CMSC 345

1
CMSC 345

• Delivery

2
Steps

• Documentation
• Training
• Packaging
• Installation
• User Support
• Maintenance

3
People Who Use the System

• Users
• Uses the system to solve the problem described by
  requirements doc
• Operator
• Performs supplementary tasks
• Sometimes they are the same person

4
Documentation

• Consider the audience
• User vs. operator vs. system analyst
• Read Me First gives overall documentation
  roadmap
• How To Use This Book begins each document
• Illustrations to support the text
• Table of contents, index, glossary, tabs,
  numbering, cross-referencing, color coding

5
Users Manual

• Reference guide or tutorial
• Present system in layers, beginning with general
  purpose and progressing to detailed functional
  descriptions
• System summary gives purpose or objectives
  capabilities and functions features,
  characteristics and advantages what system
  accomplishes

6
Users Manual (2)

• Map of major functions and how they relate to
  each other
• Description of each function in terms of the
  screens user can expect to see, purpose of each,
  and result of each menu choice or function key
  selection
• Description of all input for each function
• Description of all output created by each
  function
• Description of any special features of function

7
Operators Manual

• Users want to know details of system function and
  use, operators want to know details of system
  performance and access
• Explain hardware and software configurations,
  methods for granting and denying access,
  procedures for adding and removing peripherals,
  techniques for duplicating or backing up files
  and documents
• Usually overlaps users manual so operator knows
  better how to support the system

8
General System Guide

• Learn about what the system does without learning
  details of each function
• So (potential) customer can decide if system is
  complete or accurate for their companys needs
• Describes solution to a problem in terms customer
  can understand
• Describes philosophy behind system construction

9
Tutorial

• Guide users (or operators) through actual system
  functions (or support)
• Automated system enables to try out

10
Programmers Guide

• Technical counterpart to users manual for
  maintainers
• Describe software components and how relate to
  functions performed
• Help programmer locate code that performs a
  particular function, either when failure occurs
  or function must be changed or enhanced
• Describes diagnostic programs, placement of
  debugging code, other support tools

11
Troubleshooting

• Best to point to fault that causes the failure
  immediately on-line in direct response
• Failure Message Reference Guide describes failure
  more completely
• Name of code component executing
• Source code line number
• Contents of relevant memory, registers, stack
  pointers
• Nature of failure explanation of why it occurs
• Failure severity and impact

12
On-Line Help

• Automated assistance at fingertips
• Help menu selection or function key for
  assistance or additional information
• Multiple levels of detail
• Refer to page in supporting documentation

13
Quick Reference Guide

• One or two pages
• How to perform commonly used or essential
  functions
• Particularly useful for special function key
  definitions or abbreviations
• May be available on-screen

14
Training

• User training
• Operator (administrator) training

15
User and Operator Functions
16
User Training

• Based primarily on major system functions and
  users need to access
• What they are and how to perform them w/o being
  aware of internal operation
• Relate how functions are performed with old
  system to how performed with new system
  (sometimes makes learning more difficult task
  interference)

17
Operator Training

• Familiarity with systems support functions how
  system works, not what it does
• How to bring up and run new system
• Configure
• Grant or deny access
• Assign task sizes or disk space
• Communicate with other systems
• How to support users
• Recover lost files
• Monitor and improve performance

18
Training Guidelines

• Successful only when meets needs and matches
  capabilities
• Different training and review modules for
  different types of students
• Short sessions or presentation units

19
Packaging and Installation

• CD-ROM, floppy, download
• System requirements
• Quick installation guide as well as complete
  documentation
• Automated installer program desirable
• Remember environment setup and system
  customization
• Future patches and upgrades