The document discusses various techniques for using images to document procedures and concepts in a user manual, including capturing an entire dialog box or task flow in a single image, using arrows and text boxes to annotate images, showing progressive steps in a task through multiple images, and illustrating concepts, system architectures, wizards and more through customized images. It notes that while visual documentation takes more time, it can convey information more quickly and clearly to users. However, excessive images can also make documents longer, heavier and age more quickly.

1. Slide 1: A new product to document...

2. Slide 2: Lots of right-clicking the tree…

3. Slide 3: Why not capture ‘right-click/select/do/result’ in one picture?

4. Slide 4: Exploded view...

5. Slide 5: Using text boxes/arrows to annotate a completed dialog box…

6. Slide 6: Using a cascade of images to illustrate a progression...

7. Slide 7: Shows the user (a) the tool, (b) what to right-click, (c) what menu item to select, and (d) how to complete the resulting dialog box.

8. Slide 8: Step-by-step illustration of how to complete a dialog box…

9. Slide 9: Picture representation of paths to files…

10. Slide 10: What happens on completing a task...

11. Slide 11: What is the effect of changing different settings.....

12. Slide 12: Illustrating a concept…

13. Slide 13: Explaining a concept…

14. Slide 14: Documenting a large dialog box broken into discrete compartments...

15. Slide 15: Single picture showing system architecture and software requirements...

16. Slide 16: Illustration of what a set of display options means in practice...

17. Slide 17: Page-by-page descriptions of wizard pages...

18. Slide 18: For some wizard screens, text boxes will not suffice and a fully documented procedure is required...

19. Slide 19: Overview of a procedure, with constituent steps matching the table of contents...

20. Slide 20: The complete picture...

21. Slide 21: Map of web pages…

22. Slide 22: Circular progression through (in this case) a set of screens…

23. Slide 23: If picture width is an issue for you (that is, you may occasionally need to crop pictures to make them narrower), then consider what ‘Message Box’ style is in force on your PC. Here, ‘Windows XP style’ (left) is more suitable than ‘Windows Classic Style’ (right) because it has a constant pattern across its width, allowing for seamless cropping:

24. Slide 24: Make sure that any field entries in pictures are sensible and help to clarify what is going on…

25. Slide 25: Names of tree entries chosen to strengthen the text...

26. Slide 26: Be sure to remove or edit any mention to real people, places , IP addresses and so on….

28. Visually appealing

30. Labour-intensive

31. Can be excessive and even unhelpful (overkill?)

32. Increases document length and weight

33. Ages documents more quickly