system use is possible
Examples of correct commands
Descriptions of current system parameters
Lists of commands
News for system users
List of available user aids

9. Advantages of On-Line Manuals
Information is available when computer is available
User don’t need space to open printed manuals
Manual updates are low cost
Electronic indexing allow fast search of manual
Multimedia help may be beneficial

10. Disadvantages of On-Line Manuals
Displays may not be as easy to read as print manuals
Each screen contains less info than 1 printed page
Interface operations may confuse novices
Splitting display among work, help, and tutorials leaves less useful screen space
Additional burden on user

11. Why is it harder to read text on computer screens?
Poor fonts
Low contrast between characters and backgrounds
Emitted light rather than reflected
Small displays require frequent page turning
Display placement too high
Layout and formatting problems
Reduced body motion make them more fatiguing
Displays are less familiar than books