Writing Archives - Manualise

Writing an instruction manual

Writing an instruction manual is a serious business. More often than not, the first experience for a customer is not with the product itself, but with its instruction manual. In order to to make a customer journey as pleasant as possible, the instruction manual should be an integral part of any product experience. This implies that any company selling hardware or software, should plan the production of an instruction manual as early as possible. This is the best guarantee that the manual will be up to standard. What ‘up to standard’ means, should become clear in this article.

How to write a technical manual

What is technical manual writing? This all boils down to the question: what is a technical manual? ‘Technical manual’ is a term for any manual with a technical character. You could think of a manual (or set of manuals) for a complicated machine like an airplane. You could also think of technical manuals to run a complete industrial installation.

User documentation: what is the best choice?

User documentation’ is a very general term indeed. What does it mean? Actually, it means quite a lot. And here lies the problem. If the choice for the right mix of user documentation is so overwhelming, how does one make the right choice? This is up for discussion. At any rate, it is important to keep any door open to any form of user documentation. First, there are the user documentation types. Second, there are the output channels for these documentation types. Let’s start with the user documentation types.

How to write technical documentation

When writing technical documentation, please take at least three principles into account. But before applying these principles, it is important to know which legal requirements should be met in your manual.

How to make illustrations comprehensible?

Binnen de technische communicatie is het ontwerpen van illustraties een specialisatie op zichzelf. Een illustratie moet er niet alleen goed uitzien maar ook begrijpelijk en bruikbaar zijn. In dit blog een aantal vuistregels die u helpen bij het laten ontwerpen of het zelf ontwerpen van illustraties.

Manualise: expert in technical illustrations

Technical illustrations can tell you more than a 1,000 words. As a bonus, illustrations do not need translation. This reduces your costs significantly, especially if you are planning to publish similar manuals in multiple languages. Besides, a user manual or maintenance manual is almost unthinkable without technical illustrations. Manualise is an expert in illustrating technical documents.

What does a good technical writer look like?

What does a good technical writer look like? At any rate, a technical writer should not only be… technical. Of course, he has to feel comfortable with everything that has to do with mechanics and electronics. Building on this foundation, any specific product should hold no secret for him when he starts writing. It is here where social skills come in. After all, you have to ask the right questions to the right people… the right way.

Checking your documentation on STE

Simplified Technical English (STE) is an international standard for using English in technical documentation. By standardizing both terminology and grammar, an unambiguous version of English gives instant clarity to anyone operating a specific machine or product – or a series of similar machines/products

Creating a manual in 10 steps

A manual is intended to convey information from a product to its user. Products include machines, software, appliances and consumer products. Any hazards not captured by the product itself - or by additives to the product - are described in the manual. In addition, the manual explains all aspects such as use, installation, assembly, transportation and maintenance. Manualise is happy to give you an idea about creating a manual.

Writing instructions that work

Writing instructions is a craft. Although one might prefer clear-cut illustrations instead of written instructions, this is not always possible. At first glance, writing technical instructions does not seem to be that difficult. But the writing rules in question are often forgotten. Technical writers should embrace these rules wholeheartedly.