Sample user manual for a database




















Lugo 6. This is the content you will display in the Classroom. Each slide is a separate file, and can contain only one page or image per file. Please note that interactive flash files are not supported in the Online classroom.

If you have Flash content, you should use the Online Flash Classroom. Follow the steps below to add slides to your list: 1. Click Edit Slides in the corresponding row of the newly created list. This allows you to add slides to your list.

Note that the slide name and its filename can be different. Click Add Web page. The slide name and URL address will display in the table. Lugo 7. Click Browse to locate the file to be loaded from your hard disk. Highlight the file to be added and click Open. If desired, check Resize Images to x Standard to automatically size the files so they fit in the content window.

Click Begin Upload. You will see a message display as the file is loaded into your list. Repeat this process as necessary to add files to the Slide List.

Adding Multiple Slides at Once You can add several slides at one time by using a utility such as WinZip to compress the files into a single file and then uploading the compressed file to the slide list. Type in a name for the slide in the Slide Name space. This name will not be used in the final list, but if it is omitted, the compressed file will not upload. Click Browse to locate the compressed file on your hard disk. Click Open. This ensures the file fits well in the Classroom content window.

All the files from the compressed file will be uploaded. Each slide will have the same name as the compressed file. Nana Washington Dec. I did and I am more than satisfied. Kristin Dalloran Dec. Helder Castro Dec. Show More. Total views. You just clipped your first slide! Clipping is a handy way to collect important slides you want to go back to later. Now customize the name of a clipboard to store your clips.

Visibility Others can see my Clipboard. There is one exception, however. Safety information shall still be delivered in paper form along with the product. Besides that, upon request from a consumer, a paper user manual should be made available to the consumer. The best part of all this is that you can get the same results as Philip did by following this step-by-step process on how to create a user manual.

And he did this without any knowledge of technical writing. The results are as follows: A manual that enables 1st run of product to ship on time with no delays and passing customs without any problems. I have listed this information below. What is the definition of a user manual? Other names, or other forms of a user manual, might be: User guide Technical documentation Instruction manual Operational manual Training manual Quick Start Guide Installation manual Maintenance manual Software manual Besides the primary goal of a user manual to assist a user , secondary goals could be creating a better user experience and meeting legal requirements.

What information should be in a user manual? Based on the first template for Philip, we have developed templates for the following product groups: Medical Devices Toys Machinery Electronics What formats does a user manual have? Through the following links you can download a user manual sample for documentation: IKEA installation instructions Jura user manual Step 2 Identify the User s of Your User Manual Template Ok, so now Philip has some basic knowledge about user manuals.

Is the product used professionally or mainly privately? What other technical experiences do they have? What describes the user? I have created a template that contains the questions. I asked Philip to fill out the template. I did this for Philip. If the problem is too complex, you could break it down into chunks. Action: To define the structure of your user manual: Copy the content from the Lifecycle [product name] tab to the ToC [product name] tab.

On the ToC [product name] tab , replace product name with your own product name. Add a column to the left. If applicable, organize your sections logically. Determine what topics will become chapters by adding chapter numbers. We will add some more chapters in the next step. Determine what topics will become paragraphs by adding the section numbers.

Determine what topics will become sub-paragraphs by adding the subsection numbers. Step 5 Create Meaningful Headings Each topic in the user manual gets its own heading. So, Philip has just created the sub- titles for his topics.

I asked Philip to redirect his headings and to take notice of the following general guidelines: Use the structure as shown above for the first, second and third level heading. Make sure the headings are self-explanatory. Make sure that the heading covers the full topic. If the section covers the maintenance and repair of a product, the heading Maintenance would be incomplete. If possible, try to omit articles at the beginning of headings Action: Write new headings for your ToC entries. Step 6 Determine the Legal Content Dependent on the market where your product is placed in or put into service, and dependent on the product group your product belongs to, specific legislation applies to your product.

How to Create Compliant Manuals for the EU How to Create Compliant Manuals for the US Philip didn't need to conduct these steps, as the template he used already contained the legal content as required by the relevant directives. The user manual should describe the intended use of the product.

The user manual should describe the reasonably foreseen unintended use of the product. If applicable, non-compliance in residential areas should be mentioned. If the product is too small this can be placed in the user manual. The name, registered trade name or registered trademark and the postal address should be mentioned on the product. A risk analysis should be conducted to determine the residual risks related to the use of the product. Safety information shall be provided in order to inform the user of measures to be taken.

WEEE information shall be included Information on packaging waste shall be included. The user manual template complies with this standard. Study the IEC checklist to ensure your manual complies with the standard. Action: To adjust the user manual template: If you want to work with the free template: Download the free user manual template Word or Change the section headings according to your own ToC. Do not adjust the Table of Contents.

The table of contents can be updated automatically once you have adjusted the section headings. Add the mandatory content as determined in step 6 of your manual. If applicable, modify sections and the appendices according to your own needs.

The international standard for user instructions, the IEC , provides the following definition for the intended use: An exhaustive range of functions or foreseen applications defined and designed by the supplier of the product By describing the intended use you determine the safe envelope of the product.

