TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Richard Sanchez reports: <<I have been asked to write an Instruction Manual
for a web-based customer service management type system... I have no formal
training in tech writing.>>
Neither do most technical writers. The question is more about whether you
have any skill at writing clearly; that's the key requirement for the job.
<<I am wondering if anyone can direct me to a good resource for learning
about writing step-by-step instructions for using software.>>
Techwr-l is your best resource; have a look at the archives, but don't
hesitate to ask us even teh simplest newbie questions if you're unsure.
That's what we're here for. (Well, I won't be here for the next 2 weeks,
starting tomorrow if I can escape the office early. Scotland ho!) If you'd
like formal assistance in the form of a book, have a look at www.raycomm.com
for John Renish's bibliography of technical writing resources. One or more
of the books should be in your local library or bookstore.
<<The end product is going to be web-based with graphics showing various
screens in the application. Where does one begin with this type of task?>>
The best place to begin is with a list of requirements. Figure out what
topics you need to cover, then make a list of these topics and start
checking off items on the list as you complete them. Make sure someone
knowledgeable reviews what you write. It really isn't much more complicated
than that at the basic level, though the details can obviously get complex.
Drop us a line when you do run into something complex. <g>
If you haven't done this kind of work before, have a look at the various
other sites on the Web that do similar things to what you're documenting,
and see how they've done it. Emulate what works; avoid what doesn't work for
you, figure out why it didn't work, and make sure you don't do it.
--Geoff Hart, geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada
580 boul. St-Jean
Pointe-Claire, Que., H9R 3J9 Canada
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