Being able to write clear, easy to follow tutorials is extremely useful. Especially with a big economic squeeze looming, well documented software that doesn’t require “training” will have the edge. People who know how to write that documentation will also have the edge.

Here’s how to quickly write a tutorial about anything.

1. Come up with a task or skill that’s worth teaching.
2. Open your word processor, enter two blank paragraphs and then start a numbered list.
3. Type clear, step-by-step instructions for completing the task. Don’t try to explain. Make sure you are clear enough that your target reader can follow easily.
4. Underneath, turn off numbering and write a few short paragraphs explaining how and why this method worked.
5. Above your numbered list, give your tutorial a title (use the Heading 1 style)
6. Underneath the heading, write one or two paragraphs explaining how useful this skill is.
7. Read everything through and tweak it if you want. Make important parts bold. Clarify. Delete needless words.
8. Upload it to Scribd, print it, put it on your blog, or whatever.

The quickest, easiest part of any tutorial to write will be the step-by-step instructions. It’s worth numbering them, because you want the reader to be able to follow them easily. Each step should contain one action or clear “phase” of the process.

Writing a set of instructions is sometimes all you need, but usally your learners need to understand what they’re doing a bit too. You don’t want to just teach people to follow your instructions – usually you want to give them a skill that they can use over and over again. Explaining WHY your instructions work will help with that.

It’s best to keep the “instruction” and “explanation” part separate, because following instructions uses a different “brain mode” from understanding. For a reader to keep switching between one mode and another becomes exhausting. On the other hand, staying in one mode for two long becomes boring.

More tips

• Add a “more tips” section at the bottom, with anything that will help the reader follow the instructions more effectively.
• Keep words short and free of jargon as much as you can
• Make each “step” in the instructions a direct order. Don’t suggest, tell.
• If anything has more than 10 steps, try to break it into two shorter tasks
• Consider using screenshots in the instructions, to make them clearer. Consider using diagrams in the explanations, to make them clearer.