Personal user manuals written in the first-person ( I like…. My interests are…) are difficult to use, self-absorbed, and boring. (See examples: 1, 2, 3 .) Your car's manual doesn't state, "I like to have my oil changed every 3 months.". It's written toward the user's perspective. Do the same. Step 3: Ascertain the 'How-to' Steps. Draft a list of all the steps your users require in order to follow tasks that the web app manual explains! After making this list, try performing these tasks by yourself. This will guide you in determining if the list needs any alteration or is sufficient to fulfill the purpose. Writing a user manual starts with some preparation. There are basically two main things to study here: the subject of the user manual and the target audience. These two go hand in hand. To be able to create clear and helpful user manuals, technical writers need to study the subject with great attention to details. How to Write a User Manual How to Write a Great User Manual in 12 Steps 1. Define Your Audience. Know your reader—what is their experience level? where are they reading the manual?—and 2. Describe the Problem. Explain the problem you want to solve, present the solution, and then outline the instructions 3. Break it 3. Try a hands-on approach. If possible, doing the thing you are writing about will, at the very least, give you a feel for what the user will want to learn. [2] 4. Read up on the subject. Learn to talk the talk, and become conversant in the product you are writing about. Manuals of similar products will show you how other writers have tackled In order to create an effective user manual, you need to have a good idea of what type of content you want to include in it. Compile all the information, knowledge, process, checklists, etc. that need to be included. Make sure you are thorough with every point and have everything you need to write the instructions. Never, ever, rely on your memory! To create a persona: Ask yourself the correct questions to identify and get to know the user. Find images online or in magazines that represent the user, their hobbies, the environment, their skills etc. Use a photo editing tool or old-school scissors and paper to create a collage representing your user. Method 2: Create a user guide video. Answering your question 'how to make user guide for software?', we have reached the second method, i.e., creating the video tutorial. A video tutorial is considered more time-saving, and it can also be helpful in giving you the exact steps to solve the issue or complete the setup. It does require a good deal of self-awareness as well as diplomacy in how you frame your challenges in a vulnerable but strong voice. Here are five steps that will help you create a manual and Below, we'll cover our five best practices on how to create a user manual for the factory floor that's truly user-centric. 1. Make it visual. The human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than written information. Learners spend less time processing instructions when they include clear images. Start the manual off with a table of contents. This will not only help the end users quickly locate information, it will also help you outline what needs to be covered in the manual. Focus on navigation and screen shots. Chances are, the end user will know exactly what they are looking at in the application, whether it be reports or data. What 6. Make use of white space. Think about this in t