How to Write a Software Installation Guide
Introduction
An installation guide is an owner’s manual written to describe the installation of either a mechanical/electronics system (like a child’s swing or a hi-fi set) or a software product. Here we will focus mainly on the latter.
A software installation guide overlaps with System Administration Guide since it covers similar configuration tasks. That’s the reason why the demarcation line between these two guides may not always be very clear.
CLICK HERE: Do you know the differences between frequently used technical guides?
What is Software Installation Guide?
A software installation guide is a software-specific document that helps software users install, uninstall and upgrade software.
A software installation guide is necessary because it can help you avoid common pitfalls and errors that can occur during software installation. It can also help you to get the most out of your software.
This software may be open source software or commercial software.
The software installation guide documents all details step by step including the prerequisites for installing the software, necessary hardware requirement and any other software such as an Operating System (OS) that is required to install the software.
Why Write a Software Installation Guide?
A good software installation guide can help reduce user frustration and increase the chances that software will be installed correctly the first time.
Poorly written software installation guides can lead to software not being installed, software not working properly or software installation errors.
Users are more likely to have a positive experience with software if the software installation guide is clear, concise, and easy to follow.
Who Should Write the Software Installation Guide?
The software installation guide should ideally be written by the software developer or a member of the software development team.
A technical writer who is knowledgeable about software installation can also write an installation guide in consultation with the SMEs and the developer team.
Given the fact that most developers and software engineers do not like the writing process, the role of a professional technical writer becomes all the more important and even indispensable.
The software installation guide should be reviewed and updated by the software developer or development team on a regular basis with the help of the technical writer.
Important Points to Consider
When writing a software installation guide, you’ll need to consider the following:
– Which software do you want to install?
– What are the system requirements for the software?
– What software do you have currently installed on the computer?
– How is software being installed in this guide different from software installation guides in the past?
Updating Software Installation Guide
It’s important to keep your software installation guide updated, otherwise, it may confuse users or not help them install software properly. You can update software installation guides by adding software installation software if more software is released, or by revising software installation software steps and screenshots to make sure they’re correct.
Audience is Important
It’s also important to consider your target audience when writing a software installation guide, as it will help you decide how detailed the software installation guide needs to be.
For example, you’ll need different screenshots for software installation software if you’re writing a software installation guide for advanced users than if you’re writing a software installation guide for beginners.
Software Prerequisites
A software installation guide should include software prerequisites such as an Operating System (OS) that is required to install the software.
A software installation guide may also cover software release notes, software update methods (i.e., manual or automatic) and software uninstallation methods (i.e., manual or automatic).
The software installation guide should be written by the software developer or a member of the software development team who can help ensure that all details are included in the software installation guide.
Software installation guides should be reviewed and updated by the software developer or development team on a regular basis to ensure the software installation guide is up-to-date.
Technical Writer’s Role
However, the technical writer’s role in formatting, writing, managing the review cycle, incorporating the review feedback into multiple drafts of the document, distributing the installation guide, and then maintaining the document repository for easy access and navigation to the document is also important.
Once it is written and approved, the technical writer becomes the de facto custodian of the installation guide.
What are Software Installation Instructions?
It’s basically just a list of software installation instructions for software developers to follow when developing software. It’s generally presented in the form of a simple, easy-to-use how-to guide that is written in concise and plain English. Installation guides are most often used by software developers who wish to help users install their software programs smoothly and successfully.
Important Instructions
When creating software installation software, be sure to follow the software installation software instructions below:
– Make sure all software requirements are met before beginning software installation software
– Back up important files and folders on the computer before beginning software installation software
– Take screenshots of software installation software as you write it for yourself and other software installation software writers to use as a reference
What Goes Into a Software Installation Guide?
The contents of a software installation guide can vary depending on the software that is being installed. However, there are some general topics that should be covered in any software installation guide. These topics may include:
– software installation
– software prerequisites
– software license agreement
– software conflict detection and resolution
– software update method (i.e., manual or automatic)
– software uninstallation methods (i.e., manual or automatic)
– software release notes/changelog
Steps of Writing the Installation Guide
Authoring software installation instructions can be a daunting task, but if you take the time to plan and organize your thoughts, you can create clear and concise instructions that will help users install your software with ease.
The following are some tips on how to write software installation instructions:
1. Start by Gathering Information
Before you can start writing software installation instructions, you will need to gather the following information:
– software name and software version
– hardware requirements
– software dependencies
– software license terms
– software-installation file format (i.e. MSI or EXE)
There are several options for doing this, you can manually search on the internet, use software that scans software for dependencies or use a software installation checklist.
