Matrusri Engineering College

(An Autonomous Institution)

(Approved by AICTE & Affiliated to Osmania University& NBA Accredited)

Common to All Branches

Subject :Effective Technical Communication in English Name of the Faculty:
Mrs.Dr.B.Chandana

UNIT 5
Manual Writing
What is the definition of a user manual?
A user manual is a technical communication document intended to give assistance
to people on how to use a product. A good user manual assists users on how to use
a product safely, healthily and effectively.

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.
A user manual consists of textual visual information (illustrations, screenshots,
tables etc.) to assist the user in completing specific tasks.
The user plays the central role when drawing up a user manual. A well-drafted user
manual only provides that information that is relevant for the intended user of the
product.
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

The user manual should contain both procedural information (step-by-step

instructions) and conceptual information (information the user needs in order to
understand procedural information).

A good user manual is concise and uses jargon-free language. A good user manual
should answer HOW and WHAT questions. They should contain information
about what happens if a task is not done correctly.

In some cases, a product is intended to be used by different types of users. Typical

user types are the end-user, installer, maintenance engineer and operator. Each user
type needs a different approach in terms of language to be used, the tone of voice
and provided conceptual information.

What information should be in a user manual?

Different kind of products need a user manual. A product can be a system, tool,
device, an instrument, a piece of software or an app. Depending on the type of
product, a user manual might include things as:
• Product name
• Model or type number
• Intended use
• Features/accessories
• Description of the main product elements
• Description of the user interface
• Safety warnings
• Installation instructions
• Description of how to use/operate the product
• Troubleshooting section and instructions on how to solve problems
• Maintenance information
• Repair information
• Information on disposal of the product and packaging
• Technical specifications
• Table of content
• Index
• Glossary
• Warranty information
 Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

• Contact details

A user guide, also commonly called a technical communication document

or manual, is intended to give assistance to people using a particular system.

It is usually written by a technical writer, although user guides are written by

programmers, product or project managers, or other technical staff, particularly in
smaller companies.

User guides are most commonly associated with electronic goods, computer
hardware and software, although they can be written for any product.

Most user guides contain both a written guide and associated images. In the case of
computer applications, it is usual to include screenshots of the human-machine
interface(s), and hardware manuals often include clear, simplified diagrams.

The language used is matched to the intended audience, with jargon kept to a
minimum or explained thoroughly.

Professional Manual Writing

Using a template can expedite your work but with so many options out there for
you to choose from, how would you know which one is appropriate or not? There
are different manuals out there that are required to be written such as user manual,
training manual, software/hardware manual, procedure manual, and operations
manual just to name a few. Although there are differences in writing these
manuals, they also have similarities. This is why having a template is a good idea
because it can help speed things up in your side. And when it comes to templates,
you can get one from us.

Tips for Manual Writing Template

 Identify the Target Audience. Before manuals are written, the audience needs to
be identified first including their age, skill level, and specialization so that the
writer will know the level of writing they will apply in the manual.
 Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

 Always Create an Outline. An outline is everything when it comes to writing

manuals because this will help you organize information into chapters and their
flow as well. Without one, the content of your manual will be done haphazardly
which can confuse your readers.
 Choose the Right Format. You need to format your manual accordingly because
this helps your readers get the information that they are looking for in a flash.
 Add Details. If the manual that you need to write requires steps to be followed,
you need to write them down in detail. However, write in brief but concise as this
will help your readers absorb the information quickly.
 Review and Edit. Let someone review your manual for feedback. Listen to what
they have to say and make the necessary changes until your manual gets their
approval.
Technical Manual Template Sample
Here’s a sample template that you can use when creating a manual. This one is for
a user manual:

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1. Scope/Purpose
2. Procedure Overview
2. Process 1 (Workflow)
1. Sub-processes 1
1. Detailed Instructions
2. Samples
2. Sub-processes 2
1. Detailed Instructions
2. Samples
3. Process 2 (Workflow)
1. Sub-processes 1
1. Detailed Instructions
2. Samples
2. Sub-processes 2
1. Detailed Instructions
2. Samples
4. Appendices
 Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

5. Indexes

How to Write a Great User Manual in 12 Steps

A great user manual educates people about product features, while teaching them
how to use these features effectively. As an author, your ultimate goal is
comprehension—you want readers to easily be able to read, reference, and absorb
information.

