EPD 392: Writing User Manuals and Software Documentation

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EPD 392 - Writing User Manuals and Software Documentation

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EPD 392: Writing User Manuals and Software Documentation, Spring 2004 (Kelly), formerly Course Homepage of instructor Kelly

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Catalog Description

392 Writing User Manuals and Software Documentation. II; 2 cr. An introduction to writing instructions, specifications and documentation to support users of consumer and industrial products including computer software, with emphasis on effective use of graphics and the importance of user-oriented organization. P: EPD 397.

Course Prerequisite(s)

See catalog description above.

Textbook(s) and/or other required material

Textbook as required by instructor.

Course objectives

Write effective instructions for industry applications.
Approach problem solving in product-associated literature with creative and innovative writing and document design.
Identify and test for user needs in documentation.
Edit paper and electronic help documents for thoroughness, consistency, grammar, style, etc.
Understand and apply task-orientation methods to product documentation.

Contribution of course to meeting the professional component

This course contributes primarily to the students' knowledge of engineering topics, but does not provide design experience.

The following statement indicates which of the following considerations are included in this course: economic, environmental, ethical, political, societal, health and safety, manufacturability, sustainability.

Economic: Students will consider the ramifications of paper vs. electronic distribution of information with product/service. Environmental: Students will consider the ramifications of paper vs. electronic distribution of information with product/service. Ethical: Students will consider the ethics of incomplete instructions, poor instructions, lack of proper warnings/notes/cautions, etc. Also includes discussion of copyright, warranties, and so forth. Health and safety: Students will consider how documentation (or the lack thereof) could contribute to a safer work environment.

Person(s) who prepared this description

Traci Marie Nathans-Kelly

Copyright 2007 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Date last modified: 03-Aug-2007
Date created: 29-Jul-1999
Content by: custserv@epd.engr.wisc.edu
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