TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS FOR

COMPUTER ENGINEERS

ABDALLAH OF UGANDA
 Agenda of This Class

1. Types of Technical Documents

2. Technical Specifications
3. Manuals
4. In-Class Exercises
 Types of Technical Documents

• Scientists and Engineers Need to Read and/or

Write:
1. Specifications
2. Manuals
3. Papers, Articles and Technical Reports
4. Theses and Dissertations
5. Technical Books
6. Project Proposals

etc.
 System Documentation

Every system, you design as an engineer, you

need to read and/or write;
1. Requirements Specifications
2. Design Specifications
3. User Manual
4. Testing Documentation
5. Reference Manual
6. Maintenance Manual
 Technical Specifications

• Definition of the Word "Specification":

An act of describing or identifying something
precisely or of stating a precise requirement.
Document Produced by Specification:
Specifications (usually in the plural form) that
describe in detail the design and materials
used to make something
• Common to Write Technical Specifications in a
Tabular Form.
 Example Specifications

 Hardware Product → Physical Dimensions

 L (Length) x W (Width) x H (Height) and Weight.
 Sometimes denoted by W (Width) x D (Depth) x
H (Height)
 Hardware Product → Electrical Specifications
 Hardware Product → Operational Environments
 Standards (e.g., ISO) and/or Certifications
(e.g., UL)
 Look at this
This is the specifications of ASUS motherboard
Z10PE-16 WS

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z10PE
D16_WS/
 Software Specifications

• Specifications of a software product describes various aspects of

the software product from different viewpoints,(e.g., functionality,
interfaces, performance, security and reliability)
• Requirements for Hardware and Software Environments
• Minimum Hardware Requirements
– Minimum Amount of Memory
– Minimum Amount of Available Disk Space
– Required Communication Ports
– Minimum Resolution of a Monitor
etc.
• Compatible Software Platform
– OS
– Supporting Software such as a database system, an HTTP server and
JRE (Java Runtime Environment)
etc.
 Software Specifications

 Specifications of a software product describes various aspects of

the software product from different viewpoints, (e.g., functionality,
interfaces, performance, security and reliability)
 Requirements for Hardware and Software Environments
 Minimum Hardware Requirements
1. Minimum Amount of Memory
2. Minimum Amount of Available Disk Space
3. Required Communication Ports
4. Minimum Resolution of a Monitor
etc.
 Compatible Software Platform
1. OS
2. Supporting Software such as a database system, an HTTP server and
JRE (Java Runtime Environment)
etc.
 Manuals

 What Are Manuals?

Documentation of actions and/or procedures to
standardize tasks, operations and decision criteria
 Types of Manuals
1. User's Manuals
2. Quick Guides
3. Reference Manuals
4. Testing Manuals
5. Maintenance Manuals
6. Operations Manuals
• etc.
 Typical Components of User's
Manuals
1. Cover Page
2. Title Page (including copyright and disclaimers)
3. Preface
4. Table of Contents
5. Getting Started (or Introduction)
6. Sections on Main Topics
7. Troubleshooting
8. Appendix (e.g., FAQ)
9. Bibliography
10. Glossary (or Index)
 Example Manuals

• https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/get
started

• Developer's Guide for Building a Chrome

Extension − Getting Started
 INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
• User's Manual
1. Write instructions for each of the following
operations on the Web Browser that you
commonly use.
2. How to change a font size of a Web page
3. How to change text encoding from ISO Latin
1 to UTF-8
4. How to open a hyperlink into a new window
 END

• THANK YOU COMING