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Software Documentation Principles

The document discusses principles of software documentation and task orientation. It describes different types of manuals, users, and documentation forms. Specifically, it contrasts a default manual focused only on program features with a task-oriented manual that integrates the software with the user's work environment. It also outlines characteristics of a default user versus a task-oriented user. Finally, it defines three common forms of software documentation: tutorial, procedural, and reference.

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16 views15 pages

Software Documentation Principles

The document discusses principles of software documentation and task orientation. It describes different types of manuals, users, and documentation forms. Specifically, it contrasts a default manual focused only on program features with a task-oriented manual that integrates the software with the user's work environment. It also outlines characteristics of a default user versus a task-oriented user. Finally, it defines three common forms of software documentation: tutorial, procedural, and reference.

Uploaded by

mike_gimel1955
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

COLLEGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

UNO-Recoletos, Bacolod City

SOFTWARE
DOCUMENTATION
System Integration Testing and
Documentation
Principles of Software Documentation

 Challenge of technical communicators:


Make user proficient with the
software and efficient with their jobs
 Computer manual remains the single
most common form of support to
software users
Principles of Software Documentation

 Knowledge Work
Work requiring that the users do more
than just learn to use the menus of a
computer program
 Adaptive Computing

Learn to work with programs in new ways,


adapting software capabilities to the
specific purposes and goals of their jobs
Principles of Software Documentation

 Goals of the software user


 Learning a program
 Applying the program
 Goals of the manual
Teach the features of the program
Tell how to apply the program to
complex tasks
Task Orientation
A design strategy for software
documentation that attempts to
increase user knowledge of and
application of a program by
integrating the software with user’s
work environment
Theory Behind Task Orientation
 Default Manual
 Default User
 Task Oriented User
Default Manual
A manual consisting primarily of step
by step procedures based on menu
items in a software program
 Descriptive in nature and limited in
application to real-world job tasks
Characteristics of Default Manual
 Covers the features of the program
 Implicit role of technological ignorance
imposed on the user
 Ignores the user’s workplace use of the
program
 Assumes one way of learning
 Overly simplified approach to program
operation
Default User
 Theuser who is defined as a person
who uses the menu items and
functionalities of a software program
Characteristics of Default User
 Decreased importance of job skills
 Increasingly abstract tasks
 Isolated from social networks
 Remotely Supervised
 Overloaded with information
Characteristics of Task Oriented User

 Challenged by skill demands


 Conceptually Oriented
 Aware of User Communities
 Self Managing
 Information Rich
Forms of Software Documentation
 Tutorial
 Procedural
 Reference
Tutorial
A documentation that intends to
teach the basic functions and features
of a program to a user in such a way
that the person can begin applying it
to workplace tasks
Procedural
 Documentation that intends to guide
the user in the everyday use of the
program, often when the user needs
information at the time of use
Reference
 Documentation that intends to supply
information “about” the program for
advanced users

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