End-user project documents are often overlooked and this could contribute to the eventual downfall of the project. A good handbook that makes end-users feel part of things can become the prominent part of a project for them.
Stephanie’s key advices in creating an end-user project handbook are:
- Focus on practical side by understanding how the project will fit into end-users’ workflow
- Create a all-in-one reference book and “how-to” guide
- Cover everything relevant to their tasks but exclude anything completely irrelevant
There are three parts to her guide for project handbook creation:
Part 1 – Research and scoping
1) Identify end-user group and communicate to them about their entire workflow currently in reference to the project
Questions to answer:
- Is the project completely new to end-user?
- Will their existing way of carrying out a task change?
- Does the project represent new technology or service or both?
- Will other technologies be involved?
- Will other operation procedures be involved?
2) Compare the current tasks along with future tasks required under the influence of the project to explain in detail what is coming and what the end-users need to do
Part 2 – Creating the handbook
1) Project overview
- Keep it short and refer readers to relevant documents detailing plans and ambitions of the project
2) Scope
- Short explanation of the current phase of the project, its purpose (why) and specific required tasks (e.g. testing, checking through for acceptance, etc.)
- Include start and finish dates if applicable
- Significant if only partial version of project was released
3) Step-by-step guide
- Largest section of the handbook detailing minute technical and operational procedures without any grey area
- Divide it into manageable and logical sub-sections for ease of update
- Useful tool to build confidence in change for end-user (and eventually the success of the project) by details that reassure them the handbook will guide them through every stage
4) Checklist of requirements
- List of everything basic and project-specific required, e.g. equipment, logins, internet access and permission, software version, technical specifications, agreements with third parties and pre-start testing
5) Contact details
- Provide help point for anything the handbook cannot answer
6) Feedback
- Enable end-user to send comments and impressions of the project, in printed form, email or online form formats.
- State clearly that all positive good and bad comments are welcome
7) Next steps
- Inform the end-user on the next steps or phase and the schedule
- Publish the time when updates are expected to engage their interest and sense of purpose
Part 3 – Maintaining momentum
- Update the step-by-step guide regularly with improvements, decisions and practical changes and send out replacement pages or subsections for the handbook
- Create another version of the handbook if further project stages are involved to keep everything current (by including updates, revisions, amendments and appendices on the old version)
TAYLOR, S., 2006. The Project Handbook: How to Write Clear and Cogent End-User Documentation. Freepint 214 [online]. Available at: <URL:http://www.freepint.com/issues/210906.htm> [accessed 7 October 2006].
