User
User Documentation
In order for users to work with large, complex and and rapily evolving systems, it is important that the correct user documentation is put in place. This can include:
Printed Manuals
Traditional systems included huge user manuals with hundreds of pages. These have largely been replaced or slimmed down to ‘getting started’ guides, due to the rapid pace of development of systems, as well as the recent shift to remote or hybrid working environments.
Online-wiki pages
Most systems now have electronic manuals, either openly available online or on a restricted intranet site.
Tutorial Videos
Tutorial videos are often an excellent form of user documentation that is especially useful in demonstrating system processes.
FAQs
Most systems have an FAQ system for users, answering the most common questions that come up.
Help tabs & Tooltips
Help can be built directly into the system with help tabs, tooltips and popups.
Troubleshooting Guides
Technical
Technical Documentation
Technical documentation is a necessary component of any system, detailing:
- An overview of the data storage model
- An overview of the overall system and how each component works together.
- An overview of any external and internal APIs used and their parameters.
An entity relationship diagram is a common component of technical documentation
Legal
Legal & Copyright
Legal and copyright documentation may also be needed including:
- License details for any commercial software or APIs used.
- Copyright information for the code itself.
- Attribution details for any open-source software used.
Resources