Among these topics, are procedures, diagrams and conditions for installation activities, such as unpacking, mounting and connecting. A system installer is the software that is used to set up and install an operating system onto a device. Cross-platform installer builders produce installers that run on Windows, macOS and Linux. – If you are having problems with your computer and cannot seem to fix them, doing a clean installation may be the solution to your problems. So, when in doubt, include important information in more guides than one despite the risk of redundancy and repetition. In this section you should list all those messages, including the audio ones, explain what they mean, and follow them up explaining what to do about it – that is, also provide a troubleshooting section.
The equivalent document for computer software is called a user guide since users are typically licensees rather than owners of the software. With the increasing complexity of modern devices, many owner’s manuals have become so large that a separate quickstart guide is provided. Some owner’s manuals for computer equipment are supplied on CD-ROM to cut down on manufacturing costs, since the owner is assumed to have a computer able to read the CD-ROM.
If you use documentation software, you’ll be able to access analytics that give you insight into the performance of your installation guide. Key metrics like page views and support tickets deflected show you how well your guide is doing and whether it is helpful for your users. Customers who encounter installation errors may run the risk of abandoning your software before they even get started. The installation guide troubleshoots common errors and may even be able to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
If users don’t understand how to set up your software, they are likely to churn and leave bad reviews about your business. Creating a thorough, in-depth installation guide enables you to help users achieve success with your software and use it for its intended purpose. When beginning to create your software installation guide, you need to gather as much information as possible relating to your product.
The software post-installation tasks section should list all the post-installation tasks that need to be completed in order for the software to function properly. After your software has been installed and configured, there may be cleanup tasks to take care of such as deleting the installation files or configuring a backup. Users should be instructed as to which tasks are necessary for completing the installation and ensuring the software is running successfully. Technical writers have the ability to work with developers, QA testers, product managers and system administrators to produce the best guide possible. Users will appreciate the level of professionalism that technical writers bring to the development of this important document. The installer program runs checks for the software prerequisites, and if any prerequisites are missing, it lists the missing items and requests that they be installed.
As you can easily tell, some of the above information can be included in a User or System Administration Guide as well. The decision of what information should go where is a management (or client) decision although, if you are the writer, you can argue your case as well. However, it is much better to repeat crucial information in more places than one since you usually have no control over the way technical manuals are used.
When using the tarball, custom
What is a Software Repository?
folders can be specified, and they don’t have to be owned by root. In case of an installation manual, the installation instruction is a separate document that focuses solely on the person(s) that will perform the installation. However, the installation instruction can also be an integrated part of the overall owner’s manual. Unattended software installation requires zero user input to complete the software installation.
A technical writer who is knowledgeable about software installation can also write an installation guide in consultation with the SMEs and the developer team. A good software installation guide can help reduce user frustration and increase the chances that software will be installed correctly the first time. A software installation guide overlaps with System Administration Guide since it covers similar configuration tasks. That’s the reason why the demarcation line between these two guides may not always be very clear.
Further reading
Whichever is the default setting may not be appropriate for every user so you need to show them the values that should be configured and enable them to compare the result to whatever is expected. A clean installation is one that is done in the absence of any interfering elements such as old versions of the computer program being installed or leftovers from a previous installation. In particular, the clean installation of an operating system is an installation in which the target disk partition is erased before installation.
Sometimes, you might want to teach your users how to uninstall the software if they are no longer a customer or something has gone seriously wrong. Hopefully this scenario will never happen but you need to make it possible for users to uninstall just in case. Users need to know what kind of hardware and software is required for installing their new software.
Silent installation
Software installation guides should be reviewed and updated by the software developer or development team on a regular basis to ensure the software installation guide is up-to-date. The software installation guide should be written by the software developer or a member of the software development team who can help ensure that all details are included in the software installation guide. Poorly written software installation guides can lead to software not being installed, software not working properly or software installation errors. Your software installation guide shines a light into how your software operates and gives users a better understanding of the technology. The document provides insight into how the system works and ensures that they can effectively navigate any issues without becoming too frustrated. An installation manual or installation guide is a technical communication document intended to instruct people how to install a particular product.
If you don’t have a thorough understanding of how to install your software and what this process looks like, you can’t expect your users to have it either. You’ve spent lots of time developing your software product and now it’s time to distribute it to your users. But wait – how are users going to install your software product without you there to help them? This is where you need to make use of a software installation guide to enable users to properly set up your product without running into errors. In graphical environments, installers that offer a wizard-based interface are common.
Then, they should provide detailed information on how to use the product or system and its features, functions, and options. Use headings, subheadings, tables, diagrams, screenshots, and examples to organize and illustrate your information. https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ A clean installation is a process of installing software on a computer without first running an install program. The software is usually placed on a CD or some other medium, and the user manually copies the files to the hard drive.
If any physical installation is involved, including a drawing of screwdrivers or other tools attaching the product properly by driving screws or rivets, etc. The mark of good documentation is when it actually helps the user to accomplish their goals. Ensure that some of your reviewers know nothing about using your product to understand what your guide will be like for complete beginners. You can use this Installation Guide template when installing software and for the preparation, training, and conversion from existing systems. We look at the main sections in an Installation Guide, how to write each section, and provide sample text to help you get started with your technical documents. After the successful installation and first initial tests, you can proceed to
read about all the available playbooks
- It will make sure that programs make proper use of the software and it will update the software with newer versions.
- The size, structure and content of an installation manual depend heavily on the nature of the product and the needs and capabilities of the intended target group.
- A software installation guide may also cover software release notes, software update methods (i.e., manual or automatic) and software uninstallation methods (i.e., manual or automatic).
- You’ve spent lots of time developing your software product and now it’s time to distribute it to your users.
- After the installation process is complete, it’s likely that the configuration file and settings will be updated.
and learn about updating and operating the
cluster.
Your goal is to provide clear and concise information that helps your audience achieve their tasks and goals. The screenshot above is from SCM’s installation guide; they have added more video files and rapid user understanding. The preference of the audience determines whether the information is a text-rich guide or a video. In addition to video installation, they provide support documents in the form of manuals and assistance guides. Without your software installation guide for both beginners, intermediate and advanced users, your customers may struggle to make the most of your software. Installation that is performed without user interaction during its progress or with no user present at all.