2. Plan the Structure of Your Guide
Once you have gathered all of the required information, it’s time to start planning the structure of your software installation guide.
The following is a suggested structure for software installation guides:
– introduction
– software prerequisites
– software installation
– software post-installation tasks
It is highly recommended that the structure of your software installation guide reflects the needs of software users, so be sure to plan ahead before you start writing.
3. Write the Guide’s Introduction Section
The introduction section should briefly describe what software is being installed, how it can be used and what its benefits are. It should also identify any software dependencies that need to be installed as well as software license terms that users will need to agree with before software installation can take place.
4. Write the Software Prerequisites Section
The software prerequisites section should list all the software you will be requiring software users to install in order for software installation to take place. This section should also identify software dependencies and software license terms.
5. Write the Software Installation Section
The software installation section is where you will provide step-by-step instructions for software installation. This section should be easy to follow and include screenshots or images when necessary.
6. Write the Software Post Installation Tasks Section
The software post-installation tasks section should list all the post-installation tasks that need to be completed in order for the software to function properly. This section should also identify software dependencies and software license terms.
Main Components of a Software Installation Guide
Here are the main components of a typical software installation guide:
System Requirements (or Prerequisites)
What kind of hardware, software and/or firmware are needed to install this software? Will it work if your Operating System is a Mac OS X, or Windows Vista? How fast your processor should be?
For example here are the system requirements for Windows VISTA OS Home Basic Edition which should be included in a Windows VISTA Installation Guide:
- 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
- 512 MB of system memory
- 20 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics and 32 MB of graphics memory
- DVD-ROM drive
- Audio Output
- Internet access
Overview of System or Product Features
What are the basic features, characteristics, of the software or product in question? Provide them in a list, or table.
For example, if this is an office telephone (communication) software, list how many lines the software supports; what kind of power it operates on; how many users and passwords it supports; what kind of database it needs; how many “zones” “partitions” or “configurations” it supports; how many “communication units” “telephones” or other similar hardware it accommodates; etc.
It is appropriate to include in this section also ways to CONTACT the company or the client service department in case there are any product, warranty, registration, etc. related questions.
Also in this section include any LEGAL disclaimers, disclosures, official government agency warnings, UL (or other official certification agency) requirements, registration information, etc.
Minimal Quick Start Configuration
This section sometimes is published as a separate “Quick Start” or “Quick Start-Up” guide as well.
Describe in this section how to set up “system time” by entering the correct values into the internal “system clock,” if any.
Explain how to identify and interpret any system or hardware codes, serial numbers, acronyms or abbreviations that the product comes with.
Include one or more charts or drawings (as appropriate) describing how to install the software (or the product). Show the correct wiring connections, if any. If any physical installation is involved, including a drawing of screwdrivers or other tools attaching the product properly by driving screws or rivets, etc.
Your customers will really appreciate this section of the Installation Guide since they would be able to set up the product and see it in action quickly and thus build up their confidence in the product. Once that confidence is established they can proceed to fine-tune the settings and adapt it for more refined and complicated tasks. But the research has shown that if the customers cannot quickly start to set up and operate a system their level of frustration builds up quickly, leading to a poor user experience. That’s why this section is important to encourage customer loyalty, build high satisfaction levels, and generate as few calls to the customer service department as possible.
Set-Up Configurations
Usually, a software or a product will have a “typical” and an “exceptional” or “customer-designed” installation. This installation will sometimes be referred to in product literature as “deployment” as well.
Explain the most “typical” installation (or deployment) configurations that customers of this software or product have used in the past. If possible also tell your users which situations and which client goals justify which type of “typical installation.”
Maintenance and Error Messages and Troubleshooting
All software products and most electronic gadgets and systems display messages to give feedback about system status and to signal if there are problems with the system.
In this section you should list all those messages, including the audio ones, explain what they mean, and follow them up explaining what to do about it – that is, also provide a troubleshooting section.
For example, let’s say you have four LED lights in the front of your product or four circles displayed on the status bar of your software. Explain what it means when all lights are GREEN, three GREEN one YELLOW, all YELLOW, all GREEN one RED, etc. Describe what such color combinations mean and then also explain how to take care of the error or malfunction (if it is such) in the troubleshooting section.
