Don Norman published some simple rules on writing an effective manual:
“Is a manual important? Yes, but even more important is a well-designed product, one so well conceived and constructed that either the manual is not needed at all, or if it is, where the manual can be short, simple, and easy to understand and then to remember. How is this accomplished? By following some simple rule:
- Hire excellent technical writers (…)
- he Manual Writers should be a part of the design team (…)
- The manual should be activity-centered. (…)
- Test the manual with people chosen to match the intended user community. (…)
- Get rid of the lawyers, or at the least, put their required warnings in a separate booklet or Appendix. (…)”
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How To Write an Effective Manual
