It’s not easy writing technical manuals. To convert schematics, software use cases, design drawings, and other source data into an easily-understandable document is not an easy task. In almost every case, the writer must incorporate illustrations in the technical manual to help do the job.
A quality illustration can go a long way toward communicating the intended information to the audience. Bad graphics can actually hinder the technical writer’s task. This article contains some of the techniques I use to ensure illustrations help, not hinder.
In general terms, there are two types of artwork used in technical manuals. Vector images are line drawings, typically output from an illustrating software program such as CAD programs, Corel Draw, or Adobe Illustrator. The other type of graphics is bitmap images. Software screen captures and photographs are an example of bitmap images. Photoshop and GIMP are programs typically used to output bitmap images.
Vector artwork usually results in a clearer, sharper image. It is easier to resize if necessary. One thing that should be checked with vector illustrations is line weight. Print the document and make sure all the lines are heavy enough that they don’t drop out when output on a laser printer.
For the greatest ease of use, I recommend using TIFF files in your document. Every graphics program I’ve ever seen will output TIFF files, and any major word processor or publishing software will import TIFF. Make sure your TIFF files have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI for best results.
Have you ever seen a document with blurry, fuzzy screen captures? The reason for this is usually that the technical writer used JPEG images instead of TIFF files. The JPEG format was developed for use with photographs, and allows for image data to be reduced when a file is edited and saved. Using TIFF files will eliminate this problem.
If your screen captures are fuzzy, consider that your screen displays images at 72 DPI. When you take that low resolution image, open it in an editing software and save it, the finished product is probably going to be very poor image quality.
If the screen capture is made in TIFF format from the beginning, your final image will be much sharper and easier to read in your technical manual. Another factor that is typically overlooked is the color scheme of the operating system, which determines the colors of the title bar, scroll bars, and other screen elements. Best results can be obtained by using a high-contrast monochrome color scheme.
Great illustrations make the technical writer’s job easier. However it is important to make sure your illustrations are of high quality. Poor graphics will make a big negative impression on your work.
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