7 Guide for Users
I would like to provide important information to end-users on ‘how to use my product’.
What is the user guide?
The user guide consists of information that allows end-users to operate the product properly. This may includes information on setting the hardware, operating the hardware, recognizing and solving problems, run the maintenance of the hardware and dispose of the hardware when it is beyond repair. The user guide is written for non-technical people.
Note the user guide may link to other parts of the documentation (especially for installation instruction/first use instrutions), or even to specific online help (for troubleshooting, a forum may be indicated on to of “usual problems”). It usually includes:
Description of the device :Section 7.4
Safety information: Section 7.3
Use of the product: Section 7.5
Calibration instructions: Section 7.9
Troubleshooting section: Section 7.6
Environmental management: Section 7.14
Maintenance and Repair information: Section 7.12, Section 7.10
Disposal information: Section 7.13
How to create a user guide ?
The form of the guide is usually a printable document or a website. It is advised to use markdown file for its creation and deliver a printable pdf for the users. The use of screenshots, photos and videos are usually welcome.
Some popular software used to create webpage and pdf from markdown files:
- GitBook
- readthedoc
- quarto
- Gitbuilding can also be used to this purpose.
Some examples of open-source projects that show the user guide.
Sources
User Guides : Safety information
Describe all relevant safety issues or references to a risk assessment if included (for example high voltage, chemical safety etc.). If appropriate, discuss the wider context of the use of the hardware and safety issues or risks that may arise in the use environment.
OSH makers are not always formally trained engineers and may not be able to easily differentiate between dangerous and safe manipulations.
Sources
User Guides - Overview of the hardware
including:
- Device name (and its parts) and their definition
- Essentials and technical specificationsOne can describe examples of application of the hardware. This should include some evidence of output, like data produced by the use of the device or a picture of other types of results. Outline how the quality control in Section 7.6 enables the use of the hardware in this context. We encourage the link to experiment results or the reference to a publication (published or to be published) where these results are detailed. We also encourage pointers to ongoing work.
Sources
Operation instructions
The operation instruction gives information on the use of the product, in particular in term of software. Note that it may include the calibration chapter (Section 7.9) when calibration is necessary for each use.
It may includes
Materials required
- App
- Software
- Firmware
Procedure
- Installation instructions including
- Firmware installation
- Software installation
- App installation
- Setup instructions containing
- Software setup
- Firmware setup
- App setup
- Explains how to update the firmware to the latest version
- Installation instructions including
Sources
OpenNext work project resutls: Section 9.1
User Guides: Troubleshooting
Testing instructions
The user guide should give information on methods to test the accuracy of the hardware. This may include specific data to give the hardware as input and some information about how to interpret the quality of the output.
Details can be provided on the testing of hardware functionalities, that are not directly essential for the precision operation of the hardware in the given context (which are in turn, where applicable, handled under Calibration), such as automated movements to position the hardware, repeatability of tool exchanges, recyclability, water-tightness, weight or other possibly relevant characteristics.
The testing should define the safe/reliable limits in which the components can be operated (e.g. step size and repeatability of linear motion, force ranges, ratio of devices with leaks when built in a workshop, etc). This will enhance the usability of the hardware or method in other contexts.
Example: Ink Printers usually have a testing mode where a specific data file is used where the printed output will inform the user about the accuracy of the printer. The guide then explain what users should look for in order to make a diagnostic.
Troubleshooting
- Instructions on how to solve common problems
- Instruction to get additional help and report problems (Git forge issues, forums, chat,…).
Sources
User Guides: Calibration
If the hardware is used for measurements, please detail here how the reliability of measurements, or other hardware properties that are relevant for measurements, has been quantified and explain the results. Be clear about the processes or procedures used to compare the hardware to a standard, as well as the description of the standard calibrated against. Detail the general procedures in place for users to calibrate their hardware before or during use. What methods can be used to relate user-generated data to data from other sources?
Sources
User Guides : Repair
Identifying the defective components
This can be linked to scheduled tests, or be done when an issue is seen. The guide should answer these questions, it may be written as a table:
- How to monitor the performance of the equipment? (what additional equipment may be necessary for this monitoring)
- How to detect a defective component, and determine what is defective ?
- How to eliminate the fault (see below) ?
