Storyboard your User ManualStoryboard your User ManualAvi SolomonAvi Solomon

avisolo@gmail.comavisolo@gmail.com

A Storyboard is a sequence of images A Storyboard is a sequence of images and words drawn together on a page and words drawn together on a page to form a plausible narrativeto form a plausible narrative

Storyboards are routinely used in the movie making Storyboards are routinely used in the movie making business to ‘walkthrough' a movie before a single shot business to ‘walkthrough' a movie before a single shot is taken. is taken.

Not only does a storyboard allow for a dress rehearsal of the final Not only does a storyboard allow for a dress rehearsal of the final product but by the very fact of being posted on the wall, it elicits product but by the very fact of being posted on the wall, it elicits early feedback and encourages quick, painless editing, leading to early feedback and encourages quick, painless editing, leading to significant savings in time and resources.significant savings in time and resources.

Disney was a storyboarding freak!Disney was a storyboarding freak!

so is M. Night Shyamalam!so is M. Night Shyamalam!

Storyboarding has spread far beyond filmmaking. Storyboarding has spread far beyond filmmaking. It is an effective means of producing books quickly.It is an effective means of producing books quickly.

I first encountered storyboarding as a production I first encountered storyboarding as a production method in the famous 1965 STOP report.method in the famous 1965 STOP report.

I’ve successfully used storyboards to produce I’ve successfully used storyboards to produce quality Technical Documentation since 1999quality Technical Documentation since 1999

Here’s an example of an Here’s an example of an initial storyboard topic . initial storyboard topic .

There were 50 topic There were 50 topic storyboards for the user storyboards for the user manual. I created the manual. I created the storyboards in Visio and storyboards in Visio and had the development team had the development team review it very quickly. review it very quickly.

You can either print and You can either print and post the storyboards on a post the storyboards on a conference room wall or conference room wall or give each team member a give each team member a bound storyboard booklet bound storyboard booklet for individual review. for individual review.

Sure beats getting Sure beats getting engineers to review a engineers to review a word document!word document!

I collated the feedback I collated the feedback from the development team from the development team and quickly came up with and quickly came up with the initial topic content.the initial topic content.

As the product developed I As the product developed I was able to keep up with was able to keep up with the many changes the many changes throughout the user throughout the user manual.manual.

The storyboard review also The storyboard review also led team members to led team members to reflect on the prospective reflect on the prospective user interactions and make user interactions and make improvements in the improvements in the software user interface.software user interface.

There were no delays on my There were no delays on my part during the project and part during the project and everyone was satisfied!everyone was satisfied!

I hope this little demo has given you the I hope this little demo has given you the push to use Storyboarding to produce push to use Storyboarding to produce

quality Technical Documentation!quality Technical Documentation!

email me for a Storyboard template pack: email me for a Storyboard template pack: avisolo@gmail.comavisolo@gmail.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/avisolomonhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/avisolomon