Style guide for documentation
A Documentation Style Guide is key to ensuring that the manuals are homogeneous as it contains the criteria, standards of style, form and appearance that must be applied in order that a consistent and coherent documentation can be developed.
It also depends on whether the understanding of a manual is expected.
We prepare a documentation style guide for a well-known industrial group with a multitude of high-tech companies. He contacted GEMINYS motivated by the lack of homogeneity of their manuals and the lack of certainty that these manuals complied with current regulations.
In their search for solutions, they undertook the task of training their specialists in security directives and their application in documentation. However, the term was long not only taking into account the development of the documentation itself, but also because of the time that it would cease to be dedicated to its main task.
Finally, attracted by our experience and knowledge regarding good documentary practices, they came to GEMINYS to prepare their industrial manuals.
A Corporate Style Guide was developed that included:
● All the layouts and essential elements to facilitate the work of the editors and systematize the development of the manuals.
● A summary of the fundamental points to take into account as a “check-list” included in the security directives in force and that should be included in the documentation.
● A series of writing rules and other good documentary practices (coding, illustration, proofreading, translation) that would unify the criteria throughout the group of companies.
Currently the client not only continues to use this Style Guide for its documentation, but also uses it as a documentation specification for both documentation outsourcing and internal development of the same.
This Guide has evolved, incorporating new elements and adapting to changing regulations. So much so, that every time GEMINYS collaborates with this client on a new documentation project, it receives a new updated version of this document.
Do you need a style guide for your documentation?