Planning Your Documentation
Documentation and the documentation cycle
Document Types
Document types
Introductory documents
Tour
Welcome card
Installation guide
Main documents
User’s guide
User’s guide: Conceptual
User’s guide: Procedural
User’s guide: Troubleshooting
Reference guide
Reference guide: Error messages
Glossary
Tutorials
Tutorial: Paper-based
Tutorial: Computer-based
Tips: Keyboard shortcuts
Other
Readme
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Writing Styles
Writing styles
Conceptual writing
Procedural writing
Reference writing
Educational writing
Procedures versus tutorials
Tutorial scenario
The Documentation Cycle
Documentation cycle
Planning
Planning your documentation
Adapt your documentation to your audience
Write to your audience
Audience analysis
Audience’s background
Audience’s level of experience
Make conclusions about audience and what they need
May include more than one audience
Writing Exercise
Product profile
Concepts
Tasks
Features
Beginner users
Beginners: Get users started
Beginners: Troubleshooting procedures
Beginners: Name procedures carefully
Intermediate users
Intermediates: Shortcuts
Intermediates: FAQs
Expert users
End-user documentation
Programmer’s documentation
Audience / documentation matrix
Documentation plan
Writing
Writing Phase
Outlines
Outline contents of each document
Writing drafts
Types of editing
Developmental edit
Copy edit
Proofread
Style guide
Email: kgallag@rpbourret.com
Home Page: http://www.rpbourret.com/kgallag/index.htm