Operations Plan: The Definitive Guide

by SiobhanWalsh on October 12, 2011

Want to write an Operations Guide? This tutorial explains how to write your first operations manual. It helps you get started, suggests how to format the document, create the table of contents and what else you need to…

How to write a software documentation plan

October 7, 2011

What is a software documentation plan? This is a project plan for the technical documents you plan to write for the next software release. Like a standard project plan it captures the resources, requirements, costs, and…

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How to make detailed Business Process Flowcharts easier to read

September 9, 2011

Isn’t the advantage of creating process flowcharts to help the reader see how it works instead of having to read the MS Word document?

But what happens if the process is so complex that the diagram becomes almost unreadable?…

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How to write a test case

September 2, 2011

One of the difficulties in writing your first test case is that it’s hard to know where to start. Writing test cases is not that difficult if you understand who you’re writing for and what you’re hoping to achieve.…

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The 10 Commandments of Software Maintenance Plans

August 26, 2011

What’s the best way to write a Software Maintenance plan? Software Maintenance Plans are different than other technical documents in that the focus is on how to modify software AFTER it has been released and is now in operations.…

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How do you know whether you’re writing well?

August 25, 2011

How do you know whether you are writing well?

There’s only one test that really matters: when your audience understands your information and is moved to act in accordance with your goals.

But how will you know when this happens?…

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Difference Between Operations Manuals & Procedures Guides

August 24, 2011

What’s the difference between an Operations Manual and a Procedures Guide? At first glance, it’s easy to see the confusion as both contain procedures that need to be followed. However, if we look at them a little more closely, we…

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Using AutoCorrect To Fix Mistakes In Technical Documents

August 21, 2011

Here are three ways to use AutoCorrect to fix errors in your technical documents:

  • Capitalization options – AutoCorrect can capitalize the first word in a sentence, the names of days of the week, the first letter of text in a

…

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Microsoft Word v Adobe Framemaker

August 19, 2011

Which is better for writing long technical documents? Adobe FrameMaker or MS Word? I’ve prepared a list of the strengths and weaknesses of each tool. Take a look and tell me what you think. And which is the best value…

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How to Fix Errors in Technical Documents Automatically

August 17, 2011

You can setup MS Word so that it automatically fixes mistakes you make in your documents.

To automatically detect and correct typos, misspelled words, and incorrect capitalization, use the AutoCorrect feature in Word.

How to Fix Errors in Technical Documents Automatically

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5 Ways to Write Web Content

August 15, 2011

Why do technical writers struggle to write web content? Maybe it’s because writing for the web requires a different approach to the writing process. Here are some ways to stop thinking like a technical writer and more like a web…

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How to Choose the Right Style Guide for Technical Writers

August 13, 2011

How do I choose the right style guide for my technical writers? I’m setting up a Technical Publications Dept. for a Financial Services company. What is the best style guide to encourage the staff to use?

The benefit of adopting…

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Guidelines for Interviewing Technical Writers

August 11, 2011

What guidelines can you offer when interviewing writers? I’ve worked on both sides on the fence in the past, (i.e. interviewed and been interviewed) and picked up a few things in the process. Hopefully, these will be of some help.

Guidelines

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How To Force Programmers To Write Technical Documentation

June 22, 2011

The answer is: you don’t. Before you make your programmers write the next user guide, think again. Should they really be doing this? Or would you be saving money by giving it to trained technical writers? Developers are:

  • Not trained

…

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How To Get a Budget For Technical Documentation

June 21, 2011

One of the dilemmas for technical writers is getting a budget for the next set of technical documents. The problem is usually down to ROI. Can you prove that more documents are worth the investment? If not, why…

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