Sample Question (former curriculum):

3. State three items of documentation that are usually included in a software package. [3 marks]

From Sample Paper 1- 2014:

 

JSR Notes:

Help Files

These are files that are part of the application itself. Usually they are accessed through a Help menu. Often, if the keyword searched for is key to other menu items, those items will be highlighted

Pros:

• Easily accessible (don't need Internet access).
• Good for those who know the application well enough that they just need little specific things that a good key word search can provide.

Cons:

• Updated only when the application is updated.
• (Unfortunately sometimes developers don't do a good enough job with this, relying on third party on-line sources of help and instruction.)

 

Online Support

By this we are referring to everything that is accessible via a browser on the Internet, including YouTube videos.

Pros:

• Lowers need for printed materials, thus reducing costs both to the producer and users
• More easily updated than printed materials - in fact almost immediate updating is possible
• Easy distribution - accessible to everyone (with Internet access)
• Can interact with users and respond to their queries, with these being shared to all users

 

Cons:

• Have to have Internet access
• No quality control by the producer; may in fact propagate errors and/or misunderstandings
• Can be harder to find for some users
• May not be geared toward what the user is in need of (either too easy or too advanced)

 

Online Tutorials

Tutorials give an introduction to the basic concepts of the program/system, and are usually accessible via the Internet. Tutorials are offered by a variety of third party companies, such as Lynda.com and Coursera, along with the actual software producing companies, such as Apple or Adobe.

Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI), Computer-Assisted Learning (CAL), or Computer-Based Training (CBT) are all terms used to describe different varieties of these types of tutorials, in which users can learn the software on-line at their own pace. 

Pros:

• Immediate feedback as the user progresses
• This interactive approach makes it more interesting for the users 
• Convince; users can choose when and how long they want to learn 

Cons:

• Such on-line work may be tedious for some users
• The pace may not suit certain inexperienced, or very experienced users
• It is time-consuming and costly to develop good tutorials

 

Printed Manuals

Pros:

• Some people, especially older prefer hard-copy, since this is what they are used to
• Many people find it more easy to read printed materials than on-line sources
• Instructions can be displayed simultaneously with the use of the application on the computer

 

Cons:

• Many people (particularly young people) now have a preference of reading things digitally
• Environmentally, it's a waste of paper
• Distribution is difficult and costly, trucks etc. must distribute the books
• Text on printed materials is static and immutable and so doesn’t allow for customization or immediate correction

 

 

 

Other Methods for Support

(Though these are not exactly user documentation)

Phone tech support - done well this is great, done poorly, it only leads to frustration.

Chat - some is quite good. Response time, and quality of responses are both key factors to proper implementation.

 

 

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