Re: User Manual par excellance

[Al Geist <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>]

I agree with John and Bonnie.  The customer already bought your product, 
so you don't need to dazzle them with marketing hype.  However, 
technical publications, just as any form of customer service, are a form 
of marketing.  If the manual is professional, easy to follow and helps 
the customer quickly get up to speed, then chances are they will either 
buy more of your products, or give you good word-of-mouth advertising to 
acquaintances that could also use your product.  With that said, you 
need to get clarification from your boss about what he means "making the 
manuals more purposeful and focused."  Getting a lot of examples will 
give you a lot of ideas, but they may not conform to your boss's 
ideas.   You can, as Bonnie suggests, have an expert critique it, but I 
would begin meeting with your boss, then you'll have a better 
understanding of what you want the expert to look at.

Al

John Posada wrote:

Understand what the product is going to do to make their job easier
or more productive, then tell them in an easy-to-read form. This is
not the place to WOW them technically...it is the place to do so emotionally.

Granat Wrote:

Peggy, I think the way to go is to have a person who is an expert at
critiquing technical books evaluate your existing manual and offer concrete
suggestions about how to improve it.


--

Al Geist, Geist Associates
Technical Writing, Online Help, Marketing Collateral, Web Design, Award 
Winning Videos, Professional Photography
Office: 802-658-3140

Cell: 505-400-4128
E-mail: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com <mailto:al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>
URL: www.geistassociates.com <http://www.geistassociates.com> (online 
portfolio/resume)

See also:
URL: www.geistimages.com <http://www.geistimages.com> (fine art prints 
for home or office and note cards for all occassions)

"When the situation is absolutely hopeless, you have nothing to worry 
about."
                        Compliments of The Monkey Wrench Gang



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