- How to verify that the fault was eliminated
Repairing the defective components
For each element which may be defective:
- Step-by-step procedures describing the repairing sequence
- Refer to the technical documentation where you can find the manufacturing (and assembly) instructions to rebuild the defective components
- Indicate the required tools for repairing
- Verification of repair
- It may be interesting to add images and photos.
Sources
OpenNext work project resutls: Section 9.1
User Guides: Replacing equipment components
This is very similar to the repairing section Section 7.10, even if this is planned modifications.
- Links to step-by-step procedures describing the replacing sequence.
- Required tools for replacing the components
Example
Replacing Ink cartridge in a printer or a lamp bulb in a video projector.
Sources
OpenNext work project resutls: Section 9.1
Maintenance
Maintenance instructions provide the necessary information to maintain the system effectively and perform the required operations to system works properly in the long run. This includes advice on the frequency of the maintenance and the risks of failure.
It may also include information on the process of modifying a system or component after delivery, in order to correct faults, improve performance or other attributes, or adapt to a changing environment.
Maintenance instructions
A maintenance instruction is a technical communication document intended to give recommendations and necessary information to maintain the system effectively. In this book, we treat the identification of defective components and their repair as separate tasks, while others have defined it as part of the maintenance.
Note that the instructions are meant for the users and should therefore be focused on the schedule of maintenance. The maintenance information (what to do) may be directed toward experienced/professional people. In addition, this latter (technical) information may be best linked to the technical documentation of each part, in order to avoid giving outdated information (for example giving repair information for version 1, while the rest of the documentation is for version 2 of a hardware).
The maintenance user guide may include:
- Introduction of general maintenance
- Cleaning
- Lubricating
- Regular inspections or services. These can be carried out on a time-based schedule or a usage-based schedule. See also Section 7.10:
- Maintenance according to predetermined intervals
- Maintenance according to prescribed criteria
- Maintenance by integrating analysis, measurement, and periodic test activities
- Regular adjusting machinery
- Maintenance tools (Various tools necessary to perform the maintenance operation)
- Schedule for Replacing equipment, see also Section 7.11
examples FarmBot Genesis V1.5
Template of maintenance
Common procedures: - cleaning - lubricating - machine adjustments - calibrations - (periodic) test activities
Information to give: - predetermined interval - prescribed criteria - tools - verification procedure
Sources
OpenNext work project resutls: Section 9.1
Disposal instructions
Disposal instructions identify the process of removing a system or its component, ensuring the proper handling of any environmentally sensitive materials, and sending the remainder to surplus storage or sale.
They describe each component with information about their end of life (depending on their material content). Each element will be classed corresponding to their “recyclability”, and infromation is given to reduce the negative environemental impact of the disposal and recycling of the hardware componenent.
Classing elements
Recyclable: waste wich can be turn into another form of new and reusable materials without specific treatment.
Non-recyclable: the components or products that design for single-use, which means they get discarded immediately after use.
Conditionally recyclable: component which needs specific treatment before being recycled.
- Distinguishing the recyclable, Conditionally recyclable and Non-recyclable components or products.
- Determining what material can recycle many times
- Identify the product lifespan for disposing and/or recycling.
- Describe how to recycle the components or products and their type of materials?
- Describe how to dispose of components which cannot be recycled.
Disposable products are most often made from Polystyrene and Cotton, Non-recyclable products from Textiles and Ceramics.
Types of disposal:
- Incineration: This type of waste disposal involves the dumping off method where you eliminate waste materials via combustion.
- Landfill: It involves collecting, transporting, dumping, and burying waste in a designated land.
disassembly
Indicate how to disassemble the components a product for recycling/disposing?
environmental assessment
it is the assessment of the environmental consequences of disposing or recycling a product before the decision to move forward with the proposed action. - The negative consequences of disposable products on the environment if sustainability isn’t factored into disposal options. - How to select the disposal or recycling process to have a less environmental impact?
Template of disposal
For each element or part, indicate:
- sub-part name
- parent part number and name, with links
- link to dissassembly instructions (see sec-product-build-assembly-instructions)
- material used + how many times can it be recycled
- recyclable (yes/no/conditional)
- disposition information, for each option:
- how to
- environmental assessment of disposal options:
- described the negative consequences of disposal
- Define and describe the main parameters and processes to decrease these negative environmental impacts
- end of life information
Sources
User guides: Environmental management
- Protection against weather conditions
- Determining the acceptable temperature rangeSources