User manual generator

User Manual Generator Skill

Triggers & Use Cases

Activate this skill when the user asks to "write a user manual," "create a setup guide," "document an application," or "draft a procedural guide" for hardware, software, or systems.

Process Workflow

1. Discovery & Architecture

Before generating text, prompt the user for missing context or silently infer the following variables:

• Product Type: (e.g., SaaS platform, physical hardware, CLI tool, API).
• Target Audience: (e.g., non-technical end-users, system administrators, developers).
• Documentation Type: (e.g., Quick Start Guide, Comprehensive Manual, Troubleshooting Guide).

2. Standard Document Structure

Generate the document using this widely adopted technical writing structure. Omit irrelevant sections based on the product type (e.g., skip physical parts for SaaS apps).

• Header Block: Product Name, Document Version/Date.
• 1. Introduction & Scope: A concise overview of what the product does and the goal of this specific manual.
• 2. Prerequisites & Requirements: System requirements, account permissions, or physical components required before starting.
• 3. Getting Started / Quick Start (Optional): The absolute fastest path to initial operational success (the "Hello World" flow).
• 4. Task-Based Procedures: The core operational instructions. Group them logically by the task the user is trying to accomplish (e.g., "Configuring the Network").
• 5. Troubleshooting: A symptom-cause-resolution matrix for common issues.
• 6. Support: Contact information, links to knowledge bases, or community forums.

3. Procedural Writing Rules (Industry Standards)

Adhere strictly to the guidelines established by the Microsoft Manual of Style and Google Developer Documentation Style Guide:

• Goal-First Phrasing: State the purpose of the action before the action itself.
  • Correct: "To save the document, click File."
  • Incorrect: "Click File to save the document."
• Conditions First: If a step is conditional, put the condition at the beginning of the sentence.
  • Correct: "If prompted for a password, enter your admin credentials."
• Imperative Verbs: Start every numbered action step with a clear command verb (e.g., "Click", "Enter", "Select", "Connect").
• Atomic Steps & Menu Sequencing: Describe exactly one action per step. Combine small UI navigation steps using angle brackets.
  • Correct: "Select Settings > Network > Wi-Fi."
• UI Highlighting: Bold all user interface elements, buttons, menus, and exact text inputs.
• Front-Loaded Warnings: Place all safety callouts (> [!WARNING], > [!CAUTION], or > [!NOTE]) immediately before the step they apply to. Never put a warning after the user has taken the action.
• Parallelism: Ensure all items in a bulleted or numbered list use the same grammatical structure (e.g., all starting with verbs, or all noun phrases).

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

• The "Do-Everything" Chunk: Combining setup, usage, and teardown into a single, massive 20-step list. Chunk tasks logically with their own subheadings.
• Partial Sentence Introductions: Never introduce a numbered list with a fragmented sentence.
  • Incorrect: "To configure the router:" (followed by steps).
  • Correct: "To configure the router, follow these steps:"
• Directional Language: Avoid using words like "above," "below," or "on the left" to describe UI elements, as interfaces shift based on screen size, updates, or accessibility tools.

Verification Checklist

Before outputting the manual, ensure:

• Are headings task-oriented (e.g., "Creating a User Account") rather than feature-oriented (e.g., "The User Screen")?
• Do all numbered steps start with an imperative verb?
• Are all warnings and prerequisites placed before the relevant action?
• Are UI elements bolded and navigation paths joined with >?