Writing software documentation thomas t barker thomas t. If you are not a bittorrent person, you can hunt for your favorite reads at the snipfiles that features free and legal ebooks and softwares presented or acquired by resale, master rights or plr on their web page. Top 17 technical writing software tools for documenting. Writing software documentation adapted from writing software documentation. Writing software documentation a taskoriented approach. A taskoriented approach 2nd edition by barker at over 30 bookstores. Canadian association of teachers of technical writing, member since 2005 council of programs in scientific and technical communication, member since 2004. Designed to support professionals working on a project, this book includes complete programs for readers to work on. Think of the first time that you used a new program. Find writing software documentation by barker, thomas t at biblio. Writing software documentation thomas t writing software documentation. Computer documentation, when done correctly, enhances the value of the software described by making it easier to use and therefore more accessible. Writing software documentation 2003 edition open library. X research source following are instructions on how to write software documentation for technical users and end users.
Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Documentation is an important part of software engineering. Every textbook comes with a 21day any reason guarantee. Technical writing for software documentation writers. Designed to support professionals working on a project, this book includes complete programs for readers to work on and a full set of project tracking forms as well as a broad range of examples, including windowsstyle pages and screens and awardwinning examples from technical communication competitions. Writing software documentation a taskoriented approach thomas. Barker is the author of writing software documentation 4. Data documentation, also known as metadata, helps you understand your data in detail, and also helps other researchers find, use, and properly cite your data. Technical documentation resources school for champions. Writing software documentation a taskoriented approach material type book language english title writing software documentation a taskoriented approach authors thomas t. Good software documentation, whether a specifications document for programmers and testers, a technical document for internal users, or software manuals and help files for end users, helps the person working with the software understand its. Especially if you dont really enjoy the process of doing it. Software documentation is written text or illustration that accompanies computer software or is embedded in the source code. Barker, writing software documentation and barnum, usability testing and research course objective.
Designed to support professionals working on a project, this book. In order to write good software documentation, you need to use the right software documentation tools. Writing software documentation a taskoriented approach by barker, thomas t. Writing software documentation a taskoriented approach thomas t. Finally, barker concludes a manual that integrates a software program into the users environment has a better chance of getting used than a manual that only documents the features of the program. Analyzing your users summary cornelius farrell emily werschay. Computer documentation, when done correctly, enhances the. Rent writing software documentation 2nd edition 9780321103284 today, or search our site for other textbooks by thomas t. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text.
Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. Writing software documentation a taskoriented approach 2nd. Writing software documentation a task oriented approach. This book provides readers with a stepbystep strategy to writing and describing technical procedures. Writing software documentation a task oriented approach 2nd edition by barker, thomas t. The documentation either explains how the software operates or how to use it, and may mean different things to people in different roles. More and more technologybased organizations are moving towards having an inhouse employee write their user documentation. Oct 11, 2002 writing software documentation by thomas t. Mamone s 2000 documentation testing, acm sigsoft software engineering notes, 25. In writing software documentation, barker not only describes a usercentered approach to writing instructions and procedures, but provides an example of such a guide through this textbook.
Aug 02, 2010 writing software documentation by thomas t. Writing software documentation p cedarville university. Barker and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Thomas t barker university of technology sydney sam. Barker 2002, paperback, revised at the best online prices at ebay. Writing software documentation guide books acm digital library. The book is an excellent example and solid instructional text for courses in technical communication, offering a comprehensive picture of the process of. Warnke, elizabeth, technical writing for software documentation writers.
Writing software documentation a task oriented approach by. One of the hardest parts of writing software is documenting it. Barker, texas tech university 2003 pearson out of print. Computer documentation, when done correctly, enhances the value of the software described by making it. We have you covered with 247 instant online tutoring. This taskoriented book is designed to support both college students taking a course and professionals working in the field. To introduce students to writing documentation for the computer industry. Trying to open a gate with a chainsaw instead of using a key would be painful and timeconsuming. Various metadata standards are available for particular file formats and disciplines. Barker, 9780321103284, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Chapter 1 understanding task orientation 6 the concept of userdriven design means that the organization of a manual comes from the users needs rather than from models or templates of what a users guide should look like. Sep 30, 2019 good software documentation is specific, concise, and relevant, providing all the information important to the person using the software.