Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
IT Applications Theory Slideshows
By Mark [email protected]
Types and contents ofOn-screen user documentation
Contents• What qualifies as ‘onscreen’?• Pros and Cons: onscreen vs printed • Types
– Quick-start guide– Tutorial– Content-sensitive help– User Manual– Technical reference– Installation guide
(bolded ones are required knowledge)
ITA U4O1 Note
• Your onscreen user documentation should explain how to re-use the solution in the future, not how the solution was created.
• You need to explain how someone should use your spreadsheet and produce the output.
• Do NOT explain how the solution was created. E.g. don’t explain how to use VLOOKUP
Onscreen?
• It’s intended to be seen onscreen rather than to be printed.
• Does NOT include: Word, PDF which are meant to be printed.
• Does include: web pages, multimedia animation, Flash, multimedia slideshow in kiosk mode so user controls navigation
How to identify onscreen documentation
• Multimedia• Lots of graphics – still pictures, graphs, photos• Hyperlinks, buttons• Animation, video, screen movies• Audio – music, sound effects, voice recording
Storing onscreen documentation• On CD/DVD• Website• Slideshow• Electronic help file• Screen recording
• can be accessed anywhere, anytime without the need for electricity, computer equipment or internet connection
• is usually better written due to more careful editing
• will still be readable even after many years and after many changes to file systems, disk formats, compression technologies etc which can render electronic documents inaccessible.
Advantages of printing
Disadvantages of printing
• bulky• expensive to ship• very expensive to print in colour • slow to update• hard to search• no active links between related sections• difficult and expensive to copy• wears out with regular use• can get lost
• instantly updateable• can use animation, video, audio etc• can be interactive• easy to search• hyperlinks connect related sections• free use of colour• easy to copy and distribute
advantages of onscreen
• need electricity, a computer and often internet to read it
• very hard to read in bright sunshine• some locations (e.g. beach, factory, aircraft)
are not computer-friendly • usually can't easily underline sections or add
comments• some people find it very hard to read onscreen
Disadvantages of onscreen
Quick start guide
• Brief introduction to a product• Just enough information for the user to get it
started• Only covers very basic introductory operations
Tutorial• Actually teaches users• Step-by-step lesson covering how to use the
product.• Often example-based
Content-sensitive help
• Electronic help built into the product that responds to what the user is currently doing.
• e.g. if they have a table formatting dialogue box open and they press F1, the first help topic offered would relate to table formatting.
• Also called context-sensitive help.
User Manual
• Complete and detailed information on every aspect of the product, used for random reference by the user.
Tip – use as few words as possible for an international audience
Technical reference• For experts only, not average users• Detailed information on how the product is
built• How to modify, repair, extend it• Troubleshooting
Installation Guide• Very brief leaflet showing how to install the
hardware or software• Usually printed rather than electronic
Good onscreen documentation
• Clear – easy to read and understand• Concise – as few words as possible• Comprehensive – nothing left out• Current - up-to-date• Correct - accurate• Controllable – easy to use & navigate
Features• Onscreen documentation shares many
features with interface design.• Refer to the Interfaces slideshow and Design
Elements slideshow for more info on things like:– Contrast– Typefaces– Colour schemes– Whitespace
By Mark [email protected]
These slideshows may be freely used, modified or distributed by teachers and students anywhere on the planet (but not elsewhere).
They may NOT be sold. They must NOT be redistributed if you modify them.
IT APPLICATIONS SLIDESHOWS