Overlap Between Different Types of Guides
As you can easily tell, some of the above information can be included in a User or System Administration Guide as well. The decision of what information should go where is a management (or client) decision although, if you are the writer, you can argue your case as well. However, it is much better to repeat crucial information in more places than one since you usually have no control over the way technical manuals are used.
For example, you can ASSUME that a customer would refer to the Installation Guide to understand the meaning of System Error Codes but perhaps he or she won’t. Perhaps your customers will only read the User Manual and if the troubleshooting information is included only in the System Admin or Installation guide, they’ll pick up the phone and call your service center to solve a simple problem instead of referring to the Installation Guide.
So, when in doubt, include important information in more guides than one despite the risk of redundancy and repetition.
FAQ — Different Types of Installation
What is Attended Installation?
Attended software installation is letting the software installation process run on its own.
What is Unattended Installation?
Unattended software installation requires zero user input to complete the software installation.
What is Shared Software Installation?
Sharing software packages is a great way for businesses and educational institutions with multiple computers to save disk space and installation time.
What is Automated Installation?
Automated software installation, also known as software deployment, is the process of installing software on multiple computers using a software installation script.
What is Silent Installation?
Silent software installation is a software installation process that runs without any prompts.
What is Headless Installation?
A headless software installation is a software installation process where no graphical user interface is displayed.
What is Network installation?
Before you start the software installation, it is important to know what software network installation is.
Network software installation allows software applications to be installed on multiple computers through a network connection instead of installing the software CD or DVD for each computer individually.
What is Scheduled or Automated Installation?
Scheduled software installation is an unattended software installation that can be scheduled to run at a specific time.
What is Clean Installation?
A clean installation is a process of installing software on a computer without first running an install program. The software is usually placed on a CD or some other medium, and the user manually copies the files to the hard drive.
Sometimes clean installation is also referred to as a “custom installation.”
When Should You Use Clean Installation?
There are several instances when you might want to perform a clean installation:
– If you are installing a new operating system, you should always do a clean installation. This will ensure that there are no conflicts with old software or drivers.
– If you are having problems with your computer and cannot seem to fix them, doing a clean installation may be the solution to your problems.
– If you are upgrading software, you should do a clean installation rather than an upgrade. It is much easier to uninstall software if it doesn’t work correctly.
How to Install Software in Clean Installation?
To perform a clean installation of software, just follow these simple steps:
1) Place the software you want to install on a CD or some other medium of choice.
2) Copy the files to your hard drive.
3) Run the installation program.
4) Follow the on-screen instructions.
5) Reboot your computer.
What are the Benefits of Clean Installation?
There are several benefits to performing a clean installation:
– You can be sure that there are no conflicts with old software or drivers.
– The installation process is much simpler than an upgrade.
– If there are any problems with the software, it is much easier to uninstall it.
– You can choose which programs to install and which ones to leave out.
– A clean installation takes up less disk space than an upgrade.
– You can set up your computer exactly the way you want it.
WARNING: A clean software installation removes all software that was previously installed on the computer!
What is Bootstrapper?
Bootstrapper software is software that installs software on a computer. This software is also called software installer or package manager.
“In computing, a bootstrap loader is the first piece of code that runs when a machine starts, and is responsible for loading the rest of the operating system.”
A bootstrapper can be used to upgrade, remove, configure software already installed on your computer. A software installer keeps track of what software is installed by which installation scripts and where it is placed. It will make sure that programs make proper use of the software and it will update the software with newer versions.
What is an Upgrade?
An upgrade is a software installation that replaces an existing software package with a newer version of the software.
What is a Software Repository?
A software repository is a location where software and software packages are stored and accessed from.
What is Software Localization?
Software localization, also known as software internationalization, is the process of adapting software for use in different regions or countries.
What is a Software License Agreement?
Software license agreements outline what a user can and cannot do with software that they have purchased.
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About your last sentence: isn’t it what content management systems are for? They let you reuse a particular content in several destination manuals, don’t they? I regret that your article ends on such a negative note although there are solutions.
Helene, thanks for your thoughtful comment. There are of course content management systems that are very useful for that purpose but this tutorial described a situation in which technical writers author separate guides without any single-sourcing or “structured authoring.” And even when the writer has access to such modular writing tools the readers and end users themselves might still refer to one guide only and miss what’s been included in yet another guide. I was trying to make the point that in situations where the readers do not have access to such sophisticated content management systems it would be prudent to cover important information in more reference materials than one, despite the inevitable redundancy and overlapping. Best regards. Ugur