Creating a Technical Manual: How, Types & Examples

Unless your product is the most intuitive on the planet, its likely that youll need to rely on technical manuals to help your users. Without a technical manual, companies are heavily dependent on their customer support teams to assist their users, with support queues growing exponentially and chronically dissatisfied customers.

No product is complete without the technical manual. Not only is it useful for helping customers to troubleshoot problems, but it can also serve as a vital marketing asset that shows customers how much you invest in their successful onboarding.

Creating a technical manual is no easy feat, which is why in this article well be going through the steps you need to take and a list of best practices.

What is a Technical Manual?

A technical manual can be thought of as a how-to guide aimed at helping users to understand the technical aspects of a product. Depending on the product, the technical manual usually contains instructions for the set-up, maintenance, and troubleshooting required for users to be effective.

The technical manual not only helps users get started but also assists them with ongoing problems they might face. It usually contains step-by-step instructions and how-to articles that helps users tackle any situation that might arise with the product.

A good technical manual should be simplified enough to make sense to the end users. Its clear and well-structured,

Types of Technical Manual

There are many different types of technical manuals that companies might produce to help their users.

Product Manuals
Product manuals provide users with a basic overview of a product, without going into too much depth. It tells users what the product is for, explains its features, and how to set up, maintain and use the product.

Repair Manuals
Repair manuals are exactly what the name implies detailed instructions for how to troubleshoot the product in the event an issue arises. It helps users conduct routine maintenance as well as performing major repairs.

Troubleshoot Guides
A troubleshooting guide is a structured document that lists common problems that might arise with a system, alongside instructions for how to solve the problem. It diagnoses symptoms, eliminates possible causes and confirms to the user when the system is operational again.

User Manuals
A user manual is an in-depth guide that helps customers get familiar with your product or service and overcome basic issues with the setup and maintenance. The user manual tells the user exactly how to use the product in its intended manner and helps them get the most out of it.

API Documentation
API documentation is a comprehensive reference manual that explains to users how to work with and integrate the softwares API. It contains details relating to the functions, classes, return types, and arguments, alongside tutorials and practical working examples.

Software Development Kit Documentation
An SDK is a set of tools, libraries, documentation, code samples, processes, and guides that enable software developers to build software applications on a particular platform.

Release Notes
Release notes are technical documentation that are provided alongside the release of a new software product or update. It usually contains details on how the product has changed, new or enhanced features, and bug fixes.

Why do Businesses Invest in Technical manuals?

There are many reasons why businesses choose to invest their resources into creating technical manuals.

Quick and easy onboarding of users
When you acquire a new user of your product, they are usually excited to get started. The problem is, most products require a little hand holding to get set up and guide your user towards success.

This is where technical manuals come in handy. New users can refer to your technical manual to help them install and launch your product, decreasing the time it takes for the user to become proficient with your product.

Guide user to operate in safe environment
Some products can present a potential danger to users if operated incorrectly. Technical manuals can provide the relevant warnings to make sure users interact with the product safely, such as the correct temperature for storage or keeping it away from liquids.

Improve customer experience with your product
When users understand how to use your product correctly, this enhances the customer experience. They have access to helpful resources that can provide instant answers to any questions they might have, without the necessity to contact customer support.

If customers can self-serve their own problems with your product, they feel less of a sense that they have been inconvenienced. Your company has already anticipated scenarios where users might need help, resulting in more successful and satisfied customers.

Effective training materials for operators and new users
Many products require an explanation before they can be used effectively, or instructions to help troubleshoot if the product doesnt work as expected. Technical manuals are therefore useful training materials for operators and new users of the product, allowing them to get familiar with your product as they use it.

When customers are effectively trained with your product, they can become power users without having to reach out to customer support. This reduces the chance that they will churn.

Avoid liability due to product misuse
When you include correct usage instructions in your technical manual, you are protecting your company against liabilities that might arise through the use of your product. When you include the relevant warnings and disclaimers, you are able to present a valid defence against liability in the case that customers have ignored them.

Improve customer retention
Customers who enjoy using your product are more likely to keep using it in the long-term. Providing helpful technical documentation can help in the retention of customers by enabling them to overcome common problems by themselves. If customers experience a high level of frustration with your product, this makes them more likely to stop using it or to return it.

The technical manual is an investment in the companys relationship with the customer. The company is taking responsibility for the customers success and ensuring that the product keeps working.

How to Write a Stunning Technical Manual

Now well go through the exact steps you need to take to write a highly effective technical manual....

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