English 421Y: Technical Writing Online

My novice user is a user who is new to Ubuntu. They have either little or no experience with the operating system. My novice instructions cover how to open Open Office's Word Processor in Ubuntu and how to save for compatibility for Microsoft Office users.

These instruction sets are for using Steam. For a novice user, someone is someone that may have never played a computer game, or is unfamiliar with computers in general, it provides a step by step instruction of how to install the software and installing and playing your first game.*

For the expert user, which is someone that has experience with Steam and is already familiar with its basic functions, the instructions expand on some of the more advanced options to improve the users experience while using Steam and customize it to fit his or her needs.

My instructions are currently designed to be used in a packet on standard sized paper. It is meant to be handed to a customer who enters a hardware store with questions about installing a shelf. I am considering changing this format over to a brochure but couldn't decide on the layout for it.

My two instruction sets describe the process of downloading, installing, and beginning usage of Full Tilt Poker software. They are both currently formatted in 8.5 x 11 inch size, but I may adjust this if necessary (and I find out how to). In both instances I chose to use a significant amount of graphics to really simplify the process and provide an aesthetically pleasing document. I also tried to balance the color usage with blue font in certain areas.

*** Please note I realize that it says Novice instructions and Expert instructions at the bottom of each instruction set, this is for identification purposes and will be removed on the final draft.***

These instruction sets describe how to format a Flash or Hard Disk Drive within Windows Vista and/or Windows Server 2008.
The expert instructions include the same beginning steps as the novice, but they also have more detailed information regarding some of the middle steps that allow for further customization of the format process.

These instruction sets are for using TrueCrypt to create virtual encrypted drives for storing sensitive information. As discussed in my proposal, the novice user that is targeted with the QuickStart guide would be the manager of a small business that doesn't have an IT-person on staff, but still wants to encrypt sensitive business information. The quick start guide I've created is a step by step guide to using TrueCrypt to set up a virtual encrypted drive with the default settings.

NOTE: This set of instructions is too large to upload to this site. I zipped the PDF and uploaded to another site. The link to download is posted below .

http://www.aww-kittah-aww.com/up/files/433/Beginner_instruction_draft.zip

When performing the usability test, I would like to user to make notes along the way. Are there places of confusion? Is some of the language hard to understand?. I would like the user to think about these questions (as seen in the usability test) as they go through the instructions.

In my novice instruction set, I chose to make the layout in landscape as opposed to portrait. It should help the inexperienced reader look ahead and before their task for easier reference. In addition to the pictures provided, I offered the novice readers additional remarks to help them further with the directions. Most of them are tips and suggestions on how to perform a certain direction. I elaborated more in the novice instructions and added a couple more steps that they will need to understand.

As a quick note, the screen captures that are of the entire screen are mostly for frame of reference in the instructions so being able to read the words on the screen is not essential although I will keep tweaking to try and get a better screen capture.

At first glance my expert instructions would appear to be the easier one and the novice instructions look to be the harder of the two, but they are in fact the way I labeled them. The expert instructions are for the Taurus Model PT1911. I made these out to be the expert instructions because I believe stripping down the pistol is harder. The whole part involving the recoil spring is very difficult because the spring has so much tension it can be very hard to get back into place and reassemble and I have actually hit myself in the head with the spring the first time I took it apart.