user guide
Let an agent explain user guides and their purpose, relay structure, writing standards and kinds from technical communication sources, describe the kinds the registry aliases name, and distinguish user guides from reference manuals, tutorials, specifications and help systems, noting misfiled aliases.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Understand What a user guide is.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a user guide, and how does it differ from a reference manual, tutorial, specification and help system? definition
- Is the question about the document type, a kind, writing practice or a misfiled alias? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What are quick reference handbooks, operations manuals, strategy guides and martial arts manuals? definition
- Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Writing Writing.
Structure
Structure.
Structure
Structure.
- How are user guides structured, and what do standards require? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Style
Style.
Style
Style.
- What writing principles make guides usable, such as task orientation and plain language? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Practice Practice.
Tools
Tools.
Tools
Tools.
- What tools and formats are used for authoring and publishing guides? provenance
- Which entry fits technical writing? action
Regulated
Regulated domains.
Regulated
Regulated.
- How are operations manuals regulated in aviation and safety-critical fields? provenance
- Which entry fits aircraft flight manual? action
Context History and registry note.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did user documentation develop from printed manuals to online help? provenance
- Which entry fits the history of technical communication? action
Aliases
Misfiled aliases.
Aliases
Aliases.
- Why are sample ballot and Herminia not user guides? provenance
- Which entry fits each? action
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Information and virtual systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- INF
- Domain
- INF.KNW
- Other names and narrower kinds
- quick reference handbook, martial arts manual, strategy guide, Aircraft Operations Manual, sample ballot, Herminia, aircraft flight manual, installation manual, laboratory manuals, quickstart guide, construction instruction, video game manual
What it is Filled
A document that explains how to use a product, system or service to its users, from quick reference handbooks and software manuals to aircraft operations manuals, video game strategy guides and instructional manuals for skills such as martial arts; the registry aliases also list sample ballot and Herminia, which are not user guides and appear to be misfiled.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent explain user guides and their purpose, relay structure, writing standards and kinds from technical communication sources, describe the kinds the registry aliases name, and distinguish user guides from reference manuals, tutorials, specifications and help systems, noting misfiled aliases.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Task oriented
- Written for users
- Structured
- Many domains
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Ignore safety warnings in a user guide when operating the product.
- Apply instructions from a guide for a different model or version as if they matched.
- Remove or alter safety or regulatory content when reproducing a guide.
- Reproduce a copyrighted guide in full where the rights holder has not permitted it.
Only with a human decision
- Departing from the guide's instructions on safety-critical equipment, such as aircraft or medical devices.
- Publishing corrections to an official guide.
May
- Find, quote and summarise a user guide for the product it belongs to, naming its version.
- Follow the steps of a user guide when operating equipment the agent is authorized to use.
- Point out where a guide is outdated or contradicts the product.
Moral aspects Filled
- Users rely on guides for safety; missing or misleading instructions cause injuries.
- Guides in only one language or format exclude people who cannot read them.
Who is affected
- Users of the product
- People near operated equipment
- The publisher
Owners Filled
Steward
The maker or publisher of the product the guide documents.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q1630279 - registry parent class
related
- guideline - in registry terms
- technical writer - in most organisations
- reference manual - organised by feature
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 26514 - as a standard
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.user-guide
- Wikidata: Q1057179 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1057179)
Direct properties not applicable Not applicable
- standard: ISO/IEC/IEEE 26514 note - user documentation
- typical sections: getting started, tasks, troubleshooting list
- formats: print, PDF, online help list
Plane INF: no invented physical properties.
Recognition optional Filled
- Instructions for users of a product
- Quick reference handbook, aircraft operations manual, strategy guide, martial arts manual
- Reference manuals list everything; tutorials teach step by step; specifications define; help systems are embedded
- A printed or digital document with instructions, diagrams and procedures.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- explain the document type
- relay writing standards
- describe kinds
- distinguish related documents
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Outdated or inaccurate instructions
- Registry aliases misfiled such as sample ballot and Herminia
- Confusing guides with reference manuals
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 26514 and related documentation standards
- Product safety laws requiring instructions
- Aviation regulations for operations manuals
Context of use required Filled
- Explaining how to use something.
- software and hardware user guides
- quick reference handbooks
- aircraft and equipment operations manuals
- video game strategy guides
- skill manuals such as martial arts manuals
- online help and knowledge bases
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q1057179: user guide - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: User guide - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should strategy guide and operations manual be separate primary entries?
- How should technical communication sources be linked?
- The registry aliases sample ballot and Herminia are not user guides and should be detached
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1057179/spec.json