Understanding the Context Overview Value of Manuals to a Company Role of the Technical Writer Place of the Technical Writer: Location, Location, Location A Technical Writer's Survival Skills The Writing Process So How Many Writers Does it Take to Make A Manual? What the Writer Needs (Besides More Money) Summary References Analyzing the Manual Users Overview Do People Really Use Manuals? Yes. But. What do Users Really Want? Why Can't They Get it? And Should We Care? Who are Your Users? How Do You Know? How Do You Find Out? Spectrum of Users User's Questions as Manual Organizers Users as Co-Creators: Feedback Sources Checklist: User Questions as Organizers of the Manual Summary Checklist: User Characteristics References Structuring the Manual Overview Manuals Are Not Novels What Do Manuals Offer the User? How Can You Organize and Write Manuals? A Manual Is Not a Library Strategies that Work Summary Checklist References Designing the Manual Overview Writers as Designers Design Choices: Why Cookbooks Work Better Than Novels Summary Checklist For Further Reading Choosing and Designing Graphics Why Use Graphics? How to Design Effective Graphics New Uses of Visual Media Summary Checklist For Further Reading Safety Warnings Overview Product Liability Background The Duty to Warn Developing Good Warnings for Your Product Special Problems Summary Checklist References Service and Maintenance Manuals Overview Effective Design of Service and Maintenance Manuals Summary Checklist References Manuals for International Markets Overview New Standards for International Manuals International Manuals: The User Spectrum Expands Producing Translated Manuals Summary References Managing and Supervising Manual Production Overview Who Writes the Manual? Scheduling and Monitoring Document Preparation Organizational Settings That Affect Writers Summary.