User Guides
The following user guides are task-oriented guides aimed at novice users of their respective software programs. Each runs through all of the features available in the software, guiding users through getting started all the way to uninstalling (in the case of Sonar3).
Sonar3 Help System
I created this help system as a project in a graduate-level software documentation writing class using RoboHelp 8 and 9 and SnagIt. Sonar3 is a writing submission manager freeware which allows users to keep track of their writing, submissions, and markets.
Process
A new user myself, I first explored the software and wrote down all of its main features. From there, I grouped the features into categories (Works, Markets, Publications, etc.) and then a list of common user tasks, afterwards writing the tasks themselves.
Mindjet Connect Action User Guide
This task-based user guide came out of a graduate-level document design class group project using Word 2010, SnagIt, and Camtasia. As a part of this project, Rebuild Joplin and the Long Term Recovery Committee asked us to build a tool which would help them improve their collaboration. To achieve that, we found Mindjet Connect Action (at that time, a free online project management program) and developed the following user guide to help them use it. In addition to this user guide, we also provided a Camtasia video covering the user guide contents.
Process
I wrote and included screenshots for the attaching files to tasks,
deleting files from tasks,
and uploading a project picture
sections. Also, I helped compile all of the sections as well as created formatting styles in Word to streamline the formatting as well as inserted and formatted the table of contents. Finally, for the Camtasia video, I recorded the tasks from Tracking your progress
to Adding files to tasks,
orally reading the tasks as well as demonstrating them in Mindjet Connect Action.
