Tutorials

[Damien Braniff <Damien_Braniff -at- PAC -dot- CO -dot- UK>]

I thought I'd cracked my problem with searching the archives by going the
indirect route.  Managed to search but it fell over when I tried to look at
the results of the search and so to my query!

I'm doing a distance learning MA in Tech Authorship and am about to finish
the diploma year - doing my last assignment which is to produce a tutorial
for a piece of software that currently lacks one.  My question is:

Is there any recognised structure for tutorials?  I've written training
material before but never specifically a tutorial (or at least nothing that
was called a tutorial!).  The software I'm doing the tutorial for is the
admin software for one of our access control systems.  What I have done so
far is:

   Set the background and parameters - who it's aimed at etc - plus stating
   any asssumptions I have made - PC literate etc.  I know these are a bit
   artifical but there is a word limit!

   Introduction - What is access control and what is covered by the
   tutorial - how to log in, add keys etc.

   List of terminology which is specific to access control.

   Example system - define example system (small office with 5 rooms) and
   define doors, areas etc.

   Describe each procedure covered with suitable diagrams/screenshots.
   Screenshots include "blanks" and then the same screen with data entered.

In some ways it seems OK to me but part of me sees it as just an elaborate
(slightly noddy) set of "how to" instructions but then perhaps that's all a
tutorial is!!

All suggestions/comments welcome.

Damien Braniff
Technical Author
PAC International


	http://www.documentation.com/, or http://www.dejanews.com/