Task: Develop User Support Materials |
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To create the user support materials |
Disciplines: Deployment |
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Purpose
To create or extend the on-line help text, on-line tutorials, user documentation, and other user support materials. |
Relationships
Roles | Primary Performer:
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Inputs | Mandatory:
| Optional:
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Outputs |
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Main Description
Identify areas requiring user assistance. User support material is mainly task oriented, but is often supplemented by
conceptual and reference information. Start with the detailed task descriptions and work flows.
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Using writing style standards and guidelines, develop the text, one topic at a time, documenting the step-by-step
details for each task. As required, supplement task-oriented information with conceptual or reference information.
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Develop realistic examples based on the user-task scenarios.
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Incorporate well-designed graphic illustrations.
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Develop a comprehensive index to enable efficient information retrieval.
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Develop a glossary.
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Develop appendices
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Develop preface, introduction, and other required front matter (such as copyright and cross-reference information).
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Sequence draft, adding transitions between topics.
To develop online help information, perform the same steps as above, except for adding transitions between topics.
Also:
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Create links for hypertext.
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Create retrieval and navigational aids.
For a users reference, focus on descriptive information. Develop concise descriptions of each topic, and sequence the
topics to optimize the user's ability to retrieve information. For example, a command reference is probably best arranged
alphabetically, while a message manual is usually sequenced by message number.
The user's guide and user's reference can be hardcopy, softcopy, or both. Consider that the optimal level of detail and
formatting are different for the printed page and the screen. If both hardcopy and softcopy versions are required, the
level of detail and formatting should be optimized for screen presentation.
Edit the user documentation drafts, and incorporate editorial changes. Develop user documentation iteratively,
incorporating the results of walkthroughs and usability testing.
Determine what functional and technical information must be included in the on-line tutorial and determine the format of
the tutorial. Perform the following steps:
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Determine the depth of the tutorial. Does the tutorial teach usage or concepts behind product functionality? Will
the tutorial be interactive or non-interactive?
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Specify the format and the development tool used to generate the tutorial. For example, will the tutorial be an
on-line movie script, CD-ROM-based, or a hardcopy book with a set of predefined exercises.
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Determine organizational units of the tutorial. For example, will the tutorial be organized based on functionality
(what) or on usage (how).
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Develop graphics and exercises to support the intent of the tutorial.
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Develop tutorial text. Remember to partition text into small, focused units. Users read at different speeds and at
different comprehension levels. If an on-line movie is used, check the timing between displays to ensure that any
user can read and understand the text before the next text set is displayed.
Develop other user support material, which may include items such as:
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Executive summaries
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Posters
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Publicity or marketing material
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Samples
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Licensed Materials - Property of IBM
© Copyright IBM Corp. 1987, 2012. All Rights Reserved.
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