But how can you make sure readers are soaking everything up? During our
adventures creating Dozuki’s standard work instruction software, we’ve come
across a few tips and tricks...

Define Your Audience

Know your reader—what is their experience level? where are they reading the
manual?—and optimize your instructions to match their expertise. It can be helpful
to create a written profile of your user, especially when you’re part of a team
collaborating on documentation.

Describe the Problem

Explain the problem your manual aims to solve, present the solution, and then
outline the instructions in order to attain the solution. It may sound obvious, but
these are the three basic building blocks to any good user manual.

Break it Down
If the problem addressed in the manual is particularly complex, break it down into
smaller parts. List each section with specific instructions. By breaking information
down this way, you make the problems more approachable and easy to follow.

Be Descriptive
Vague words like "thing," "part," and "stuff" lead to ambiguous repair manuals. If
you don't know what something is called, do your best to identify it by looking
online or asking someone. Assembly may require several intricate parts—calling a
part "this thing" doesn't help anyone!

Stick to the Topic at Hand

As much as people love anecdotes of your great-grandma putting ice cream in her
purse (true story!), there's an appropriate setting for such stories. The middle of a
user manual is not it.
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

Take Awesome Photos

Photos are the number one thing that draw people to your repair manual. Taking
quality photos doesn’t demand expensive equipment—you can use your
smartphone or a simple point and shoot camera. For easy tips on how to take good
instructional photos, check out our free photography workshop.

Don't Use Passive Voice

Be direct in your instructions to the user—do not fall into the "It is" trap. Instead,
use verbs to convey exactly what you're trying to say.

Avoid Using the First Person

There's no "I" in team, and there shouldn't be any in your writing. You have a more
authoritative tone of voice by not using statements such as "I did this" in your
manuals.

Use a Template
Standardizing your manual helps improve user comprehension and clarity. Things
like consistent bullet-point styles, image sizes, and text orientation can help make
browsing and following along easier for your readers. Looking for a program that
makes standardizing manuals easy? Check out how Dozuki does it.

Minimize Background Info

A little background info is great: why you're doing this, who stands to benefit from
the guide, what people need to do to prepare, etc. However, leave it at that. Most
people shudder at the thought of reading a novel before diving into a guide. After
all, when's the last time you read the full user manual that came with your TV?

Use Pictures to Orient Your Reader

When taking photos, the orientation of the object should remain consistent as much
as possible throughout the manual. The reader will be able to identify his or her
relative location with greater ease. If you rotate the object, include a statement such
as "Flip the device" or "Rotate the device 90 degrees clockwise" to help the reader
do the same and follow along.

Be Simple, Not Loquacious

People will not use your manual if they cannot understand what you're talking
about, it isn’t Shakespeare.
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

Using a user manual template

The main tool that I developed in order to help Philip draw up his user manual is
a User Manual Template. The template contains all the information and more from
the list above. It complies with the requirements for his product.

The User Manual Template can be used for creating your manual for your system,
tool, device, instrument, or for creating an installation manual, software manual,
operational manual, maintenance manual or training 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?

User manuals can be provided in either a paper format or as an electronic

document (PDF or placed online or on-device in HTML). The user manual
template is an MS Word document that can be printed or placed online.

User manuals can be created using a variety of tools. Each tool has its own
advantages and disadvantages. I will mention the most common tools below:

Help with Writing an Operations Manual

Any business, regardless of its industry, should have an operations manual that all
employees should be following in order for the company to function properly.
However, writing an operations manual isn’t easy because there are a lot of factors
that you need to pay attention to. A well-written operations manual should cover
all aspects of the business as well as various situations that may arise in the
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

workplace and how to deal with them. If you need help with building a
comprehensive manual, you should consider hiring a professional writing
company. Fortunately, you don’t have to look far for one because this is what our
business is all about.

