{"id":33040,"date":"2019-10-24T17:10:41","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T15:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zenkit.com\/?p=33040"},"modified":"2023-02-01T16:44:12","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T15:44:12","slug":"how-to-write-a-user-manual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zenkit.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-write-a-user-manual\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a User Manual"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/p>\n

A <\/span>user manual<\/span><\/a>, or user guide, is a technical communication document that is designed to educate users on a particular product. Produced in print or digitally, they can be written about almost any product, but are most common with computer software and hardware, electronic devices, and video games.<\/span><\/p>\n

Usually written by technical writers or product designers, its purpose is to inform users and help them solve any problems pertaining to the product. <\/span>As a vital component of product distribution, the quality of your manual can heavily impact the overall customer experience, which is why you want to get it right!<\/span><\/p>\n

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In this article, I’ll share tips on how to write a user manual that conveys information to your customers clearly, and show you how you can organize the writing process in Zenkit.<\/p>\n

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Tips for How to Write a User Manual<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a lot that goes into writing a user manual. From feature descriptions, to repair instructions, to all the legal details and safety warnings. Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to writing it:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Know your objective<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Every user manual should have a purpose. Commonly, it\u2019s to help users resolve issues concerning your product, but with that, you should also decide how you want to help them. Once you\u2019ve decided on the angle you want to take, break down the information into sections and step-by-step instructions that are straightforward enough to follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. Determine the user<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      It\u2019s imperative to know the kind of audience that will read your user manual as it will influence how you write it. Knowing your average user can give you an idea of the language you should use when writing the user manual, the format, and overall style. For instance, writing for tech-savvy IT specialists will be very different to writing for parents with young families.<\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. Use accessible language<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Regardless of who your audience is, the language of the user manual text should be accessible to even the most non-technical person. You have to assume the reader has zero knowledge about your product, so it should be comprehensible, clear, and concise. It should address the reader and the use of jargon should be limited.<\/span><\/p>\n

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        1. Make it visual<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Humans are known to process visual data <\/span>60,000 times<\/span><\/a> faster than text, which is why you want your user manual to include images. User manuals almost always include relevant images with the text. Some products even share screenshot images of step-by-step instructions or are just purely images (IKEA manuals are famously text-free). Images can really help to convey the message you want to communicate to your reader.<\/span><\/p>\n

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          1. Enhance findability\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Face it, nobody’s going to read the entire user manual, so for readers to find value in it, you have to make it simple enough for people to skim through and find what they\u2019re looking for. Give it a clean format by having a consistent layout from page to page and make sure there is a lot of space between chunks of text. Use familiar keywords related to the product and make sure the font is simple and readable.<\/span><\/p>\n

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            How to Plan Your User Manual<\/h2>\n

            Zenkit is a great tool for planning a user manual. The project management tool<\/a> is packed with features that enable you to collect data and then structure it to create an optimized workflow<\/a>. Here are the steps to organize your user manual writing process.<\/span><\/p>\n

            Step 1:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            Sign up for a free Zenkit account<\/a> and log in.<\/p>\n

            Step 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            Once you’ve customized your profile, click on “new collection”, give your collection a name, and hit enter or “create”. You will be directed to the default Kanban view.<\/p>\n

            You can give your collection a little character by customizing an icon for it. To do this, click on the collection title, select “customization”, and pick the colours and icon logo that you want.<\/p>\n

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            I’m personally a fan of using a Kanban board<\/a> to visually map out a project plan. The visual scheduling system<\/a> is great for identifying bottlenecks and issues that may arise during the planning process. It can also give you a crystal clear overview of how your project progresses.<\/p>\n

            The Kanban view presents you with three default columns labelled as “To-Do, In Progress, and Done”. You can rename the columns by simply clicking on one of the label names and going to the name section in the menu box that appears. To add more stages to your workflow, all you have to do is click on \u201c+ Add Stage\u201d, give the column a label, and either click on \u201ccreate\u201d or hit enter.<\/p>\n

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            Of course you can select as many stages as you want for your workflow and label them whatever you see fit. The stages I went for are the following:<\/p>\n