Action: write the intended use and the reasonably foreseeable misuse of your product. Write the safety warnings based on the risk analysis Even though the intended use has now been clearly defined, this does not mean that using a product is completely without any risks. According to this method, there is the following hierarchy of risk-reducing measures: Inherently safe design measures Safeguarding and complementary protective measures Information for use This means that the user guide should warn of any residual risks related to the use of the product.

BUY NOW A good safety warning describes the nature of a hazardous situation, the consequences of not avoiding a hazardous situation and the method s for avoiding it.

In the first part of the specific section: Embedded in a procedure: 1. In the Preface any supplemental directives can be placed, such as Read all instructions before use or Keep these instructions for future reference can be placed in the introduction of a user manual.

In order to help Philip create and place a safety message, I have created another template. Create all other content Now I asked Philip to create all other content, such as the procedures, technical specs and legal information. I gave the following tips: Exclude unnecessary material to avoid information overload for example sales promotion, extensive repetition etc. Make sure terms are familiar to the user, technical features and terms are well explained and use terms consistently.

Describe any prerequisites that should be met before the actual instructions start. This may also be describing special tools or space for maintenance and repair.

Provide conceptual information when information is necessary for adequate understanding and execution of tasks. Always write topic based. Use a bold typeface for all product elements. Use a style guide to help you write and format documentation in a clearer way. Indicate when you want to add an image for better understanding later.

Make sure words and phrases are not too complicated or over-sophisticated. Use the direct active voice and assertive commands. Use words like nouns and verbs consistently to avoid ambiguity. Action: create all other content for your user manual. Place the safety warnings in the right position When using the template for crafting the safety messages, I asked Philip to indicate whether a safety message is a supplemental directive, or should be placed as a grouped, section or embedded safety message.

Now all text has been created, the safety messages can be placed in the right place. Action: place all safety messages in the right location in the user manual.

Step 9 Add Navigation to Your User Manual Template A user manual should give assistance to people by providing information about how to use a product. Action: Add or update your table of contents, page numbering and index.

Step 10 Have Your User Manual Reviewed Philip has now created the draft version of his user manual, using the user manual template. Step 11 Create the Images Once the user manual has been reviewed and optimized, the texts are more or less definite. There are many great tools that can help you create your images, such as: Snagit or Adobe Photoshop for editing screenshots or photos Solidworks Composer or Google Sketchup for creating line drawings Lucidchart or Microsoft Visio for diagrams and schematics I advised Philip not to use photos as a cheap alternative for illustrations.

For that reason, Philip used Google Sketchup to create his illustrations. Action: Create the images for your user manual.

If you want to know more about creating images: Using text, images or video Creating IKEA-ish manuals Step 12 Final Check of the User Manual Template Before we start making it look nice and translate the content, we want to be sure that the content is complete. In order to do so, I asked Philip to use a checklist. I created this template in Indesign and asked Philip to adjust it to match his brand identity. Step 15 Translate and Publish your User Manuals Depending on the market in which you are going to sell your product, you might need to translate the user manual.

Some general tips: Look for a translator with similar experience. This could be a translator who is experienced in translating technical content, with similar products or with translating user manuals. We use cookies to provide you with the best experience and deliver personalized content. By using Stonly, you agree to our Cookie Policy. Fact: Your customers need a manual. It provides them with all of the information and instructions to set up and use your product successfully.

We set out to build the best user manual template, so you can easily make a great guide for your customers. Below, you can find a complete guide to writing and creating user manuals. User documentation - user manuals, user guides, instruction manuals, etc.

Your user documentation can take many forms, depending on the product or service it relates to and its complexity. It will often include assembly instructions think IKEA , as well as operating instructions that can show you how to operate and maintain a product.

Customers purchase products to enjoy their benefits. They get a new mattress to sleep in greater comfort. Because of that, a user manual is an integral part of the user experience.

You can see it most clearly when you consider the alternative: purchasing a product with insufficient documentation. It becomes the first point of reference for any challenges or unusual product behavior. Much like in the example above, documentation can take over for your support teams, leaving them free to assist customers with more severe issues. Creating user guides that provide comprehensive information and assistance will lead to fewer support hours wasted on resolving simple queries.

Plus, it shortens the wait times for customers who have encountered significant issues with the product. Finally, a good instruction manual will provide the foundation for successful product usage, resulting in much stronger post-sale satisfaction and loyalty with the company. Which of its elements can you remember? It may have included an overview of product elements, typically in a visual form.

It was probably logically laid out, starting with legal information, a general overview of the product, and advice on maintaining it. It was relatively easy to understand, too. There was probably visual information in it, including images and drawings of the product and its components to better understand their various intricacies.

Because they form the basic characteristics of good user documentation. Granted, it might contain more technically-oriented sections. However, all information relating to assembly and product usage is typically easy to comprehend. If your product helps coders, engineers, or any other technically-minded people, you can write the documentation at their level.

But if you sell to an average person, the language must resemble the way they communicate. Tip: Never assume that a customer has an in-depth knowledge of your product and the technical background to intuitively understand how it works.



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