Manuals for Equipment or Software

Scientific, Commercial and Technical Documentation:
Manuals  -  Guides  -  Handbooks

Bespoke documentation

Printed manuals are suitable for Equipment and Software applications, or for Business / Operating Procedures.

Plain English: The reader needs to understand what he sees, so the writing must be clear, to the point, thorough, and in "plain English" for that reader.

Targeted: Each manual is targeted at its reader group(s), so we need to know who these people are, and what they need to know. Does the manual need to address a number of reader groups, or just one? Are they non-technical? Technical? Graduates? IT professionals? Engineers? Clerical staff? Reception desk? Are they even computer literate?

Content: Our manuals normally include:

• Table of Contents
• Comprehensive text, descriptions, instructions, etc.
• Diagrams
• Photographs
• Screen images (for software)
• An index-at-the-back to help people find the information.
• Training Course outlines, etc.

Writing Style

I firmly believe in "Plain English Plus", and use the best recommendations and resources from English-speaking countries.

I write for the end reader, and often the style is very different from the way highly technical designers and developers would write. For example, programmers often find it hard to describe to a new, non-technical user, how their software works. 

I also avoid "jargon", unless it is the normal everyday language of that target reader group.

What kinds of manuals?

User Manuals:

These would be the easiest to read and use, often designed for the layman or non-technical reader, who wants to start with "How do I switch it on?"

Technical Manuals

Aimed at the more technical readers, perhaps graduates, and may cover the complete setup of a software system, XRay scanning system, medical equipment, and so on.

Support Manuals

These would be a resource for Help Desk or Contact Centre staff, who need to know how the overall system should be set up. Often it includes full support information. This would normally include Technical and User Manual content.

Training Manuals

These might be written for your training staff, or for your customers' trainers on site. They include material for training other users of the equipment or systems; or they may just complement your own Customer Training process.