Tips in Writing an Operations Manual

 Create an Outline. Before you write an operations manual, you need to put
together all the SOPs or standard operating procedures that you use in your
business. The outline will help put everything in order so that you won’t
miss anything during the writing phase.
 Write the Intro. Give your readers a brief outline on what the manual is all
about, what they can get out of it, and how to read the manual.
 Write the First Task. Follow your outline by writing the first task and the
steps needed to accomplish it. Each step should be written accurately and
concisely so that your readers will understand them easily. Do the same for
each task included in your outline.
 Have Someone Review Your Work. Let someone else read the for
feedback. Include those who will be using the manual to get their point of
view.
 Edit. Use the feedback you have gathered when you start revising and
editing the operations manual. This is very important to edit your manual to
the best version because without any comment from the other side it can be
hard for understanding.
 Bind the Contents for Distribution. Once all revisions have been made,
make several copies of the manual, bind the SOPs, and distribute to anyone
who needs it.

Best User Manual Writing Help

Not everyone reads a user manual from start to finish. For one thing, it isn’t a
novel that you have to really spend time reading. What most people do is to scan
the table of contents or index to look for what they need. The question, however, is
how you’re going to write your own user manual in a way that will satisfy the
needs of your readers or customers. The good news is that when it comes to user
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

manual writing, you can expect nothing but the best output from us because this is
where our expertise lies.

Tips for User Manual Writing

Why do so many people struggle with a user manual? User manual writing can be
a tricky task due to the troubles people have with writing clear and concise steps.
Usually, people look at the manual and get put off due to the complicated steps and
lengthy, confusing information. This can put pressure on the writer to create a
manual that will actually help the reader rather than put them off. The manual
writing must understand how to create a manual that has well-written, simple clear
instructions which can be easily navigated.

If you’re unsure on how to create a user manual, these tips will help you get started
so you can create a professionally written piece:

Write using an Active Voice

By writing in an active voice you can be sure the reader will follow the written text
more attentively, this will also make it easier for the reader to understand the steps
and instructions they need to follow to complete the process. An example of
writing in an active voice is:

‘’For the final step to the process, you will need a nail and screwdriver’’.
This example uses the active voice and makes it easy and clear for the reader to
understand what they need, and what is required for the final step of the process.
This avoids any confusion and helps the manual reader follow through until the
end.

Consider the manual reader

Always think of the user before and during the manual writing process. This can be
done by looking at the product manual from the users perspective. They may have
very little or no experience in the product, and it may even the first time they have
completed a project as such. You should write in a way that covers all of the
questions, concerns and needs the manual reader may have during the completion
of the instructions. You can have someone who has no previous knowledge on the
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

products to follow the instructions and see if there are any more details,
instructions or information you need to add into the manual.

Write clearly and concise

Every one of your instructions In the manual must be written as clearly as possible,
in a simple, uncomplicated way. This will ensure the reader can properly follow
the instructions and use the product correctly.
Directly address the reader
By directly addressing the reader you can create a dialogue, which is engaging,
alongside the active voice use, which will encourage the reader to pay attention to
the instructions. Speaking directly to the reader you can also make the manual
more personal, the customer will be more likely to have a better product
experience.

Establish standards
It is essential that you have an established set of standard and format for the
manual you are creating. This makes it simpler and easier for you to write as you
have a clear and easy to follow the outline

Instruction Manual Templates

A small booklet, brochure or book informing a user or product owner about its
productive use or installation is named as instruction manual.
The document containing step by step instructions or guidance on how something
should be operated carefully are accompanying with almost all electronic
appliances, devices, products and software etc.

Manufacturers, producers and sellers help their customers and end users in
understanding the basic steps for efficient use of a product, service or system via
instruction manuals. Mostly manuals are created in word file format by
using blank instruction manual templates.
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

Nowadays, instruction manual is considered as a vital part of newly purchased

product, device, machine, system or software because it includes instructions for
the user about its operations, installation and uses.

