Great Technical Writing: The User-Product Life Cycle – A Documentation Tool
The User-Product Life Cycle (U-PLC) is a powerful tool for the User Document writer. Use the U-PLC to generate the high-level topics for your User Document.
THE USER-PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE (U-PLC)
Usually, when we think of a Product Life Cycle, we think in terms of the development and production of the Product itself. When writing User Documentation, consider the U-PLC to help you generate all the topics necessary for a complete document. User Documentation should support your Users in all of their interactions with the product.
The User-Product Life Cycle refers to the full range of interactions between the User and the Product itself. This is more than simply “how to use the product.” As you will see below, “Use the Product” is only one stage in the U-PLC.
STAGES IN THE U-PLC
Here are the stages IN the U-PLC (assuming that the User as acquired the Product):
— U-P LC Stage: Transport the Product to its working location
— U-P LC Stage: Unpack the Product
Transport and Unpacking of the product are listed...