A good installation guide helps the average consumer set up and operate a product successfully. This can lead to better satisfaction levels, higher customer loyalty and less calls to the customer service line.
A well-written and thorough installation guide should provide information on software prerequisites, software release notes, software update methods (i.e. manual or automatic), and software uninstallation methods. It should also include a section on how to identify and interpret any system or hardware codes, serial numbers, acronyms or abbreviations that the product comes with.
There is no one size fits all approach to writing a well-rounded installation guide, but it is important to consider the needs of your target audience. This will help you determine what type of content is most useful and relevant to your readers.
The biggest challenge for your technical writer is deciding how to best present the information in a manner that will most easily be understood by the reader. This can be achieved by using the most common language your target audience understands, while still providing enough detail to keep them on the edge of their seats.
This is often accomplished by writing the guide this installation guide in a style that is consistent with the rest of the product’s content, while still giving the reader a glimpse into the unique features of your product. This can be done in the form of a table, graph or chart that identifies the most significant features of your product.
Another challenge for your technical writer is determining what to write about in the most succinct and interesting way. This requires a little research to discover what your target audience will want to know most.
For example, do they want to know how to turn their computer on, or do they want to learn about the product’s most impressive features? What’s the most effective way to deliver this information to them, so that they can feel confident about their purchase and be happy with it for years to come.