When designing instruction manual…

Simple and easy to understand language is used to write instruction manuals so

anyone even a beginner can easily utilize the product or device for better personal
interests.

As a beginner, if your duty is to write professional looking instruction manuals for

products of your business or company, use of word instruction manual template is
advised for you. It will provide you enough assistance to make user friendly
instruction manuals in short span of time.

Plenty of video tutorials is also accessible over the web that a beginner can watch
to get help regarding making of instruction manuals for different products, devices
or systems. Watch this video below and enhance your knowledge about instruction
manual making.

Printable Instruction Manual Templates

Knowing basic instructions make you able to perform different tasks using several
devices or systems with no trouble so always try to view and read the instruction
manual when it comes to operate or use a new product, device or system.

There are printable instruction manual templates under the content that you can
see as reference. Use of these instruction manual samples will also help you in
making instruction manuals for your own products

Word Instruction Manual Templates

Instruction manual works as helping hand for beginners when they are operating
new electronic equipment, devices or products. They can get comprehensive
guidance and instructions about features and uses of the product.

Most of manuals are also loaded with troubleshooting information that can come in
handy when a product or system is not working properly.
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

MS word instruction manual templates are added here for reference that our
users and visitors can use to write perfect and professional looking instruction
manuals.
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

A well written instruction manual will not only help your customers in using your
products or services but also help you in improving customer satisfaction level.
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

When customers will get required outcomes by using your products, they will
definitely come again to you for more purchases so try to write easily
understandable and user-friendly instruction manuals.

You can also get help from following videos to write just perfect instruction
manuals shortly

OPERATIONS MANUAL TEMPLATE

This operations manual provides important organizational information as well as

operations procedures for ORGANIZATION.

A. Critical Organization Information

This section documents the most critical organization information.

Bank Information

ORGANIZATION’s Lawyer:

ORGANIZATION’s Mailing Address:

Nonprofit Incorporation Information

ORGANIZATION is incorporated in the state of

IRS tax ID

Accountant

Payroll Information

ORGANIZATION’s Worker Compensation insurance is administered by:

ORGANIZATION holds the following insurance policies:

All policies are filed in ORGANIZATION’s paper files.

Vendor Information

Online Services Accounts

USERNAMES and PASSWORDS SEE PAPER FILES

Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

Service Name:

Purpose:

Fee for use:

Other Vendors

For a list of general vendors ORGANIZATION has used please see Docs\

Vendor information can also be found in Quickbooks.

Human Resources Information

Personnel Policy

Personnel manual was approved by board XX/XX/XX and is filed in Docs\

Human Resource Contact Information

● Setting up Medical Insurance

● Setting up Dental Insurance

● Workers Compensation Numbers

● Other Important HR Administration Informa

Recurring Operational Tasks Weekly 1

• update website

• check registrations on any current events

• enter/update database records

• Back up ORGANIZATION folder to external hard drive.

• Every Friday: Pay bills and invoices come that in from vendors, consultants, etc
and record in Quick books. Make deposits and record into Quickbooks. Invoice
customers/fee-paying clients.

Monthly
Subject : Effective Technical Communication Matrusri Engineering College

• Payroll: Set to automatically direct- deposit for current employee. Memorized

transaction for payroll, taxes, and fees should be recorded into Quickbooks.

• Credit Card Reconciliation: Reconcile monthly statements with receipts; pay bill.
Record expenses by class/project and customer into Quickbooks.

• Reconcile bank statements against Quickbooks

• Adjust General Ledger/Quickbooks to allocate staff time and shared costs

against projects/classes.

Quarterly

• Submit board updates and include quarterly financial statements

Annually

• Prepare Quickbook files and paper files for annual review and 990 filings; send
digital QB file to

CPA/accountant, paper files are audited in site visit.

• Renew registered agent/pay corporation fees

• File all relevant materials with State, pay filing fees

• Renew all insurance: Worker’s Compensation, Board Liability (Director’s and

Officer’s insurance);

Liability and Property insurance.

• File forms with Attorney General’s office, if appropriate

Events

Events Procedures