Examples of end user, developer, and policies and procedures documentation

Learn about our case studies

You might also be interested in the case studies from documentation projects.

Here are some examples of the different types of content we’ve produced.

Below you’ll find examples of:

  • API documentation
  • Onboarding videos
  • elearning modules
  • HR policies
  • Business processes
  • An online employee portal
  • Financial procedures
  • An online Help portal
  • A knowledge base

We’ve also provided some information for you on how to assess the quality of these and your current documentation.

API documentation examples

Screenshot of documentation portal

This is a developer portal for similarity as a service:

API portal screenshot

This is a developer portal for integrating an organisation’s business workflow with identity document-related services.

screenshot of demo Rest API site

We also have a dummy REST API documentation portal we can show on request.

Onboarding video examples

Software onboarding video example

elearning module examples

The Mathspeak project

Mathspeak welcome page

Cherryleaf is part of the Mathspeak project.

The Mathspeak project is a partnership between European educational practitioners and the creators of educational materials.

Funded by the European Commission, this project provides free learning materials that teachers can use to help non-native language students succeed at maths.

EU Erasmus logo

Our elearning site

Screenshot of the Home screen from Cherryleaf's elearning platform

We have developed a number of online training courses that help people become better business or technical communicators. You can view a number of online training samples from these courses.

Policy and procedures examples

HR policies

Here is an example of a policy for employing new staff:

Business process examples

screenshot of project flowchart with hotspots

This example has flowcharts with hotspots that take the reader to more detailed information:

Online employee portal example

Here is a proof of concept for publishing HR procedures online. Word documents can be converted into an online employee portal:

Financial procedures example

Here is an example of a VAT reporting procedure that includes reference to risks and controls:

Online Help examples

Online Help portal example

Here is a proof of concept for an online Help portal that deflects calls to the support lines.

Knowledge base example

Here is a proof of concept for a knowledge base that deflects calls to the support lines.

Please note

Writing Help files is one of the key things that we do. However:

  • We are nearly always under a non-disclosure agreement with our clients.
  • The information is sometimes integrated with the software. This means you’d need to buy and install the application if you wanted to see the content. In other cases, the content may be on the web, but behind a firewall.

This means we prefer to understand a little more about your situation, so that we can show you the most appropriate examples. Contact us, and we can do this.

User guide examples

Writing user guides files is also one of the key things that we do. And again, we prefer to understand a little more about your situation, so that we can show you the most appropriate examples. Contact us, and we can do this.

 

Assessing the quality of technical documentation using the IBM criteria

It can be difficult if somebody gives you a sample, and you’re looking at it for just a couple of minutes. Your eyes are naturally attracted to what you might call the shiny stuff, the visual impact. It may be harder to assess actually the quality of the writing, the information design, the flow of the information, that is the way in which has been written.

One of the most common standards or criteria that people use within technical communication is to use a quality criteria developed originally by IBM.

Accuracy
  • Freedom from mistake or error; adherence to fact or truth.
  • Are there any mistakes in the steps that have been described?
Concreteness
  • The inclusion of appropriate examples, scenarios, similes, analogies, specific language, and graphics.
  • Is there appropriate use of examples, for explaining terms that might not be familiar to somebody?
Retrievability or find-ability
  • Users can find specific items quickly and easily.
  • Can somebody quickly find the information they’re looking for?
Task orientation
  • A focus on helping users do tasks that are associated with a product or tool in relation to their jobs.
  • Is it focused on the audience’s goal – what they want to achieve?
Clarity
  • Can people understand it the first time they read it?
Completeness
  • The inclusion of all necessary parts, and only those parts.
  • Is there the right amount of detail?
Organization
  • A coherent arrangement of parts that makes sense to the user.
  • Is it arranged in an order that makes sense for users?
Style
  • Correctness and appropriateness of writing conventions and of words and phrases.
  • This can relate to plain English or clear English.
Visual effectiveness
  • Attractiveness and enhanced meaning of information through the use of layout, illustrations, colour, typography, icons, and other graphical devices.