Product Description

The User Manual Manual is a master's course on software manuals. It describes the grammar, style, techniques and tricks needed to write a manual the gets read. It explains how to understand and target readers, technicaly inclined or not--even if they're kids. Plus, it covers special topics including: dealing with rush projects, preparing for internationalization, and handling projects with multiple writers, multiple platforms and multiple bosses. The User Manual Manual is a guided tour through the entire process of creating a user manual from initial concept through writing, testing, editing and production to postmortem. It contains sample documents, worksheets and checklists to help writers work smarter and faster.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #366580 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 314 pages

About the Author
For nearly 10 years as writer, editor, writing manager and Director of Creative Services at Maxis software (the SimCity(R) company), Michael Bremer developed proven techniques to write and produce readable, understandable, and even enjoyable technical writing. He is now an independent author and consultant, specializing in communicating complex technical subjects to a non-technical (consumer) audience.

Customer Reviews

A Must for Project Managers
Whether you are in the technical field or not, this book is a MUST for all Project Managers. This book was not only helpful as a Project Manager, but helped me in general. This book is great for beginners (which is what I am), but I think even an expert can pick up a tip or two from this book. Excellent!!

Great for the novice, fair for the experienced
I had this book on my wish list for at least a year and received it at Christmas. I have been writing user's manuals for a few years now and I was expecting to get fresh ideas from this book. I read it all the way through to only say to myself, "well that was interesting but how much did I get out of it?" I realized that I already knew most of what is in the book. So, am I disappointed? No. Bremer has done a great job of explaining the process of writing good user manuals. It is well organized and gives good examples. It reminded me of what is important in a good manual. The one exception that I have though is, Bremer often writes about the technical writer who writes the text and then turns the project over to a designer to format the manual. These days, it is the writer who often does the writing and formatting. I do not know too many writers who does otherwise. This book is a must for anyone who has not written a software manual. For the people who have written successful manuals, they will not get a lot out of it.

Great for the novice, fair for the experienced
I had this book on my wish list for at least a year and received it at Christmas. I have been writing user's manuals for a few years now and I was expecting to get fresh ideas from this book. I read it all the way through to only say to myself, "well that was interesting but how much did I get out of it?" I realized that I already knew most of what is in the book. So, am I disappointed? No. Bremer has done a great job of explaining the process of writing good user manuals. It is well organized and gives good examples. It reminded me of what is important in a good manual. The one exception that I have though is, Bremer often writes about the technical writer who writes the text and then turns the project over to a designer to format the manual. These days, it is the writer who often does the writing and formatting. I do not know too many writers who does otherwise. This book is a must for anyone who has not written a software manual. For the people who have written successful manuals, they will not get a lot out of it.