Table of Content

1. Understanding Task Orientation.
1. The Forms of Software Documentation.
2. Writing to Teach—Tutorials.
3. Writing to Guide—Procedures.
4. Writing to Support—Reference.
2. The Process of Software Documentation.
5. Analyzing Your Users.
6. Planning and Writing Your Documents.
7. Getting Useful Reviews.
8. Conducting Usability Tests.
9. Editing and Fine Tuning.
3. The Tools of Software Documentation.
10. Designing for Task Orientation.
11. Laying Out Pages and Screens.
12. Getting the Language Right.
13. Using Graphics Effectively.
14. Designing Indexes.

Salient Features

• Offers a step-by-step process for analyzing users and designing task-oriented documents.
• Checklists in each chapter provide convenient summaries for keeping organized and on track.
• Abundant exercise work helps students develop the skills they need to write good documentation.
• Flexible chapter organization allows for selective reading depending on whether the reader is doing a specific project or reading to understand broader concepts.
• Examples in each chapter offer specific and detailed explorations of document elements relevant to the chapter topic.
• Guidelines sections in each chapter break sometimes complex tasks into discrete steps.
• Practice sections in each chapter offer cases for application of concepts learned and help provide discussion material.
• Extensive instructor's manual includes chapter quizzes, overhead masters, additional exercises, and sample syllabi.
• Re-organized and simplified approach now emphasizes tutorials, procedures, and reference manuals in a more concise, and accessible style throughout.
• New coverage of Web-based design techniques (HTML, JavaScript, multi-media) and an increased focus on writing online documents (especially HTML and help documents).
• Complete set of planning forms for use with a companion help authoring tool.
• Now includes a new section on writing for multicultural and multilingual users.
• New emphasis on techniques for addressing complex user tasks.
• Expanded treatment of editing for design and illustrations.
• Improved coverage of indexing and keyword searching.
• Updated, award-winning examples.