On-screen user documentation

Contents• What qualifies as ‘onscreen’?• Pros and Cons: onscreen vs printed • Types

– Quick-start guide– Tutorial– Content-sensitive help– User Manual– Technical reference– Installation guide

(bolded ones are required knowledge)

Onscreen?

• It’s intended to be seen onscreen rather than to be printed.

• Does NOT include: Word, PDF which are meant to be printed.

• Does include: web pages, multimedia animation, Flash, multimedia slideshow in kiosk mode so user controls navigation

How to identify onscreen documentation

• Multimedia• Lots of graphics – still pictures, graphs, photos• Hyperlinks, buttons• Animation, video, screen movies• Audio – music, sound effects, voice recording

Storing onscreen documentation• On CD/DVD• Website• Slideshow• Electronic help file• Screen recording

• can be accessed anywhere, anytime without the need for electricity, computer equipment or internet connection

• is usually better written due to more careful editing

• will still be readable even after many years and after many changes to file systems, disk formats, compression technologies etc which can render electronic documents inaccessible.

Advantages of printing

Disadvantages of printing

• bulky• expensive to ship• very expensive to print in colour • slow to update• hard to search• no active links between related sections• difficult and expensive to copy• wears out with regular use• can get lost

• instantly updateable• can use animation, video, audio etc• can be interactive• easy to search• hyperlinks connect related sections• free use of colour• easy to copy and distribute

advantages of onscreen

• need electricity, a computer and often internet to read it

• very hard to read in bright sunshine• some locations (e.g. beach, factory, aircraft)

are not computer-friendly • usually can't easily underline sections or add

comments• some people find it very hard to read onscreen

Disadvantages of onscreen

Quick start guide

• Brief introduction to a product• Just enough information for the user to get it

started• Only covers very basic introductory operations

Tutorial• Actually teaches users• Step-by-step lesson covering how to use the

product.• Often example-based

Content-sensitive help

• Electronic help built into the product that responds to what the user is currently doing.

• e.g. if they have a table formatting dialogue box open and they press F1, the first help topic offered would relate to table formatting.

• Also called context-sensitive help.

User Manual

• Complete and detailed information on every aspect of the product, used for random reference by the user.

Tip – use as few words as possible for an international audience

Technical reference• For experts only, not average users• Detailed information on how the product is

built• How to modify, repair, extend it• Troubleshooting

Installation Guide• Very brief leaflet showing how to install the

hardware or software• Usually printed rather than electronic

Good onscreen documentation

• Clear – easy to read and understand• Concise – as few words as possible• Comprehensive – nothing left out• Current - up-to-date• Correct - accurate• Controllable – easy to use & navigate