User Manual Template: Guide For Authors

This template is a starting point for creating a User Manual for a specific product or project. The ultimate version ought to be distributed in an electronically searchable format. The User Instruction Manual should be self-explanatory, with all elements explained and abbreviations and acronyms clarified for readers/reviewers, including non-technical reviewers outside your organization who may not be familiar with your projects, products, and insider language.

This template contains guidelines, standard boilerplate contents, and fields. The writer of the User Guide ought to keep the following in mind:

• You will find information for authors in red italic font under each section throughout the present template, outlining specific instructions or describing the intent, presumptions, and background for the content to be included in that section.
• Replace the Instructional content of the template with your product-specific information relevant to each section.
• Some texts and tables are provided as standard examples of wording and format that can be used or modified as needed.

Take these steps to use the present user manual template:

1. Captions and descriptions of the tables should be left-justified and set above the tables.
2. Appropriately modify and adjust the template text to your specific product.
3. Make sure all parts of your documents comply with Section 508 standards.
4. Figures must contain captions and descriptions left-adjusted positioned below the statistics and a proper tag providing alternative text according to Section 508 standards.
5. Before finishing the first draft of your document, erase this section, "Guide for Authors," and instructions to the author throughout the text.