Operating Manuals

Operating Manuals, also known as “user guides” or “user manuals”, are technical documents intending to assist users of a particular product, typically hardware, software or electronic items, such as calculators, televisions and mobile phones.

Manuals were traditionally available in printed format, such as the instruction booklets provided with hardware or electronic items. Now, however, electronic formats are becoming the norm for software. Within these electronic manuals, unlike in their printed counterparts, the pages and sections are linked together via hyperlinks, so that the users can be taken to the relevant section with only a single click, eliminating the need to turn to the index or glossary each time.

Operating manuals typically include a table of contents, instructions on how to use the system’s features, and a glossary or index listing the main terms covered. In addition to these basic features, electronic manuals also include a search function, which allows the user to enter the desired keywords to locate pages matching their search criteria.

Operating manuals are not intended as marketing documents. Rather they target a layman audience and provide detailed instructions on how to use a particular product using a combination of text and graphics. The base assumption is that the audience possesses little or no knowledge about the subject matter. Because of this assumption, the instructions are stated in a step-by-step format, keeping the language as simple as possible. The graphics used are explanatory and illustrative in nature: Screenshots and drawings to show the user what they can expect when they, for instance, press a button or click on a link.

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Operating Manuals

Operating Manuals, also known as “user guides” or “user manuals”, are technical documents intending to assist users of a particular product, typically hardware, software or electronic items, such as calculators, televisions and mobile phones Manuals were traditionally available in printed format, such as the instruction...

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