I am in the processing of creating a user manual for our propritery software. I am using Help & Manual because the printed manual will be converted to on-line help.

I have loads of experience creating training manuals but I think user manuals are a diffrent animal.

With all that being said, I am looking for formats of technical user manuals. Can anyone point me in the direction to found something?

Dear Leatrice,

There are several ways you can repurpose/re-engineer the user manual to an online user manual. My company has developed or repurposed thousands of such product manuals. So out of this experience, I can think of many instructional strategies to develop an online user manual. You may look at one of our samples at http://www.teachmeit.com/samplecourse/ms/msa/content.asp. When it opens, click the View Course button on right upper side. It will pop-up an online user manual course we developed for MS Word 2007. I hope it is useful. In case there is an option where you may consider us to develop the same for you/ your company, please feel free to mail me at biswaranjan.nayak@infoprocorp.com.

Google "user guide templates".

I recommend the Information Mapping method. (You don't need to buy their software to use the method.)

Information Mapping

Also "Terrific Training Materials" by Darlene Frank, HRD Press.