Optoma N32 Series Flat Panel User Manual

Overview

As a Technical Writer for PTSGI, I authored a user manual for Optoma Corporation's N32 Series Flat Panel. The manual helped end users of the product quickly understand how to adjust the panel's settings, control the panel from their computers, and complete other tasks.

Process

I began by outlining the user manual, creating a table of contents that allowed for ease of navigation and stayed consistent with prior Optoma user manuals. The completed outline helped me better understand what functions to test on the physical device. For instance, since I included an SOP for using the MediaPlayer function to create, edit, and delete playlists, I followed the workflow of doing so, taking screenshots and notes for reference.

With my UX and HCI design background, I asked myself, "What is the user's mental model of this device? How can I write a manual that leverages that model to improve navigability?" I thought about the lifecycle of one of the device's core functions—acting as a digital signpost for playlists of videos, images, and other forms of media. As such, I decided to list the MediaPlayer SOPs as follows:

1. Play Settings

2. Creating a Playlist

3. Adding Files to a Playlist

4. Exporting a Playlist

5. Deleting a Playlist

By following the lifecycle of the MediaPlayer function, I ensured the information architecture of the manual meshes with the user's mental models and thus helps them find the information they need faster.

Also, I operated the panel with the included remote, just like users would be instructed. This led me to make writing decisions aligned with the user's experience, such as choosing the verb "to select" rather than "to click."

The N32 Series Flat Panel is one of many Optoma products for which user manuals exist, so I needed to follow existing style guidelines. I referred to an earlier user manual for conventions used when documenting options in Settings.

On the other hand, several portions of the user manual lacked references, such as the MediaPlayer SOPs. I wrote declarative descriptions of one or two sentences that adhered to stylistic conventions (e.g. boldface UI text). I aimed to keep the structures of sentences consistent throughout while keeping the voice natural-sounding.

For instance, I wrote, "Select More. Then select Enter details." because the verb "to select" is used twice in the same step, so splitting the step into two sentences sounds more natural than "Select More and then select Enter details," while retaining more clarity than, "Select More, then Enter details," and the like. On the other hand, for a step such as, "Enter a new name for the playlist and select Confirm," the verbs used are different and can therefore be used in one complete sentence for continuity without sounding awkward.

A screenshot of the first two steps of the Creating a Playlist SOP for the MediaPlayer function. These steps demonstrate my approach to sentence construction and image editing.

I gave screenshots descriptive names so I could easily refer back to them and know what order to place them in. I also cropped some images to remove distracting whitespace while providing enough context for the user to understand where to find a button/option to select. For instance, if a step instructs the user to select the Confirm button, I would crop the screenshot of the dialog box and avoid showing the whole screen because that is unrelated to the step, and context isn't necesary for users to locate the button.

For functions that would take a significant amount of time to confirm, I referred to previous user manuals, rewriting content to leave out unecessary details and to clarify non-idiomatic or nonstandard language. The example below is from a manual produced for Optoma by a different company.

• Before: "The pixel shift function is used to refresh the screen display through screen pixel jitter and shift when the device is on but idle for a long time. This prevents screen burn-in. You can specify the pixel shift interval based on your requirements. We reccomend that you specify an interval that is not too short to avoid affecting your operations."

• After: "Select Pixel Shift to choose an interval to prevent image retention. Select one of the available options: OFF, Interval 2 mins, Interval 3 mins, Interval 5 mins, Interval 30 mins, or Interval 60 mins."

My rewrite is far briefer, avoiding repetitive terms and extraneous details like how the user can obviously select an option based on their needs, while aligning with prior manuals' style conventions.

Challenges

One challenge I faced was the scale of the project; because this user manual was all-new and produced on a strict deadline, I needed to manage my time effectively in order to produce a complete, accurate, and user-friendly piece of documentation. Having a clear, structured outline enabled me to visualize which portions of the manual would take more time than others to produce. Additionally, procuring screenshots of the device's UI would take a large portion of time, since I had to:

1. Take screenshots via a remote control and wired keyboard

2. Copy the screenshot to a USB drive

3. Plug the USB drive into my computer and avigate to the screenshot image files in File Explorer

4. Copy them to my local drive and crop out extraneous white space

To cut down on production time, I took screenshots of all the pages I would need to document and exported them to my computer in bulk, then created copies to annotate or edit as production progressed.

Conclusion

The Optoma N32 Series Flat Panel user manual represents one of the projects I completed for PTSGI over which I had the greatest amount of creative control. Armed with a rich educational background in UX design, I used that creative control to craft manual that parallels the user's existing ideas regarding the device.

If I had even greater control over the manual's writing, I would outline my own set of style guidelines to follow, including boldface type for UI text and italicized text for page names. Likewise, if I had more time, I would consult Optoma's engineering and design teams for insight into their user base to back up my writing decisions with prior research. I would also seek to revise the manual based on feedback from real N32 Series Flat Panel users and take those learnings forward to future manuals.